Gender Based Analysis of Urban Homelessness in India

The right to adequate housing is a human rights issue globally. The violation of this right leads to the violation of other indivisible human rights. Homelessness has become a major human right challenge for an emerging economy like India. According to the Census 2011, India has more than 1.77 million homeless people, of which 52.95 per cent are in urban areas. Independent estimates, however, place the total number of homeless persons in India at about 2.3 million. Homelessness itself is the grave violation of basic right to shelter. It affects both men and women but women tend to be disproportionately affected. Women are often exposed to violence and intense emotional stress after homelessness because of their close ties to the home and their role as caregivers for the entire family. For the women, the non-realization of this right or its violation has specific consequences, not seen in the same way in the case of men. This paper will endeavor to delve into the lives of urban homeless women in India and will analyze the problems faced by them in the context of human rights.