The UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition is proud to announce the formal recognition of the initiative ‘Homeless Population in Governador Valadares/MG’ as an outstanding example of humanities-anchored, transdisciplinary sustainability science.
BRIDGES Recognition Programme: The Mission in Practice
The Recognition Programme was established to advance the BRIDGES mission: encouraging transdisciplinary research that is inclusive of the humanities and co-produced with communities.
The BRIDGES recognised initiatives exemplify our mission to foster transdisciplinary, humanities-inclusive solutions, offering innovative approaches to building socio-ecological resilience in real-world contexts where transformation is most critical.
Each project demonstrates that we cannot solve sustainability issues without understanding the social and cultural contexts that drive them.
UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES recognition follows a rigorous evaluative process assessing alignment with UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES’ principles and UNESCO’s sustainability science approach, with particular emphasis on transdisciplinary, socially responsible, ethical and transformative practice.
Influencing Global Policy
BRIDGES recognition provides a mechanism for these initiatives to inform international policy. By highlighting these projects as exemplary models, the actionable knowledge they generate will:
This initiative seeks to understand the lived experiences of homeless individuals in Governador Valadares, identifying the drivers of displacement and developing collective pathways for social inclusion through interdisciplinary research and community dialogue.
Led by the Vale do Rio Doce University (UNIVALE), this project proposes to listen directly to the homeless population of Governador Valadares through group discussions and comprehensive surveys. Since 2016, there has been a significant lack of updated data regarding this demographic, a gap that severely hinders the creation of effective public policies.
The project investigates origins, education, access to healthcare, and family ties to form a comprehensive sociodemographic profile. Beyond data collection, the initiative organises open forums that bring together homeless individuals, civil society, government representatives, and the local church. These spaces are designed to collectively reflect on findings and suggest concrete actions, with the ultimate goal of forming a permanent group to monitor and coordinate social inclusion efforts within the city.
Addressing Invisibility
The initiative addresses one of Brazil's most pressing social challenges: the rise in the homeless population. In Governador Valadares, the reliance on official data from 2016 is insufficient given the evident expansion and diversification of this group. This lack of updated diagnoses compromises the development of effective actions. By proposing a new assessment and the collective development of solutions, based on the leadership of homeless people themselves, the project works to advance the fields of social justice and citizenship.
Project Roadmap
To achieve its goals of social transformation and sustainable development, the project follows these defined stages:
Mapping: Identifying the locations where the homeless population lives.
Data Collection: Gathering quantitative data for a sociodemographic profile.
Engagement: Conducting focus groups with participants.
Dialogue: Organising and holding forums with civil society, public authorities, and the Street People's Pastoral.
Co-creation: Joint development of action proposals.
Sustainability: Creating a permanent monitoring and advocacy forum.
Dissemination: Scientific and community production to share results.
Impact and Benefits for Society
The project aims to produce a fresh, updated diagnosis that provides fundamental data for the formulation of evidence-based public policies.
Short Term: Strengthening dialogue between different sectors and holding participatory forums.
Medium Term: Establishing a Permanent Forum to monitor proposals and serve as a platform for political and social advocacy.
Long Term: Reducing social exclusion and recognising the dignity of homeless people.
Initially focused on a local level, the project is poised to become a methodological benchmark with the potential for regional expansion across the Southeast region. By empowering vulnerable populations and combating stigma, the initiative reinforces the social role of the university and ensures that humanistic scientific knowledge addresses the real demands of society.
The work of ‘Homeless Population in Governador Valadares/MG’ strengthens the global UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES network and contributes meaningfully to transformative, humanities-anchored community-led initiatives.
A Transdisciplinary and Humanistic Approach
The proposal is grounded in the humanities and social sciences, drawing particularly on sociology, social psychology, and urban anthropology. It utilises a mixed-methods approach:
Qualitative Methodologies: Focus groups and discussion circles are used to understand perceptions, feelings, and social relationships.
Quantitative Research: A sociodemographic survey captures objective data to outline a clear profile of the population. By valuing experiential knowledge, the project promotes active listening, empathy, and the recognition of everyday knowledge. It is inherently transdisciplinary, encompassing fields such as Social Work, Law, Psychology, Communication, and Public Health.
Key Partnerships
The project is coordinated by faculty and students from the Master's Programme in Integrated Territorial Management (GIT/UNIVALE) and involves researchers from various fields of knowledge. Central to its success is the collaboration with the Diocese of Governador Valadares, specifically through the Pastoral do Povo da Rua (Street People's Pastoral), ensuring a direct link between academic research and community agents with field experience.
Universidade Vale do Rio Doce (UNIVALE): Academic coordination and execution of research and extension.
Centre for Multidisciplinary Studies on Regional Development (NEDER): Scientific development and methodological supervision.
Diocese of Governador Valadares: Institutional support, infrastructure, and coordination with the Street People's Pastoral.
Homeless Population: Central subjects of the initiative and active participants in focus groups and forums.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s)
BRIDGES recognises the importance of championing transdisciplinary initiatives that address complex, multi-faceted societal challenges in innovative ways to stimulate transformative change for the benefit of societies, people and planet.
A criteria of the BRIDGES Recognition Programme is the initiative addresses specific global, regional or local challenges encompassed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Homeless Population in Governador Valadares/MG serves as an exemplary case of how bridging diverse knowledge bases can provide innovative solutions to the SDG’s. Through its focus on social inclusion this initiative addresses a number of the UN SDG’s:
SDG 1: No Poverty
Pathway for inclusion: The project directly targets the homeless population, those in extreme poverty, by seeking to understand the causes of their situation and creating pathways for social and economic inclusion.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
Health advocacy: By surveying the population’s "access to healthcare," the initiative seeks to identify gaps in medical provision and advocate for policies that ensure the well-being of those who are most vulnerable.
SDG 4: Quality Education
The research collects data on the "education" levels of homeless individuals. This is a critical step in developing targeted adult education and vocational training programmes for reintegration.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
A core goal of this initiative is to "combat stigma" and "promote social justice" for a population that is often invisible. The aim is to ensure that the most vulnerable have their voices heard and their dignity recognised.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
The initiative promotes "inclusive and evidence-based public policies". The outcome of this is to make Governador Valadares a more inclusive city where the urban poor are not excluded from territorial management.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
The creation of a "Permanent Forum" for advocacy and monitoring strengthens local governance and ensures that the homeless population can participate in democratic processes and social justice.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
The project is built on "interdisciplinary collaboration" between the university (UNIVALE), the Diocese, government representatives, and civil society to achieve collective social impact.
