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Homelessness is rising in every region and must be addressed as a structural crisis rooted in inequality, unaffordable housing, and weak social protection, according to a new United Nations report presented to the General Assembly.
Prepared by UN-Habitat on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, the report Inclusive Policies and Programmes to Address Homelessness urges governments to shift from short-term emergency responses to long-term, rights-based housing solutions.
A systemic problem, not an individual failure
Millions of people worldwide still lack secure and adequate housing. Conflicts, climate impacts and rising living costs are worsening the situation, while many forms of “hidden homelessness” remain uncounted. A rights-based global definition, now being developed through a UN-Habitat-led expert process, aims to close these data gaps and strengthen accountability.
Promising shifts in policy
Across regions, more governments are adopting housing-led and prevention-focused approaches, such as integrated social protection, community-driven housing, and rental mediation. Local authorities are playing a key role, driving innovation through inclusive urban planning.
The report warns that punitive measures like forced evictions and criminalizing people in public spaces only deepen exclusion. Instead, countries are urged to strengthen tenure security and uphold human rights in urban development.
Housing and dignity at the centre of policy
Countries that link housing with robust social protection systems are better able to prevent homelessness and support long-term stability. Expanding universal access to social protection, particularly for marginalized groups, is essential to tackling root causes.
The Secretary-General calls on governments to adopt rights-based data systems, end criminalization, invest in permanent and affordable housing, and integrate prevention across health, education, justice, and social protection systems.
By treating housing as a human right and focusing on prevention and inclusion, the report concludes, governments can move from managing homelessness to ending it for good.
