NEW DELHI: In the heart of India’s capital, thousands of homeless women live lives of quiet endurance — invisible to most, yet fighting daily for survival and dignity. A new study by the Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) exposes the widening gap between government policy and ground realities, showing how the system meant to protect them often perpetuates their marginalisation.
The report, titled “Invisible Within the System? Towards Gender-Responsive Shelter Homes for Women in the NCT of Delhi,” reveals that women’s homelessness in the city has surged from 3,491 in 1971 to nearly 32,000 today.
“Our findings expose the gap between policy and reality,” said CHD director Sunil Kumar Aledia. “The Shelters for Urban Homeless (SUH) scheme has noble goals but fails on gender responsiveness. Period poverty forces women to choose between a meal and their dignity.”
According to the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the city operates 197 shelters, but only 17 cater exclusively to women and 20 to families, accommodating about 16,476 people in total. These shelters range from permanent buildings to tin porta cabins — many of which, the study found, are unhygienic and unsafe.
Between February and September 2025, CHD researchers interviewed 81 women, held discussions with 91 others, and conducted 18 in-depth interviews across 24 shelters in eight districts. The findings painted a troubling picture of neglect, gendered vulnerability, and resilience.
Over half the women surveyed were aged 20–39. While 63% reported some income — mainly from domestic work, caretaking, or odd jobs — nearly 45% survived on begging. One in six said they were born homeless. The reasons for their displacement were multiple: job loss, domestic abuse, widowhood, family neglect, and poor health.
Facilities were often substandard. Toilets in some shelters were cleaned just once a week, and 86% of women said sanitary pads were either unavailable or irregularly supplied, forcing them to use cloth scraps. Many shelters lacked proper ventilation, privacy, or clean water. “Broken fans, power cuts, and suffocating cabins make summers unbearable,” one respondent said.
Safety and dignity were recurring concerns. While two-thirds of women described staff as “helpful,” many also reported rudeness or apathy. 91% said there weren’t enough lockers to store their belongings, and some shelters lacked secure gates or boundary walls. Medical help was minimal — most had only a few bandages and a bottle of antiseptic.
Outside the shelters, bureaucratic neglect compounded their vulnerability. Nearly 98% of women had no access to welfare schemes due to missing identity documents. Only 1% received a widow’s pension, and 2% an old-age pension. “I just want IDs for myself and my children,” said Fatima, who has lived in shelters for years. “They’re crucial for our future.”
Yet, amid hardship, hope persists. Eighty-four percent of the women expressed a desire for vocational training, though only 1% had ever received any. “I dream of earning enough to move out one day,” said Pushpa, who once found seasonal work through an NGO.
Aledia called for integrating gender sensitivity into every aspect of the SUH scheme — from menstrual hygiene and staff training to women’s participation in shelter management. “Unhygienic, unsafe shelters rob them of security and self-worth,” he said.
There are, however, glimpses of what’s possible. The Geeta Colony shelter stands out as a model facility — clean, airy, and well-designed, offering partitioned spaces for privacy, secure storage, hygienic toilets, and stocked first-aid kits. “It shows what happens when empathy meets infrastructure — that safe shelter isn’t a privilege, it’s a right,” Aledia added.
Urban development minister Ashish Sood said the government plans to bring in professional agencies to manage night shelters. “For years, no one really focused on them. We now intend to revamp the system completely,” he said.
The new agencies, he added, will be tasked with ensuring cleanliness, proper water supply, and housekeeping, while sub-divisional magistrates will monitor shelters through regular visits to ensure accountability and humane conditions.
