The Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration, and the Greater Region initiated the census, which was organised and coordinated on the ground by the association Inter-Actions.
Minister for Family Affairs and Integration Corinne Cahen stated that the ministry not only wanted to get a better understanding of the number of homeless people living in Luxembourg City, but also their backgrounds and needs, in order to help them as effectively as possible.
The first edition of the census was conducted in all neighbourhoods of Luxembourg City from 5pm to midnight. 66 professionals from the social sector were divided into 32 teams, who walked through the streets of the city’s 24 quarters. Equipped with questionnaires, they went to meet homeless people to get to know them better and hear their needs. “We counted people living in public spaces, on the street, or in emergency shelters,” explained Edvard Skrijelj, director of Inter-Actions.
Inter-Actions counted a total of 197 people, 142 on the street, 38 in emergency accommodation (i.e. night shelters), and 17 in hospitals.
“Of these 197 people, 169 are men and 28 are women. The average age of the people we met was 42. 24% of the people we met were of Luxembourgish origin, 58% had been living on the street for more than a year. The vast majority (82%) have access to social support or follow-up”, says Edvard Skrijelj.
Cahen stressed that the profiles are very diverse and that it will be necessary to act on a case-by-case basis in order to carry out a proper follow-up. The results of this first census will serve as a benchmark for the next editions, planned for May and December 2023, in Luxembourg City and potentially in other interested municipalities.
