Our work is rooted in the freedom of movement: supporting LGBTQI+ people to access safety at home, and to exercise their right to asylum when needed.
No Other Options: Resettlement as a Critical Path to Safety for LGBTQI+ Individuals
We're sharing key insights from our work last year. Read more about the importance of third country resettlement in our 2024 Annual Report: Understanding the State of Global LGBTQI+ Persecution
Our work is rooted in the freedom of movement: supporting LGBTQI+ people to access safety at home, and to exercise their right to asylum when needed. Between July and December 2024, 4,622 individuals requested specific program services from Rainbow Railroad. 78% of people from 142 different countries requested International Relocation. Despite the challenges that many face before and during relocation, LGBTQI+ refugees overwhelmingly report feeling more hopeful after resettlement or relocation. In interviews conducted by Rainbow Railroad, 91% of individuals who had relocated to a third country reported improved personal safety.
For LGBTQI+ refugees, resettlement in a third country may be their only option. Local integration or voluntary repatriation to their original countries may not be possible in climates of extreme homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. Community rejection continues to persist as the primary safety concern for individuals supported by Rainbow Railroad. Nearly 50% of people also reported community violence, up significantly from 2023. Last year, over half of the individuals we supported faced verbal abuse, community violence, or life threatening violence. As anti-LGBTQI+ hate and legal backlash continue to increase, we anticipate a continued rise in rates of violence reported by the people we serve.
Government Resettlement Pathways and Community Support
In response, Rainbow Railroad has advocated for governments to create designated pathways to safety for at-risk LGBTQI+ people. In 2023, Rainbow Railroad secured direct partnerships with the Canadian and U.S. governments and, in 2024, we operationalized them through the Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) partnership in Canada, and the Welcome Corps program and Priority-1 referral pathway in the U.S.
Rahma Esslouani is a nonbinary lesbian from Morocco who resettled to Toronto through GAR in 2024. Rahma shared that in both Morocco and Turkiye – where they were living as a refugee – they “faced constant fear, violence, and a lack of basic rights, which made it impossible to live openly and safely. Coming to Canada has allowed me to find the freedom and security I had long been denied. … I felt a sense of relief and safety, knowing I was free from the fear and persecution I had faced. However, adjusting to a new culture and environment came with challenges.”
Reflecting on the role LGBTQI+ community networks can play in welcoming newcomers into a new community and country, they noted, “The support from organizations like Rainbow Railroad and other newcomer organizations made a huge difference, helping me feel welcomed and supported as I began to build my new Fresh & Free life.” Rahma shared that they want the queer community to stay “visible, vocal and united. We must challenge discrimination, support each other, and create safe spaces for all. Resistance also means working together for equality and acceptance, ensuring every voice is heard. I’m hopeful for the future because I believe in my ability to grow, find meaningful connections, and live authentically.”
It bears noting that while government resettlement pathways expand access for LGBTQI+ FDPs, they remain inadequate in addressing a global displacement crisis where over 120 million people are forcibly displaced. Current policies resettle only a fraction of those in need. These pathways serve as stopgap measures, but States and the UN humanitarian system must work toward broader reforms to ensure LGBTQI+ persons in need of asylum are not left behind.
Case Study: A Worsening Situation for LGBTQI+ Refugees in Kenya
The protracted displacement context in Kenya is a striking example of the difficulties of local integration for many LGBTQI+ refugees in contexts of criminalization and severe stigmatization. Interviews with LGBTQI+ asylum seekers in Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement in Kenya found that 83% of respondents had experienced physical violence, with nearly 9 in 10 assaults attributed to fellow refugees. Despite this, the Kenyan government has stopped processing asylum claims and exit permits for LGBTQI+ refugees, preventing individuals from travelling in pursuit of asylum — even for those with identified pathways to resettlement.
Anti-LGBTQI+ and anti-asylum policies in Kenya are pushing some LGBTQI+ refugees to seek asylum by moving to dangerous refugee camps in South Sudan. A mass exodus from Kakuma to Gorom Camp was visible in our 2024 Intake data, and showed that many community members in Gorom Camp are still awaiting refugee registration, and that even those who have been registered report insufficient stipends for food and a lack of adequate shelter. Homosexuality is criminalized in both Kenya and South Sudan. Returning LGBTQI+ refugees to, or attempting to force local integration into, hostile communities is not tenable, and third country solutions are needed.
You can read more about the importance of third country resettlement in our 2024 Annual Report: Understanding the State of Global LGBTQI+ Persecution