A/HRC/54/30 areas are equally vulnerable, as many depend on rental housing and are therefore at a higher risk of eviction.34 31. The risk of homelessness is high among persons with disabilities. Many of them experience poverty and inequal access to education, essential services, decent work and housing, which can result in homelessness and exploitation.35 In some instances, persons with disabilities are abandoned by their families, and those escaping from violence at home may end up in situations of homelessness, due to a lack of appropriate temporary housing. 36 The Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities has expressed concerns that persons with disabilities experiencing homelessness are exposed to the risk of law enforcement actions and deprivation of liberty because survival behaviours, like loitering, begging and sleeping in public spaces, are criminalized in some States.37 32. Other groups, such as older persons 38 and formerly incarcerated 39 or otherwise institutionalized individuals, are more likely to become homeless for similar reasons as members of other vulnerable populations. In order to prevent both homelessness and contemporary forms of slavery, it is clear that States must adopt a comprehensive approach that takes these interlinked structural and personal causes into consideration. Furthermore, individually tailored, as opposed to one-size-fits all, support is needed in order to empower in particular members of vulnerable populations, who often experience intersecting forms of inequality and discrimination. V. Manifestations of contemporary forms of slavery among persons experiencing homelessness 33. Homelessness undoubtedly serves as a cause of contemporary forms of slavery, as affected individuals can easily be targeted by exploiters, including traffickers. This vulnerability also exists for those who are at risk of being homeless. Due to inadequate access to education, decent work and essential public services, they may feel compelled to accept a situation of labour and/or sexual exploitation in order to avoid homelessness. 34. The Special Rapporteur has learned that many persons experiencing homelessness are coercively and deceptively recruited in the streets, homeless shelters, or parks, at bus stops or even outside of government assistance offices with false promises of lucrative jobs, education or other benefits, while others choose to engage in work which may amount to contemporary forms of slavery due to a lack of alternative income-generating opportunities.40 It is also widely known that persons experiencing homelessness are trafficked across international borders. Furthermore, children and young people who are placed in childcare systems can be subjected to trafficking and exploitation both during and after exiting such support systems.41 35. In the same way as other vulnerable populations to contemporary forms of slavery, criminal actors, including gangs and organized criminal groups, are known to actively recruit persons experiencing homelessness. 42 The Special Rapporteur is concerned by the fact that family members, friends or acquaintances of persons experiencing homelessness, private 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 GE.23-12640 A/76/202, para. 22. A/HRC/40/54, para. 33; A/HRC/43/41/Add.2, para. 54; CRPD/C/IND/CO/1, para. 58; A/76/408, para. 39; and submissions from the Government of Israel, the Mercy Foundation and Terre des Hommes Netherlands. E/CN.5/2020/3, para. 58; and A/72/128, paras. 20–22. A/HRC/40/54, para. 33. A/66/173, para. 9. E/C.12/FIN/CO/7, para. 38; E/CN.5/2020/3, para. 27; and submissions from the Government of Lithuania, the Helen Bamber Foundation and UNANIMA International. Submissions from the Consortium for Street Children, Child Labour: Action-Research-Innovation in South and South-Eastern Asia, the Council of Women’s and Infants’ Specialty Hospitals and Lorraine van Blerk. A/77/140, para. 28; and submissions from Raíces and UNANIMA International. Submissions from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Centre for Applied Human Rights of the University of York. 7