The Issue of Homelessness in Australia - Essay Example

HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTRALIA Student’s Name: Course Code: Instructor’s Name: Date of Submission: Homelessness in Australia According to the Australian Research Bureau, homelessness is defined as the state where people lack a dwelling. Homelessness can also be viewed as the state of being with no means to have an established secure and safe means of living. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics, they are 3types of homelessness; primary, secondary, and tertiary homelessness. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), primary homeless involves those sleeping on the streets, parking, as well as derelict buildings. In 2006 according to ABS, the number of people under primary homelessness was standing at 16000. On the other hand, secondary homelessness comprises those who have temporary bed with friends with its number standing at 20000 by 2006 census. Finally, tertiary homelessness refers to those in medium to long term boarding house accommodation without security of tenure with its number at 22000 in 2006 census according to ABS. They are various causes of homelessness in Australia that includes unemployment, poverty, family breakdown, lack of affordable housing, gambling, drug and alcohol abuse, social isolation and gambling. They are various solutions to homelessness in Australia that includes short-term solutions like crisis accommodation. Others include medium and long term plans that entail rehabilitation, training, and addressing the reasons behind homelessness (Chamberlai & MacKenzie, 2006). One of the groups affected by this situation of homelessness in Australia is women with disability. This essay will focus on the homelessness in Australia and in particular women with disability. In Australia, the largest population of people living in poverty and affected by homelessness is that one of women with disabilities. These are the people who are disadvantaged and vulnerable. These women comprise a total of 50.5% of those homeless people in Australia (Australia, 2004). In Australia, a large number of women are jobless and most of these women are the street families (Australia, 2004). Women who have special needs are mostly affected in Australia. Even those who are single parents also do suffer a lot. These women are discriminated and they are voiceless in the society. This makes them to continue in their state of lacking proper housing facilities, as they poor because they are not in a position to work in order to alleviate their situation. This state of being poor subjects them not only in lacking a proper accommodation but also they lack good health (Australia, 2004). Despite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, these people continue to suffer a lot in the society. Many are times when these women are not involved in social movement’s agendas. They are neglected and ignored. This affects them a lot despite them being homeless. There is a serious and widespread violation of the human rights of these women (Adler & Lynch, 2008). They spend most of their income on hospital bills therefore incapacitating them in failing to afford better accommodation services (Australia, 2004). These women with disabilities are less represented in public housing (Adler & Lynch, 2008), Hence, this forces them to live in the streets or in make shift building where they are likely to experience or are experiencing abuse and violence (Australia, 2004). Women with disabilities are unable to afford good hosing in which they can own. It’s attributed that women with disability are mostly unable to afford better accommodation services. This is characterized by their invisibility cycle and their incapability of earning low income. This issue of them lacking enough funds to own a decent home makes them to live in makeshifts house and some of them are far from the social amenities (Adler & Lynch, 2008). This affects their lives and how they socialize and access these services. This not only segregates them but it makes them to remain in their cycles of poverty. 50.5% of women with disability are living in poverty (Australia, 2004). Private facilities are expensive and according to the status of the women with disabilities they cannot be in opposition to afford those rentals so this continues to make them poor (Australia, 2004). This leads to discrimination whereby they face a lot of discrimination from a lot of people more so the landlords (Australia, 2004). This makes them unable to afford better housing (Saunders & Griffiths, 2007). This is due to the fact that landlords view them as incapable of caring for a rental house thus rejecting them. This makes them to feel rejected and it secludes them from the rest of the population. In order for the women with disabilities to live well, they must have safety. Safety is the situation whereby there is security in the areas they are living and they are in a better position to access amenities. Many houses lack enough safeguards such as security screens, lights, and alarms. Most of women with disabilities need to live in areas where there are support systems because they are independent. But due to their poor status this becomes very difficult for them (Saunders & Griffiths, 2007). This is because these places with security are limited, thus making them not to be accessed by the women with disabilities. However, these women with disabilities are not involved with matters concerning their communities. There are some communities which are meant to provide the women with disabilities with institutions where they can live (Australia, 2004). Furthermore, as much as the women would want to get involved with the community matters they lack proper accommodation, and their condition hinders them thus subjecting them to lack those amenities (Australia, 2004). Being in a paid job is a clear indication that one is included in the social class of the rich in Australia (Saunders & Griffiths, 2007). This