Housing as an Inalienable Human Right: Contextualizing the Case of Care Leavers in India

Abstract

Adequate housing or shelter has received a huge emphasis as a human right, as analysed from the various International Humanitarian Norms and the domestic legislations, as well. It has been considered as a fundamental element to foster the positive development. In the neo-liberal world order, the socio-economic disparity has resulted in a large number of children and youth into homelessness, which makes them vulnerable to a number of life threatening risks. To secure and safeguard their rights, alternative care emerged as a response. But, the alternative care is not been considered sustainable. As the Care Leavers do not immediately find the suitable place for shelter, livelihood gets them caught in limbo, which demands the need to have a suitable After-Care framework for Care Leavers that would protect and safeguard their lives. With this information in background, this paper is an attempt to bring the systematic assessment of the housing for Care Leavers in India. Building evidence from the existing research findings and taking International Humanitarian Norms as a guiding framework, this paper advocates for the housing rights for the Care Leavers and will introduce a framework, which could be utilized by relevant stakeholders to provide a holistic intervention. This study utilizes the descriptive research design.