Reflecting on Women’s Homelessness: International Women's Day 2025

The theme for International Women’s Day 2025 is ‘Accelerate Action’, urging us to swiftly and decisively tackle the systemic barriers and biases that women continue to face across the globe. Today, as we celebrate the achievements of women, we also reflect on the profound inequalities and challenges faced by many women experiencing homelessness—an issue that demands urgent action. 

Homelessness is a deeply gendered issue. Inequity exists in current rough sleeping definitions, homelessness data collection and strategies. Consequently, women are disadvantaged at every step.  

At Glass Door Homeless Charity, we remain committed to offering safe, inclusive spaces for women experiencing homelessness, and advocating for a system that acknowledges and addresses their needs.  

The Hidden Reality of Women’s Rough Sleeping 

The London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census Report 2023 sheds light on how women’s experiences with homelessness are frequently “hidden, transient, and intermittent.” This means women are often underrepresented in rough sleeping statistics, as many are less inclined to visibly sleep rough due to safety concerns. Their vulnerability makes them more likely to seek shelter out of sight, away from outreach teams and offers of assistance. In fact, of the 226 women who stayed at Glass Door winter night shelters between November 2023 and April 2024, only 11.5% were recorded on CHAIN (Combined Homelessness and Information Network), a multi-agency database that tracks people sleeping rough in London. This discrepancy highlights a significant gap in data that prevents effective interventions and resources from reaching women who need them most. 

For the second consecutive year, Glass Door are operating a women’s winter night shelter.

The demand for spaces has been consistently high, mirroring the increasing need for gender-specific support.

Many of our women guests seeking our help have fallen through multiple safety nets as services are overstretched and underfunded.   

This winter, we have seen an alarming increase in the number of pregnant women needing support, as well as women who have been discharged from hospitals still suffering from poor health. The reasons for their homelessness are often multi-faceted and can stem from a range of issues including domestic abuse, mental and physical ill-health, and economic hardship. Unfortunately, early intervention initiatives are often lacking, and successive national crises, such as the cost-of-living crisis and the severe shortage of affordable housing, exacerbate these challenges.  

Collaboration for Change 

To help our women guests transition out of homelessness, we rely heavily on collaboration with external partners. Tackling the myriad needs of women in this situation requires a multi-agency partnership approach.

By pooling resources, expertise, and knowledge, we can better address the unique challenges faced by our women guests and push for systemic change. 

The London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census Report 2023 concludes that “women’s rough sleeping is a complex societal problem which goes beyond rough sleeping and homelessness—it is a safeguarding and domestic abuse issue, a critical health issue, and… an equalities issue.” This reflects a broader need for solutions that are as multifaceted and nuanced as the experiences of women facing homelessness.