Alarming Surge in Child Homelessness in France Highlights Crisis on International Children's Rights Day

On November 20, 2025, coinciding with the International Day of the Rights of the Child, alarming statistics reveal a deepening crisis of child homelessness in France. Nearly 3,000 children, including more than 500 under the age of three, are sleeping rough each night across the country. This figure represents at least a 30% increase since 2022, underscoring the severity of the problem.

The underlying causes of this disturbing trend include the rising poverty levels, a spike in eviction cases, and a chronic shortage of social housing and emergency accommodation. Additionally, administrative precariousness among exiled populations exacerbates children's vulnerability. Many homeless children resort to seeking refuge in makeshift shelters such as schools, dilapidated gymnasiums, or metro stations, visibly highlighting their plight in public spaces across Paris.

Tragically, the crisis has had fatal consequences; over twenty children experiencing homelessness died in 2024 alone. This grim statistic starkly demonstrates the urgent need for greater attention and intervention.

The situation emerges at a time when the international community commemorates the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by 196 states in 1989, which guarantees fundamental rights to all children. Despite these international commitments, many children in France continue to struggle for basic survival and protection.

Activists and social workers caution against normalizing the reality of children sleeping in the streets. One observer emphasized, “We must not get used to children being left to sleep in the streets.” This call for urgent social and political action resonates strongly amidst the rising numbers and harsh conditions endured by France's homeless children.

As France observes this significant day dedicated to child rights, the stark figures and ongoing tragedy serve as a powerful reminder of the failures in social safety nets and housing policies that urgently need addressing to prevent further child suffering and loss.