By Clifford Cullins
The homeless crisis is not new to the media, governments, and the world. It is a crisis that we can notice not only in the USA but in the whole world. How governments handle and tackle the challenges of homelessness and how they plan to reduce it is distinct from country to country.
However, we cannot stop but notice that even though programs are proposed, this crisis is not resolved. There are more and more people living on the streets, not having a safe and secure shelter. Housing was declared a basic right back in 1991, a right that any human on this planet should have. But this is not happening, why? Let’s take a look at a case study of the American homeless crisis.
Homelessness Causes
When you have a secure shelter, when you have a bathroom to take a shower or wash your clothes, when you have a kitchen to cook your meals, it is easy to forget about those who don’t. As the world develops, new opportunities become available. The world is getting better, even though the media does not present it this way. Indeed, there are negative events that happen, such as car accidents, but the world is evolving towards a better place.
But even though the rates of poverty across the world have decreased, the rates of homelessness have increased. This is due to many critical events that happen around the world and that force people to flee their countries in search of a better place. The war in Syria led to a huge wave of immigrants Europe did not know how to handle. The war in Ukraine did the same, only Europe’s approach was totally different.
However, homelessness could be not only the effect of wars. The global pandemic raised the rates of homelessness. And we might likely see them increase as the economic and energetic crises are just around the corner. You can read more about the reasons for homelessness by reading an essay. With the help of homelessness essay examples, you can explore the topic more in-depth. However, the causes of homelessness are diverse. The cost of living has increased, while the wages have not. Which makes it impossible for some people to pay for their expenses. Due to the pandemic, many people lost their jobs, making unemployment one of the main causes of homelessness. Racial inequality is still very present in American society and not only, so some people are refused the right to work based on race.
Homelessness Effects
The effects of homelessness are crucial not only for societies but more important, for individuals. Even though people might think that the rates of homelessness are not so high, a recent survey has shown that approximately 1.5% of the world population does not have a shelter. If we take a look at some European countries such as Germany or Italy, we can easily notice from the statistics that the rates of homelessness have expanded by over 130% in just two years.
The lack of basic shelter has effects not only on the physical health of people but on mental health too. Research has shown that people who live on the streets have a life expectancy of 30 years less than those who have a shelter. The costs of homelessness are high both in the USA and Europe. Homeless people might suffer from addictions, whether it is alcohol or drugs. Which leads to other mental health problems. At the same time, they do not have access to basic healthcare, which puts a toll on their health state. You can learn more about the effects of homelessness on health by reading an essay written by professionals or a book on this topic.
Final Thoughts
Homelessness rates are expanding constantly, due to the events that take place around the world. Wars are forcing people to flee their country in search of a safe place to live. The last years were dominated by a pandemic that raised the rates of unemployment, another cause of homelessness.
The cost of living is constantly increasing, but people’s wages are not. The effects of homelessness are severe, especially when we take a look at the physical and mental health of homeless people. Governments and communities should do more to help these people recover and offer them the opportunities to have a safe and secure life.
About the author: Clifford Cullens is a content writer and blogger. He has an investigative personality, so he loves writing on pressing social issues. Clifford is volunteering every Friday at a center for homeless people.
