"My Goal is a Home"
Housing Europe supports an EU Action Plan to end homelessness
Brussels, 11 May 2016 | Published in Social
The European Parliament launched a written declaration calling for an EU Action Plan to End Homelessness in the EU. Housing Europe expresses its support to this effort to ensure that the most vulnerable and socially excluded members of our society are included in EU policy formation.
Backed by the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless, FEANTSA, MEPs hope to bring the EU homelessness strategy back on track. Housing Europe and its members, consistent to its efforts aiming to support the most vulnerable, support the declaration and call for MEPs to sign it.
Despite the EU anti-poverty targets to raise 20 million people out of poverty, homelessness is growing in most EU Member States. It is estimated that approximately 4 million people experience homelessness in Europe every year.
Homelessness is a complex and multi-dimensional problem affecting all sections of society including women, survivors of abuse, young people, migrants, members of the LGBTI community, people with disabilities and many more. Those who are homeless represent some of the most marginalized and vulnerable people in Europe and often possess complex needs, are difficult for social services to reach out to, face significant obstacles to accessing healthcare and generally suffer an infringement of their basic human rights.
This is an opportunity to strengthen the voice of the European Parliament and ensure that the democratic mandate of the Parliament is recognized. In previous Parliament mandates, two Parliament resolutions were passed calling for an EU action plan to end homelessness (14 September 2011 and 16 January 2014) and in the absence of such action, homelessness has continued to grow. This declaration provides an opportunity for you as an elected Member of the European Parliament to ensure your voice is heard and ensure that your most marginalized constituents are no longer excluded from the development of EU policies.
No person should be forced to live and sleep rough on the streets in 21st Century Europe. Ending homelessness is a realistic and achievable policy goal but will require action and a commitment from EU policy makers. Join the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in expressing the need for EU support in addressing homelessness.
Homelessness can be ended.
