RNZ: Kathryn Ryan talks to CEWH’s Vic Crockford about why women’s homelessness remains hidden in Aotearoa
In a powerful interview, Vic Crockford, Project Director of the Coalition to End Women’s Homelessness (CEWH), explains how the latest Stats NZ report, Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025, confirms what CEWH has long observed: women in Aotearoa experience homelessness at rates equal to or higher than men, but in far less visible ways such as couch surfing, overcrowded housing, or uninhabitable dwellings.
“Right now, we effectively have a gender-blind housing system,” Vic said, highlighting several critical points:
Women make up 52% of those experiencing severe housing deprivation, yet policies remain largely gender-blind.
Because women’s homelessness is less visible, they are often overlooked in funding, service design, and support.
Older women, especially those over 55, are emerging as a high-risk group, many needing social support for the first time in their lives—with no current plan in place to respond.
Vic calls for urgent investment in gender-disaggregated data and a housing system that recognises the unique drivers and experiences of homelessness for women.
While the total numbers of men and women experiencing severe housing deprivation are relatively close, the patterns differ significantly:
Men are more likely to experience the most visible forms of homelessness, such as rough sleeping and temporary accommodation.
Women are more likely to experience “hidden homelessness,” living in uninhabitable conditions or overcrowded situations with others.
Specifically, the report identifies that in Aotearoa there are:
57,576 women experiencing severe housing deprivation
53,793 men experiencing severe housing deprivation
This means women represent about 52% of all severely housing deprived people in Aotearoa, a stark contrast to the OECD average where women typically account for only 22% of people experiencing homelessness.
Vic’s interview is a call to action for a housing system that finally acknowledges and addresses women’s homelessness with the urgency it deserves.
