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We are currently living through a period of profound global regression. A coordinated anti-gender backlash is actively dismantling international human rights frameworks and fuelling forced displacement at unprecedented levels.
In times of crisis, the needs of LGBTQI+ refugees are often invisibilized and overlooked within the design of both humanitarian and refugee protection systems. Rainbow Railroad works at the intersection of multiple and overlapping crises: climate collapse, political repression, armed conflict, and a dangerous rise in anti-LGBTQI+ hate. Each year, we receive tens of thousands of requests for assistance from LGBTQI+ individuals seeking urgent international protection.
These requests are more than just cries for help. They are data. They reveal a troubling pattern, the convergence of democratic backsliding with rising anti-LGBTQI+ sentiments in places like Afghanistan, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Yemen, and Pakistan.
This erosion is particularly dangerous for LGBTQI+ refugees living in transit countries, many of whom face criminalization, violence, and state-sponsored persecution. For many LGBTQI+ people impacted by forced displacement, third-country resettlement is not merely a legal mechanism; it is a vital means of protection. It is a lifeline. Yet last year, less than 5% of individuals seeking Rainbow Railroad’s assistance had UNHCR-registered refugee status.
Standing in Brave Spaces
At Rainbow Railroad, we believe that building durable solutions for LGBTQI+ forced displacement begins with centering the expertise and stories of LGBTQI+ refugees at every stage of our advocacy.
In June, Rainbow Railroad joined the Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (IE SOGI), Graeme Reid, for the release of his groundbreaking report on LGBTQI+ forced displacement at the 59th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.
As a global advocate, Rainbow Railroad seeks to carve out spaces where LGBTQI+ refugees can directly advocate for and shape the design of inclusive humanitarian protection policies, expanding visibility and safety within systems that are, by design, exclusionary
In co-sponsorship with ILGA World and with the support of the Group of Friends of the IE SOGI, we hosted a side event that brought together over 100 state representatives, activists, academics, individuals with lived experience, NGOs, and UN agencies for a dedicated dialogue on LGBTQI+ forced displacement.
At the event we observed a noticeable gap left by the absence of the United States, which had previously held a strong leadership role in advancing protection for LGBTQI+ individuals and promoting diverse global interests. Rainbow Railroad was also able to leverage its consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to provide access to 17 individuals, enabling them to advocate for LGBTQI+ rights at the highest levels of the UN. ECOSOC status enables Rainbow Railroad and its partners to participate in nearly all major UN events, enabling opportunities for legitimate contributions to relevant subject matter.
Leading from Lived Experience
Among the participants was Basel Hamrah, founding member and leader of Rainbow Refuge, a newcomer centre based in Edmonton, Alberta. Basel is an active member of the Canadian Council for Refugees and advocates for the transformative power of resettlement pathways.
Basel’s story is emblematic of many people who have been impacted by forced displacement and who now serve in leadership roles within their communities. The creation of such side events provides a platform where LGBTQI+ advocates and allies can add value and depth to ongoing discussions on refugee protections while calling for concrete, sustained action to support forcibly displaced LGBTQI+ persons across all humanitarian protection mechanisms.
As the queer movement faces growing repression, standing brave in contentious spaces is not only symbolic but also strategic. The renewal of the IE SOGI’s mandate ensures that this critical work, data collection, reporting, and advocacy can continue over the next three years. And with it, Rainbow Railroad renews its commitment to keeping the rights of forcibly displaced LGBTQI+ people and refugees at the centre of humanitarian and refugee protection systems.