Big Sleep Out organised at Fort

PEHCHAN is hosting the World’s Big Sleep Out

on the 7th of December, 2019 in CROSS MAIDAN Street - Fort, Mumbai. The WBSO is scheduled to be held on 7th Dec 2019 in over 50 cities all around the world, along with the 26 Indian cities different parts of India. WBSO is supported by Dame Helen Mirren in Trafalgar Square, London ,  Will Smith in the Times Square, New York and Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH) in Chicago. Both will also attend the gathering on 7th December 2019. This is first time ever that such an event is being organised on such a Big scale in Mumbai.

Brijesh Arya Form Pehchan and Member State level shelter monitoring committee (SLSMC: set up by the Supreme Court of India )  stated that the current situation of homeless people is worrisome due to the denial of their basic services and entitlements. that Homeless populations struggle to recognize themselves as citizens as most of them lack in legal identity proofs. Further Brijesh Arya added that it isn’t only about men but also for women, children, old people, people with disabilities and chemical dependent people who suffer.

RTI Activist Anil Galgali say “there is great attention required from the government to deal with this issue. The situation of homeless women is more alarming as they have to go through different levels of mental, physical and sexual harassment while sleeping in the open and also in the shelters” Galgali met the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Pravinsingh Pardeshi and discuss the problems of the homeless people in the city. Mr. Paradeshi ensured that shelter for the homeless will be constructed very soon. 

Faculty of Tiss, Mahesh Kamble discussed the How Govt betrayed the homeless and he also spoke on how to start right approach for bring in justice.

Leena Patil added that there are only 7 shelters in the city even after the order of Supreme court of India while 125 shelter is required looking at the number of homeless. There are not a single shelter for Male, female, and transgender. Transgender Vicki Shinde say that now time to come to give justice to transgender.

The event in Mumbai  will have solidarity speeches by people from all the walks of life as well as testimonies of the homeless commencing from 7 pm onwards. Around 10 pm all the participants will be asked to go to sleep or talk to the homeless there, without disturbing the sleepers / Sleep Outers. On this occasion, more than 100 people including Nandika Kumari, Abhinav, Sandeep Singh, Subash Rokade Ashim Das, Firoz, Anjali Kharwa, Nashim Sheikh, Siddharth Benjari Santabai Kantappa. The Sleep Out will end by 5 am of 8th Dec., 2019.