Women's homelessness and housing needs are related to their disproportional experience of poverty, systemic discrimination, inequality based on gender or other factors, and violence against women.

Women and children, and particularly black or Aboriginal women, are the fastest growing group using shelters in Canada.

One in four people living on the street are women. However, due to their vulnerability to assault and their traditional caregiver role, most women experience homelessness in different ways, including: dealing with domestic violence, living in overcrowded accommodations, living in emergency shelters or sacrificing basic needs such as food and clothing to pay rent. These women's realities are not addressed through the media and do not show up on homelessness counts.

Income

In Canada, women are poorer than they have been in two decades.

Because of gender inequality and discrimination in every area of society, women represent the majority of social assistance recipients and hold most of the lowest paying and less secure jobs.

Female employees still earn only 70% of male employees' wages.

Because of their dependency on public transit, they also are less likely to have access to jobs outside the central areas of large cities.

Women are still held accountable for traditional unpaid labor such as childcare and household chores; which increases their responsibilities and expenses.

Women have less money and more expenses, and therefore are more likely to experience insecurity of tenure.

Violence

Physical and sexual abuse by an intimate partner is an important cause of insecurity of tenure and homelessness for women and their children.

Because of the lack of affordable housing, women who use shelters to escape violence are likely to return to the abuse, and possibly to their deaths.

Women who depend on rent supplement programs and who live in private housing units are especially vulnerable to discriminatory behavior, such as threats and sexual harassment, from their neighbours or landlords.

Mental illness and addiction have been identified as significant factors relating to increased vulnerability to homelessness.

Women experience psychological trauma linked to childhood abuse, domestic violence, gender persecution and/or rape, especially in the case of emigration or civil conflict.

Housing Design Needs

Because of their caregiver role, women need to live close to social infrastructure (schools, hospitals, etc.), resulting in the likelihood of a higher rent.

Most cities, neighborhoods, open public spaces and housing fail to address the issue of violence against women and security.

Women, and particularly marginalized women, who live in a mixed gender low income housing unit are likely to experience abuse, which can lead them to cycles of homelessness.

Governmental Responsibilities

Since the mid 80's the federal government has been decreasing funding for new social housing, to the point of freezing federal contributions and canceling funding for new social housing (except for on-reserve Aboriginal housing) in 1993.

In 1997, provincial governments' funding on social housing had decreased by 90%.

Lower-income women's and single mothers' equal access to homeownership is challenged by discriminatory impact of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporations or private financial institutions policies.

In all provinces and territories, except for New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Manitoba, social assistance recipients are not eligible for the National Child Benefit Supplement, even though women on social assistance may be the most in need of this benefit.

Because of reforms in governmental policies on social housing, many low-income women in need of housing subsidies have to cope with systemic discrimination in the private market. Many of these women are forced into expensive accommodations because of a lack of alternatives, which potentially leads them to experience cycles of homelessness.

Women are still underrepresented in decision-making positions. Therefore, women's experiences and realities are not adequately addressed, including housing crises and homelessness.

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