Kenya was a haven for LGBTQ+ refugees but rising hostility is pushing some to extreme measures, like leaving for South Sudan.
Devon Matthews, head of programmes at Rainbow Railroad in Toronto, said it is up to refugees themselves to decide what is best for them, but there are challenges for those heading to South Sudan, including resetting the clock by entering in a new queue to be considered for resettlement.
Matthews said there is evidence of some recent progress in LGBTQ+ asylum cases in Kenya, but that the “Kenyan government is outwardly and earnestly homophobic.” For those without an advocate or organisation supporting them, people can “get lost in the system,” she said.