-86% of homeless women in Delhi reported poor menstrual hygiene in government-run shelter homes. -98% were unaware of any government schemes that they may be entitled to. -Only 1% were receiving a widow’s pension, and 2% an old-age pension. These figures were part of a report, ‘Towards Gender-Responsive Shelter Homes for Women in the NCT of Delhi,’ released by the Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) — an NGO working for the homeless in Delhi — on the occasion of World Homeless Day observed every year on October 10. The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) is tasked with taking care of the housing needs of the homeless; its 197 shelters include reinforced cement concrete buildings, portacabins and temporary shelters. DUSIB also runs 17 shelters exclusively for women, in addition to 20 family shelters. But, the study noted, these shelters hardly make a dent due to their poor upkeep — especially those for women. Life on the streets Of the women surveyed, the study showed, 16.05% were born into multi-generational homelessness. A large number — 35.8% — have been homeless for six months to two years, while 18.52% of women were displaced in the last six months. The major reason for homelessness (48%) was a lack of livelihood. Others (22%) had experienced domestic violence and abuse and were trying to escape. How do they earn a living? While 45.45% women subsisted from begging, 20.78% were engaged in domestic work. In terms of educational qualifications, 49% were illiterate while 30% completed primary schooling. Only 4% were graduates. Major findings The study was conducted over eight months. Data was collected from DUSIB shelter homes — located in 8 out of 11 districts of Delhi — with the objective to observe and capture lived experiences, needs, and challenges of homeless women. It sourced primary data through structured questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions and in-depth surveys, with 81, 91 and 18 women participants in each. According to the study, a vast majority of respondents — around 95% — reported that fans and coolers at shelter homes were non-functional and the power supply was intermittent. “Inadequate ventilation is a serious concern in shelter homes, where several people reside in close proximity, particularly in porta cabin shelter homes primarily constructed from metal, aggravating heat-stress during the summer months,” it stated. To be sure, the Scheme of Shelters for Urban Homeless (SUH) (Revised Operational Guidelines), under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), lays down the entitlements of occupants in sections 4 and 5. These include adequate bathing and toilet facilities, water and sanitation, healthcare access and legal aid among others. But these largely remain neglected, the report stated. It also revealed that 86% of participants reported poor menstrual hygiene at shelter homes — with either irregular distribution of menstrual hygiene products or them being of poor quality. The study also noted that 84% of women expressed a strong desire for skill development, specifically skill-based vocational training support to enhance their income-earning potential and ability to secure better employment opportunities. On ways to solve the issues, the study suggested broadening the existing laws to include gender into the SUH scheme by mandating at least 50% of nominated shelter resident representatives in shelter management committees (SMCs). This can be done to formally include women in decision-making and the day-to-day management of shelter homes. It also suggested institutionalising menstrual hygiene access, by expanding Section 4.1 of the SUH Guidelines to include free, good-quality menstrual hygiene products as a core facility under dignified living standards and by installing menstrual hygiene product dispensers inside toilets for easy access. Executive Director, CHD, Sunil Kumar Aledia said data from the 1971 Census, which recorded 3,491 homeless women, is a haunting baseline. “Today, with Delhi’s population having exploded, our research indicates this number has grown nearly ten-fold,” he said.
