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Background: Homelessness is a global challenge affecting both high-income and lower-income countries. While survival is a priority, when assessing rehousing programs, thriving should be a goal. There is, however, a lack of clarity around the concept of thriving in existing literature, as for example it is used interchangeably across a number of professions. Aim: This paper provides an in-depth concept analysis of thriving, with a specific focus on thriving post-homelessness. Method: Walker and Avant’s (2011) concept analysis method was utilized. Results: As a result of this concept analysis, eight defining attributes were identified, including bio-psycho-social-spiritual improvement, adaptive coping styles, a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction across multiple life domains, functional well-being, improving or achieving a high level of performance, finding meaning in life or life activities, and having the necessities of daily living. It was found that thriving is a multidimensional process with subjective and objective components as well as an outcome, which all contribute to an individual's well-being and satisfaction. As a consequence of thriving, one feels more secure and confident and an enhanced sense of belonging. Conclusion: This concept analysis includes an updated definition of an individual's thriving post-homelessness in order to allow for comprehensive measurement in the context of housing research, including a positive assessment of one's life situation across multiple domains, as well as access to basic necessities such as shelter, food, and clothing. Future research can utilize the results of this concept analysis to explore thriving within the context of housing, especially to establish a well-structured housing program for persons exiting homelessness.

While homelessness is a global phenomenon, research on homelessness skews heavily towards high-income nations such as those in North America, Europe, and Australia. The academic publishing sector also highly privileges articles written in English. Therefore, homelessness in the global south or non-English as a first language countries is less understood and less recognized. In this article, we explore homelessness as a phenomenon in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. In particular, we use a gender-based analysis to understand the highly gendered nature of homelessness in this region, presenting an argument that while homelessness is gendered globally, in regions where gender inequality is greater, women and gender-diverse people will be more disproportionately impacted by homelessness. Therefore, obtaining Sustainable Development Goal 5 of ‘Gender Equality’ and efforts to prevent homelessness will go hand-in-hand within the MENA region.

While the right to housing is a fundamental right per article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ‘homelessness’ is still generally a Western concept and not comprehensively recognized or addressed as a social issue in many countries, including many within the Middle East and North Africa. This paper looked at the literature on homelessness in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to document the meaning and scope of homelessness within this region. After identifying and screening the relevant articles, 103 eligible articles were included in the final data synthesis stage. What we have learned from the review is organized in three categories: 1) conceptualizations of homelessness, 2) proposed responses to homelessness, and 3) research gaps. Studies addressing homelessness experienced by women, elderly, and family were underrepresented or did not exist. Homelessness among children dominates the literature in this review with 62% studies investigated the issue of homelessness in childhood. In a way, children are prioritized yet their adult relatives are often left invisible. Responding to the issue of homelessness on a global scale first involves having effective definitions that both properly enumerate and contextualize the issue. Without establishing a comprehensive definition of homelessness, efforts to address housing precarity can be ineffective.

Housing First works to end individual homelessness but could it actually be impeding a system focus?

The pandemic hit at a time of high rates of housing exclusion globally. While there have been many discussions of "a new normal", what we have seen is increased housing costs and therefore increased exclusion. This editorial presents concern for the lack of structural changes and a call for us as a global community to do better in preventing and ending homelessness.

We are launching the International Journal on Homelessness in order to share knowledge globally for preventing and ending homelessness.