In a bid to prevent families with children from facing homelessness, Belgium has decided to temporarily suspend the provision of shelter to single men within the Fedasil network, as announced

by State Secretary for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor, on Tuesday.

De Moor explained that Belgium has recently witnessed a notable surge in the number of families seeking asylum, and as a result, all available accommodation spaces have already been allocated.

For months, Belgium's asylum and migration services have been grappling with a scarcity of reception facilities. This shortage has led to prioritizing vulnerable groups like minors and families with children, leaving single men often in extended waiting periods for placement within the system. Now, at least temporarily, they are being denied shelter altogether.

"I am committed to preventing children from being left without shelter." "I am taking proactive measures," De Moor conveyed to VRT. "That's why I've opted to reserve all available spaces for families with children. My foremost aim is to ensure children do not find themselves homeless."

However, Kati Verstrepen, an authority in migration law and the President of the Human Rights League, views this as a concerning move. "This decision is unequivocally contrary to international and Belgian legal norms. Shelter should be accessible to all," Verstrepen voiced.

"This decision is unequivocally contrary to international and Belgian legal norms. Shelter should be accessible to all." Verstrepen rebuked the notion that single men are inherently less vulnerable and asserted that it is unacceptable to entirely exclude an entire demographic. "Single men can also fall victim to violence and abuse. In cases where shelter isn't available, a careful assessment should be made on a case-by-case basis to identify those most in need." Photo by Jamain, Wikimedia commons.