The first purpose-built shelter for homeless women has opened in Christchurch.
The City Mission says chronic homelessness among women has been overlooked for far too long and the numbers are continuing to rise.
In most homeless shelters around the country, only men are allowed to stay.
For the first time ever, the number of chronically homeless women have been counted.
It revealed 43 women sleeping rough in Christchurch.
City Missioner Matthew Mark says, "That's a lot of women who are in a vulnerable space and in a real need".
"Each month, we are seeing another nine or 10 people to our service... new women to our service which is quite significant".
The facility, which 12 beds, is expected to make a huge difference to the number of women in need of a safe place for shelter, especially at night.
Around 200 women have been already helped by the Christchurch City Mission in the past year.
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