Alarm Over 151 Homeless: Minister Seeks Solutions as Crisis Rages

The number of rough sleepers in Mauritius has more than doubled in less than a year, prompting the Minister of Social Integration, Ashok Subron, to brand the situation as “alarming.”

Police figures reveal a stark rise, showing 151 homeless individuals in August 2025, a significant increase from the 62 recorded in September 2024. The majority of those affected, 125, are concentrated in the capital, Port-Louis.

The Minister’s assessment came during a key meeting held yesterday, Wednesday, at the Ministry’s Port-Louis headquarters.

The gathering brought together government authorities and several Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that work with the homeless population.

The primary objective was to delve into the causes of the surge and pinpoint concrete remedies.

NGOs Warn of Higher Undercount

NGO representatives present at the meeting suggested that the official figures may be a considerable undercount of the true number.

They highlighted several primary drivers behind the escalating crisis:

• Inaccessible housing
• Substance abuse, particularly the rise of synthetic drugs
• Family difficulties

The organisations also raised a “preoccupying phenomenon,” which is the lowering age of people living on the streets (the ‘rajeunissement’ or ‘youthification’ of the homeless population).

Government Proposes Solutions

In response to the growing crisis, Minister Subron put forward a proposal to include rough sleepers in the Social Register of Mauritius.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Kugan Parapen advocated for the implementation of a “transitional housing” concept, which aims to provide better support for the reintegration of homeless people back into society.

Source: Defi Media