EU charities struggling to tackle homelessness

Charities are struggling to cope with the problem of homelessness across the European Union as temperatures fall below freezing in the 28 states, Press TV reports.

There are thousands of people living rough on the streets of Brussels, the EU’s de facto capital, and other cities in EU member states.

“It’s very hard … in the winter … to find somewhere. It’s very difficult,” said Lionel Plasschaert, a 41-year-old homeless man.
People without a home in the EU reportedly face reduced life expectancy, health problems, discrimination, isolation and barriers to access basic public services and benefits.

According to latest statistics from the European Commission, some four million people are homeless in the EU. Charities, however, argue that the true figure is probably considerably higher.

Organizations like the Red Cross have stepped in to help those let down by the EU governments and institutions.

Campaigners say homelessness in the EU is already at crisis levels and the problem will get even worse unless radical measures are taken to tackle the causes of poverty in the bloc.

Many European countries plunged into a financial crisis in early 2008. The worsening debt crisis has forced the EU governments to adopt harsh austerity measures and tough economic reforms, which in return have caused hardships for and protests by citizens.