PRESS RELEASE

No shelter for homeless women as temperature dips in Delhi

4 Dec, New Delhi: As Delhi’s temperature dips, the absence of shelter for homeless women is glaring, say shelter rights activists.

Despite women making up 7-10% of Delhi’s homeless, the only year-round shelter for women in the capital was closed down in June this year leaving them with no safe place to sleep.

“When the shelter was closed these women were forced out on the streets again leaving them more vulnerable to violence and sexual abuse,” says Paramjeet Kaur of Ashray Adhikar Abhiyan.

The women’s shelter had been opened up in December 2004 in Yamuna Pushta under pressure from civil society groups after Palika women’s shelter, open for just 10 months was shut down.

Tents providing temporary shelters, including for women, will only be set up by the government from 15 Dec – the official date for the onset of winters.

“There are no lasting options for women who live on the streets and are seeking safety at night. They huddle together on railway platforms, around temples and other places of worship,” Kaur adds.

It is not only winters when shelter is needed. All year round homeless people are exposed to great risks on the streets. Heat, cold and rains only add to those. Existing shelter cater to less than 5% of the homeless in the city.

“There is an urgent need to increase shelters for men, women and children in the city,” says Indu Prakash Singh, who leads ActionAid’s work on shelter and homelessness.

“The New Delhi Municipal Council is one of India’s richest municipal bodies with a large amount of property at its disposal. Many buildings are unused and could be used as shelters with a small investment in running cost.”

“More shelters with specific provisions for women and children would mean fewer rapes and assaults on Delhi’s streets,” adds Singh.

Slum evictions under JNNURM and Delhi Master Plan are adding to the numbers of homeless. Preparations for 2010 Commonwealth Games will also involve major displacement.

In 2004, homes of 150, 000 people were bulldozed in Yamuna Pushta – the largest eviction in the capital. In early 2006 over 1500 households were demolished in Delhi’s Mandawali and another 597 households near Bhatti Mines in Balbir Nagar on the outskirts of the city.

“Evicted families are either left on the streets or relocated to sites as far as 40 km from their work. To retain their jobs in the city they join the ranks of Delhi’s homeless,” concludes Singh.

ENDS.

For information and to arrange interviews contact:

Alice Willson +91 9810 92 3904, Pragya Vats +91 9868 42 4692

Notes to editor:

Ashray Adhikar Abhiyan is a shelter rights campaign initiated by ActionAid in the year 2000. It runs seven shelters for the homeless all through the year with a provision of additional six buildings for winters this year.

According to a headcount survey conducted by Ashray Adhikar Abhiyan (shelter rights campaign) in January 2007, there are 7000 homeless women in Delhi.

ActionAid is an international anti-poverty agency working in over 40 countries, taking sides with poor people to end poverty and injustice together. In India ActionAid works with communities in 24 states and two Union Territories.

India ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) on 10 April, 1979.