It is estimated there are about 40,000 homeless people in New Zealand, more than half of them are under 25 and many of them children.
Homelessness is a political hot potato in New Zealand, but could taking it out of the realm of social policy and making it about human rights be a way forward?
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A group of Auckland students is looking to do exactly that.
Masters of Human Rights student and refugee lawyer Emily Griffins is helping them spearhead this new approach.
She says the group are focussing on youth homelessness, because it is an area that is not getting attention.
Griffins says being homeless does not necessarily mean living on the street but includes couch surfing and living in cars and garages.
“I think we need to acknowledge that we’ve got a lot [of homeless people] and that the numbers are increasing, and that there are things that can be done.
“[New Zealander’s think] we are the ‘land of milk and honey’ and ‘everything’s rosy’ and ‘we’ve got really good human rights record’, so we don’t think that it’s a problem but it’s under the radar.”
The group has made a documentary, On Our Doorstep: A Voice for Homeless Youth, which has its premiere at the AUT City Campus today at 6pm.
Labour MP Jacinda Ardern and Green MP Marama Davidson, as well as social workers, experts, and homeless youths feature in the documentary.
So what can be done to improve the situation? She points to the Australian approach.
“New Zealand could look to a national strategy implemented in Australia that looks at getting people into secure, permanent accommodation and also at the causes of homelessness and how to prevent it. “
She says since that strategy was introduced in 1999 homelessness numbers had fallen in some places by a fifth in 2012. Conversely, in New Zealand the problem was deteriorating she says.
She says the documentary is a starting point for a petition to parliament.
“We need the government to take the lead, to acknowledge that it [homelessness] exists and that it’s a human rights issue; everybody deserves the dignity of a safe and secure home.”
