The 2024 Homeless World Cup was held at Hanyang University in Seoul from September 21 to 28. The Homeless World Cup is an international soccer competition hosted by the Homeless World Cup Foundation to improve the negative image of the homeless who are in the blind spot of housing rights and to encourage their will to become independent.
This year marks the first time the Homeless World Cup has been held in Asia. The Homeless World Cup has been made into movies in several countries, including The Beautiful Game in the US and Dream in Korea. Both movies depict conflicts and wounds between team members as they train and participate in the Homeless World Cup but also contain hope that they discover their will to live.
As can be guessed from the word homeless, the main characters of this competition are homeless people from each country, that is, people without homes. They include homeless people, youth preparing for independence from shelters, refugees, migrant workers, youth outside of homes, and people with disabilities. The eight selected players (the Homeless World Cup is a 4:4 soccer game, so eight players in total, including the substitute players) will represent their countries and play in front of the world's citizens as players and protagonists, not as socially disadvantaged or outcasts.
Their performance will serve as an opportunity to change the public's negative image and perception of the homeless. In addition, participating in the competition will be an opportunity for them to strengthen their will to live and experience positive changes. Since the start of the Homeless World Cup in 2003, the number of homeless people who have experienced positive changes, such as escaping homelessness, has reached 1.2 million, and 83% of the participants have improved their social relationships, such as returning to their families or friends (according to the Homeless World Cup Foundation).
These positive effects and good influences of the Homeless World Cup are desirable and welcome both socially and personally. However, a single World Cup event does not guarantee the homeless's 'right to housing'. It must be guaranteed by law and realized by policy. The Constitution and the Basic Housing Act of our country clearly state that the right to housing is a right of the people to live in appropriate housing and that the state has an obligation to make active efforts to guarantee this.
For example, in the case of the homeless, who are the most vulnerable to housing, the housing welfare provided to them is 'supported housing.' Supported housing refers to providing public rental housing in an integrated manner with individualized support programs. Supported housing is an important policy tool that helps homeless people without homes to live as local community members.
However, 'supported housing' has not been implemented nationwide due to the lack of a law. Only Seoul City enacted an ordinance in 2018 and is leading the way in promoting the project (Gyeonggi Province enacted an ordinance in 2021, but the project began on a small scale this year). Other local governments are not even thinking about it. Therefore, in order to provide supported housing to the homeless and secure their right to housing, this project must be enacted into law so that it can become a nationwide project.
Once the law is enacted, Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, will allow more supportive housing to be provided to the homeless. I hope that this 'Homeless World Cup' will be an opportunity for in-depth discussions on housing safety nets so that not only the homeless but also vulnerable people living in blind spots of housing rights can live independently.
