A UN expert said children and young people living in the street are often victims of forced labor and sexual exploitation, and urged States to eliminate homelessness, a serious human rights violation.

“We should stop shutting our eyes to widespread or systematic destruction of civilian homes in conflict,” said Balakrishnan Rajagopal, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing. Rajagopal has named these systematic or widespread destruction of homes during conflicts: domicide. He is calling on governments to recognize it as an international crime.