Four out of five homeless women in Aotearoa are Māori, highlighting a disparity that demands urgent, culturally responsive solutions.
These statistics are highlighted in Ngā Ara ki te Kāinga - the latest report by the Coalition to End Women’s Homelessness.
Tanita Bidois of Ihi Research says this is the first report that explores the realities of women’s homelessness in Aotearoa.
“Government policies and strategies often only consider the needs of homeless men,” Bidois says.
“So women in homelessness, their specific gender needs and risks aren’t taken into consideration.”
The group interviewed 27 wāhine aged 15-29 who had experienced homelessness, alongside front-line kaimahi. Most of the women were Māori, with single mothers being the most impacted.
Housing deprivation
“We see a lot of these mums living in cars with their tamariki, living in uninhabitable homes,” she says.
“We found that there’s [an] interconnectedness between homelessness, domestic violence, mental illness, addiction, [trauma] and many other things.”
Bidois identifies violence (physical, sexual, financial), intimate partner violence, state care, sexual abuse and the loss of tamariki as more key drivers of homelessness. The research also highlighted gender-specific challenges of homelessness, like managing pregnancy and īkura (menstruation).
Homelessness is rising among wāhine aged 55 and over, with divorce, elder abuse, and widowhood driving this trend.
“[The drivers] look really different, so the solutions also need to look really different - they need to meet the needs of the whānau.”
The report also says that wāhine Māori face the most severe housing deprivation and high levels of victimisation, with distrust in government agencies and discrimination by some social service providers acting as barriers to accessing housing and support.
By Māori, for Māori approach
Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka was unable to attend the research launch in Pōneke, but acknowledged the extensive research covered.
“The Coalition to End Women’s Homelessness has made a considerable contribution to supporting women experiencing homelessness. I welcome this report as another input into our understanding of the factors that can drive homelessness or cause additional challenges for women,” Potaka said.
The research suggests that a by Māori, for Māori approach may be the most effective solution for those struggling.
“Data shows that a third of severely housing-deprived women are Māori,” Bidois says.
“Wāhine Māori need kaupapa Māori services that meet their unique needs and recognise that wāhine Māori are impacted not only by gender but also by race when trying to access equitable housing for their whānau.”
Researchers are now calling on the government to develop policies catered to women’s housing needs and targeted support for wāhine Māori and other marginalised groups
