Europe sees approximately one million people spending their nights without shelter every single day. The European Federation of National Organizations Working with the Homeless (known by its abbreviation “Feantsa”) has brought to light this startling statistic.
A Basic Right Denied
The Federation stated that this number “reflects only the most visible instances of homelessness, highlighting the failure of European nations in recognizing housing as a fundamental right.”
Freek Spinnewijn, Feantsa’s director, expressed his concerns about how most European governments continue to disappoint their homeless citizens. “There’s a public frustration with the ineffective ways in which resources are being deployed to manage this issue,” he added.
Empty Promises and Worsening Conditions
Although the EU countries committed last year to tackle this issue by 2030, a recent report titled “The Eighth Review on Housing Deprivation in Europe” suggests that the problem is deteriorating. Apart from Finland and Denmark, no nation has shown significant progress.
The data, collected from various EU nations and the UK, varies in its sources. Some of it comes from population censuses, while others are based on local authority figures. This data “is a conservative estimate,” as not all categories used by the report’s authors to define homelessness had available statistics. Categories included people sleeping rough, those staying in emergency shelters, and those temporarily residing with family or friends.
By the end of 2022, Germany’s official census data estimated its homeless population at over 262,000. Spain reported over 28,000 homeless individuals for the same year. Meanwhile, Ireland’s emergency shelters accommodated approximately 12,000 people.
The report also indicated large numbers of people in countries like the UK, France, Bulgaria, and Hungary living in substandard and unsuitable homes.
Feantsa urges serious measures across the continent to protect the vast numbers residing in dilapidated properties plagued by issues like dampness, mold, inadequate sanitation, and fire risks. This is a daily reality for millions in these countries.
In the face of these challenges, European nations must reaffirm their commitment to ensuring housing as a human right for all.
