This is a picture of a homeless man i see everyday by U.W.I never knew where he slept until one night walking home late and i say him under this tent by a bus stop in the St.Augustine Trinidad and Tobago.
Homelessness is a growing problem in Trinidad and Tobago especially in the Capital city of Port Of Spain. One way the country and most countries try and deal with homelessness is by providing poor housing zones, but people who are homeless or living in poor housing are constantly threatened by illnesses and have a much lower life expectancy than other portions of the population. A large number of these people are migrants who come to the city with the promise of higher living standards because city residents have greater access to health care, more employment and opportunity and access to more social and cultural events or at least that's what they think or the image that were planted in there minds.
Of course there are advantages to city life, however, widespread poverty casts a shadow over the urban future, and as I have been writing vast number of people in urban areas are threatened by homelessness, health hazards and violence among other things. These things may affect the poorer portion of the urban population directly, but their indirect effects are felt by the whole society.
Homeless people are at risk from pollution and other health hazards, more so from pollution from cars, the burning of fossil fuels and industry which cause illnesses such as respiratory infections and lead poisoning.Crime and violence are other, specifically urban, problems that they face each day, this because of there constant exposure to the outside elements of the city and there survival needs. Urban violence has been growing rapidly also and homelessness is also a result of it. Poverty and social disintegration are cited as the causes of urban crime and violence.
These are not problems that must exist simply because cities exist. They are often the results of poor income distribution and bad policy and poor housing shouldn't be placed in areas of degraded land which are areas of higher health risk and devastation in case of natural disasters. Government and non governmental organization should create better policies and find more suitable areas for the more needy which in turn would reduce crime and health issues.
The presence of homeless people on the streets of a city is of growing concern. The burning question is whether adequate housing is a basic human right. Based on the number of homeless people on the streets of Trinidad a lot of thought have to be placed on this question. Housing is an important determinant of personal security, comfort, wealth and status. However, it is clear that the ability of people to access affordable housing is a problem. The causes of homelessness are as diverse as those people who are homeless, and are the result of a combination of personal and structural factors. Key factors include global economic change, decline in welfare help of groups such as the mentally ill. The problem of homelessness and homeless population needs to be viewed through the eyes of the homeless; otherwise strategies put in place will fail to meet the needs of the homeless group.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your perspective on homelessness Francis and the fact that you highlighted the real effects of this issue on the urban. Many persons cast out homeless people but when you interact with them they appear to be the most humble and kindest people. I agree some of the normal ways if alleviating this social problem is to standardize and I believe that each area that experiences homelessness should be dealt with based on the characteristics ans sensitivity of the issue rather than the same dosage applies to everyone. Great post Francis
ReplyDeleteYou mention the homeless man and the tent, but you have a photo of a house -- can you say a little more about the photo, please.
ReplyDeleteYou are not referencing any research or academic studies -- not even the text. This might be important in terms of linking to theories of housing rights, structure and personal agency, and solutions, no?
I'm also interested in learning more about this topic, as I'm sure are many of your readers. Given this, can you provide some links to media, or policy documents in the Caribbean or TT?