Findings of a Study Exploring Homeless Street Females in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Need for Community Based Programs

Abstract

A qualitative research design using the interviews of five homeless street females was undertaken to understand the meaning of the lived experiences of the homeless street females and their identified need for community based programs. This research design provided the researchers with the opportunity to understand the complexities of homelessness from the homeless street females in Ethiopia using ethnography. The qualitative study was exploratory in nature and utilized ethnographic methods, such as participant observation and semi-structured interviews within both formal and informal social contexts. This ethnographic approach allowed the homeless street female the opportunity to utilize their own point of view to explore their concerns, attitudes, and personal experiences with caregiving relationships, social supports, coping strategies, gender and stigma, and cultural beliefs and practices in how they manage their lives on the street.

Pathways through homelessness among women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A qualitative study

“…Findings of our study conform to those of studies conducted in big cities in Ethiopia. The factors associated with causation of homelessness among women in previous studies in Ethiopia were also identified in our study; those factors were migration, urbanization, poverty, abuse, escape from child marriage, unemployment, death of one or both parents, divorce of parents, pregnancy out of wedlock, and abandonment by spouse [ 14 , 15 , 29 , 30 ]. This shows the existence of factors which are similar throughout Ethiopian cities.…”

“…‘Hidden homelessness’ is a good example for homelessness by way of ‘houselessness’ or ‘insecure accommodation.’ The hidden homeless population of women comprises those who double up with friends or family, or those staying at rooming houses or hotels [ 13 ]. Studies conducted in Ethiopia used the word ‘homelessness’ to refer to those who were ‘roofless’ or ‘street homeless’ [ 14 – 16 ]. A previous study conducted in Addis Ababa used the definition of homeless as ‘those sleeping in designated shelters or public spaces’.…”

“…Lack of affordable housing, poverty, exposure to violence and unsafe spaces are the most common reasons for women’s homelessness [ 28 ]. According to studies conducted in big cities in Ethiopia, the factors associated with state of women’s homelessness were migration, urbanization, poverty, abuse, escape from child marriage, unemployment, death of one or both parents, divorce of parents, pregnancy out of wedlock, poor educational status, and abandonment by spouse [ 14 , 15 , 29 , 30 ].…”

“…Homeless women who worked as prostitute were exposed to intensive daily substance use, and to serving clients in public space [ 31 ]. In Ethiopia, homeless women were vulnerable to rape, physical abuse, emotional abuse, extreme poverty, hunger, physical safety concerns, lack of safe drinking water, poor sanitation and prevailing diseases [ 14 , 15 , 29 , 30 ]. Exposure to violence continues to be a common experience during homelessness, with 57% of women reported being a victim of violence [ 28 ].…”

“…In Ethiopia, likewise, the issue of female homelessness has been a neglected topic. The number of homeless girls and women in Ethiopia is growing [ 14 ]. In fact, from previous studies conducted in urban areas of Ethiopia, adult women accounted for one-third of the homeless population [ 37 ].…”