Abstract
Homelessness is a complex issue that affects many people and communities across the globe. Arguably, homeless women are most affected and often experience challenges that include accessing adequate sexual and reproductive healthcare services due to discrimination and social and financial exclusion (Mayosi and Benatar, 2014: 1344). There is a growing concern about the plight of homeless women because of “extreme forms of social exclusion that extend beyond material hardship” (Watson, Crawley and Kane, 2016: 1). In many cases of homelessness, the experience could be described as moving from shelter to shelter or standing on the street. As more and more women become homeless every year, the problem grows without any solution.
A qualitative investigation of the experiences of homeless women in Johannesburg on their sexual and reproductive health rights was conducted using a human rights and reproductive justice framework and a qualitative methodology. Non-probability sampling was employed to recruit individuals. In this study, ten homeless women aged 20 to 50 years living in a temporary housing arrangement in Johannesburg were interviewed using a narrative inquiry research approach. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the semi-structured interviews. According to most homeless women, the reasons for becoming homeless were fragmented social relationships, increased unemployment, and fewer opportunities in life. Shelters served as a place of safety and fulfilment of basic needs. According to the study, sheltered women attempt to make positive changes in their lives as they eventually hope to leave the shelter. Key findings related to their sexual and reproductive health are that although they can access contraception, they have limited choices in this regard, and some had very negative experiences with the contraception they were exposed to. Access to pre and post-natal care was generally viewed positively. All indicated that they had access to sanitary towels at the shelter but that this was often insufficient, and they did not have choices about what kind of sanitary products they wanted to use, and some related experiences of unhygienic practices of managing menstruation when they were living on the streets. Overall the women had access to what they needed regarding their sexual and reproductive health, but their choices were severely restricted.