Women in homelessness are among the most marginalized citizens in the modern welfare state and they are thus living indicators of the reach of social rights to basic welfare. In this article, qualitative interviews with women in homelessness in Sweden are used to illustrate the ways in which women in this group are denied their social rights and why. A theoretical understanding based is that social rights are essential for the realization of civil and political rights, but also that they are a first stepping-stone on a path to a more ordered and dignified life for these women. The analysis highlights several ways in which rights are unrealized, including both individual and institutional factors. We conclude that outreach activities and specialized health care services are two important tools for ensuring basic social rights that a fuller citizenship can be built on.