however enables one to be in a position to afford a decent housing. Therefore women with disabilities are the ones experiencing a lot of poverty in Australia. These women are the ones who are likely to work and be unpaid. In the job market, there are less employment opportunities for women with disabilities. However, those who are lucky to get the jobs are not treated well and they lack the promotion offered to their counterparts. These subject them not to be in position to acquire better housing assets. Only 9% percentages of the disabled women are in the employment sector comparing with their male counterparts who represents 21% employed (WWDA, 2006). Over a couple of years the percentage of unemployment rate of the women with Disabilities has remained unchanged accounting to 8.3% of their total population (Australia, 2004). Domestic Violence is the major factor which characterizes women to be homeless (WWDA, 2006). The Australian Government has been trying to reduce domestic and family violence over the years as it affects mostly the women and children (Chamberlain & Mackenzie, 2006). However, women with disability being silent and voiceless continue to suffer together with girls with disability. Conflict theory talks about class struggle and power in bringing order in the society. Karl Marx being the founder of the conflict theory posits that society is comprised of groups of individuals who are in the competition of economic resources and social class (Bell, 1977). In Australia there are those individuals who have greater social resources, political power and economic power; they are the ones who control social order in the society. This has resulted to some citizens having to lack enough power in the society. These are women with disability among other people because they are not in a better position to fight for their rights and protect their interest. These women being the ones who are less privileged in the society only suffer in the hands of those who have power. This has created class struggle in the society between the poor and the rich. Conflict is happening in society because those who are in the power only want to protect their interests (Bell, 1977). Those people with a lot of power exercise their power and authority over those who are less privileged and these results to class struggle. Therefore, a lot of attention is accorded to gender, class and race as they are seen as the most contributing factors to class struggle (Bell, 1977). Thus, through this way they neglect the women with disabilities (Australia, 2004). People desire to have their interest met at the expense of others is what has contributed to the class of poor people in Australia who are homeless (Saunders & Griffiths, 2007). The conflict among the rich and the poor citizens in Australia is going to continue, this is because the rich people who are obviously in power are always going to protect their interests and neglect those of the poor in the society. The women with disabilities are always going to remain disadvantaged and vulnerable. This is because these women lack social, political and economic power (Bell, 1977). Social power in the sense that they are less privileged in matters concerning their community thus their chances of being involved in the development process of the country is minimal. Therefore, they lack the political power as nobody represents them in the political realm (Bell, 1977). All the people in power are only interested with safeguarding their interests as thus neglecting those of the less privileged in the society. Because these women lack enough resources they are going to remain poor and underrepresented thus they will continue being homeless as the rich people in the society are always going to remain rich (WWDA, 2006) This class of power struggle only affects the poor in the society and more so the women with disabilities as their condition makes them to continue in that status. The disabled rights Movement development is a movement which puts into place respecting the rights of the disabled and putting corrective measures to effect the movements mandate. This movement was developed to address the marginalization of the disabled women and people. It’s characterized by empowering them to exercise control of their lives and be in a better position to live well. It also puts emphasis on the social policies and practices which should include participation of women with disabilities in the societal realm. There is need to adopt new policies which put into practice the idea of eliminating or reducing the neglect and suffering of the marginalized and disabled women. In conclusion, it is clear from the essay that there is quite a large number of Australian who are still homeless. Women take the largest percent of this share as compared to men. Proper strategies and equality are some of the aspects that need to be put in place to ensure that the number of disadvantaged women who are homeless is reduced significantly. Australia government should ensure effective measures of tackling homeless are put in place. Also, society has a role of ensuring disadvantaged women are given a chance to work and earn in order to improve their life. Non-governmental organizations such as The disabled rights Movement should become more aggressive in ensuring their rights are realized. REFERENCES (WWDA), W 2006, Submission to the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Tasmania, WWDA, Rosny Park. Adler, C & Lynch, P 2008, Homelessness is a violation of human rights, Australia, Australian Government. Australia, W 2004, Women with disabilities, Hobart, Tasmania. Bell, P 1977, Marxist Theory, Class Struggle and the Crisis of Capitalism” in Jesse Schwartz (ed.), The Subtle Anatomy Capitalism, Santa Monica, Goodyear. Chamberlain, C & Mackenzie, D 2006, Counting the Homeless, Australia, Counting the Homeless. Saunders, N & Griffiths, M 2007, Promoting social inclusion: Emerging evidence from the Catalyst, Australia, The Big Issue Australia. Read More