ENoMW Submission
Housing exclusion in the EU must be recognised as a structural issue driven by housing shortages, rising costs and systemic inequalities, rather than individual vulnerability. Women—particularly single mothers, women with disabilities, elderly women, migrant women and survivors of violence—are disproportionately affected, yet they remain underrepresented in data and policy.
Hidden Homelessness and Structural Barriers
The document highlights several critical issues regarding the current state of housing and support:
Hidden Homelessness
Women are far more likely to experience hidden forms of homelessness, relying on unsafe or temporary arrangements, such as staying with friends or in public spaces, to avoid the violence of sleeping on the streets. These experiences remain largely invisible in official statistics, which limits effective policy responses.
Inadequate Shelter Systems
Existing shelter systems are often unsafe and inadequate, frequently consisting of mixed-sex facilities that lack trauma-informed and child-sensitive accommodation. This creates a structural barrier for women who have experienced male violence.
Barriers for Migrant Women
Migrant women face intersecting barriers, including discrimination in the private rental market, administrative restrictions tied to residence status and dependency on employers, particularly in domestic work.
Specific Health Needs
Women experiencing homelessness face severe challenges regarding menstrual health and personal hygiene due to a lack of access to safe, private sanitation facilities and menstrual products.
Key Actions Recommended
The Council Recommendation should focus on systemic drivers and include the following actions:
Data and Evidence
Implement mandatory sex-disaggregated data collection across all Member States to capture the scale of women’s hidden homelessness.
Housing Access and Affordability
Expand the supply of affordable, social and non-profit housing while addressing rising rental costs.
Protection and Safety
Ensure immediate, unconditional access to safe housing for survivors of male violence, independent of their legal status or cooperation with authorities.
Specific Standards
Require Member States to provide sex-segregated (women-only), safe and trauma-informed long-term housing solutions.
EU-Level Governance
Ensure that EU funding for housing is contingent on the provision of safe, women-only spaces to prevent re-victimisation.
Read the full submission below