Women’s homelessness: hidden in plain sight

The causes of homelessness for women, girls and gender-diverse people are poorly understood, nor are they addressed by solutions designed primarily for men. This results in policy failures and funding inequities. Existing literature on homelessness among these groups is limited, leading to services that fail to meet their needs. Particularly, engagement with Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit persons is lacking. A research project in Canada investigated the drivers of housing insecurity and homelessness among these populations. Collaborating with lived experts, the team proposed policy and practice changes to better support them.

Download the final report (PDF)

Project scope and outcomes

The project sought to explore the reasons behind homelessness among women, girls, and individuals with diverse gender identities in Canada. It stressed the importance of better understanding their housing needs and finding effective solutions.

Highlighting "hidden homelessness"
The project shed light on the issue of "hidden homelessness" among women, a phrase used when women's homelessness is undetected or unrecorded. Every day, an estimated 1,000 women and children are turned away from shelters that are often at full capacity. This issue particularly affects:

• Indigenous women
• Two-Spirit individuals
• 2SLGBTQI+ women
• newcomers
• women with disabilities
• gender-diverse individuals

Addressing disproportionate impact
The research revealed that women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals in Canada disproportionately experience poverty, core housing need, interpersonal violence and childcare responsibilities. The existing housing system inadequately addresses their needs, most notably for Indigenous individuals and those with disabilities.

Identifying research gaps
A literature review pinpointed gaps in current research, highlighting a lack of understanding about:

• the extent of homelessness among these groups
• who is most impacted
• what potential solutions might be

Survey findings and recommendations
To bridge these gaps, the project implemented a survey, revealing key challenges such as poverty, lack of suitable housing, interpersonal violence and childcare responsibilities. These findings led to 21 recommendations targeting various levels of government to improve support systems and address root causes of homelessness.

Developing new research methods
A new method to understand the experiences of housing need and homelessness among Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse individuals was developed. This approach can guide future research in this area, helping to better reflect the realities of these groups.

Call to action
The project underscored the need for continued research and urged policymakers and practitioners to implement its recommendations. The goal is to contribute to the prevention and eradication of homelessness among these vulnerable groups through:

• enhanced understanding of housing needs
• filling research gaps
• developing new methods
• proposing actionable recommendations

Ongoing research, policy changes, and collaborative efforts are vital to achieve this goal.

Download the executive summary of the literature review (PDF)
Download the final report (PDF)