LGBTQ Refugees in East Africa

Nakafeero Swabulah, local LGBTQI-leader in Kakuma Two weeks ago we presented the January UNHCR  LGBTQI-report on the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya . Today we present the views of one of the LGBTQI-leaders and activists in the camp: Nakafeero. By Per M. Koch It is great that the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR publishes reports on the lives of LGBTQI refugees in Kakuma. This makes the challenges these refugees face more visible, both inside the UNHCR and in their collaboration with others. This also makes it clear that this is an issue relevant to the human rights principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The UN on LGBTQI rights “So long as people face criminalization, bias and violence based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics, we must redouble our efforts to end this violations,” Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General, said on 25 September 2018.

Rainbow over Kakuma. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which is responsible for the UN presence in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, has published a new briefing note on LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum-seekers in Kenya.  The briefing note provides an overview of UNHCR Kenya’s efforts to improve the overall protection environment for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) refugees in Kenya. UNHCR note that there are currently some 800 refugees in Kenya. ( Our international network covers several hundred of them). The organization notes that the Kenyan government is currently developing refugee regulations to guide the implementation of the Refugees Act of 2021. UNHCR are trying to minimize the impact of provisions that may reduce protection space for LGBTIQ+ refugees.  Homophobia and transphobia in Kenya Keep in mind that although Kenya is not like Uganda when it comes to LGBTIQ persecution, their laws are both homophobic and trans...