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361The
Front Line Defence: Housing and Human Rights in the Time of COVID-19
Housing-led Responses
Some communities have focused on transitioning people experienc-
ing homelessness into temporary housing, such as hotel rooms. While
some communities have provided access to housing for those on the
streets, in many cases the provision of housing or hotel rooms has
been temporary (e.g., three to six months) and is often not accompa-
nied by a commitment to permanent housing post-pandemic.
***
While the landscape continues to shift, it is not clear that these current
policies will result in permanent housing for people who are homeless.
To comply with domestic and international human rights housing obli-
gations, all levels of government must immediately focus on adopting
housing-led responses that result in access to permanent housing for
those who are homeless. If not, the lessons learned from this pandemic
will not result in greater safety for all when the next pandemic hits,
and “staying home” will continue to be a privilege, not a right.
Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Intimate partner violence (IPV) was already a crisis in Canada prior
to the arrival of COVID-19. IPV accounts for one of every four violent
crimes reported to police in Canada, with research consistently indi-
cating widespread underreporting.16 Despite the prevalence of this
violence, national data indicates that violence against women (VAW)
shelters have been systematically operating at or over capacity for
years.17
The emergence of COVID-19 has exacerbated IPV globally, and
Canada is no exception. Evidence indicates public health orders to
“stay home” have contributed to IPV that is more violent, more fre-
quent, and more dangerous, with United Nations Population Fund
suggesting three months of quarantine will result in a 20% increase in
IPV around the world.18 For many women, staying home means being
16. Statistics Canada, Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile, 2011, by Marie
Sinha, Catalogue No 85-002-X (Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 25 June 2013).
17. Statistics Canada, Canadian Residential Facilities for Victims of Abuse, 2017/2018,
Catalogue No 11-001-X (Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 17 April 2019).
18. “Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Planning and Ending Gender-
Based Violence, Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage” (27 April 2020),
VULNERABLE
The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Title
- VULNERABLE
- Subtitle
- The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Authors
- Vanessa MacDonnell
- Jane Philpott
- Sophie Thériault
- Sridhar Venkatapuram
- Publisher
- Ottawa Press
- Date
- 2020
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- ISBN
- 9780776636429
- Size
- 15.2 x 22.8 cm
- Pages
- 648
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- International