There are nearly 110 million people forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and climate disasters. The population of forcibly displaced people worldwide includes LGBTQI+ refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people and stateless people seeking protection from discrimination, abuse and persecution.
In 2021 UNHCR hosted a Global Roundtable on LGBTQI+ forced displacement, and made 33 significant recommendations with regards to the protection and solutions for LGBTQI+ forcibly displaced persons throughout the world. One of them specifically recommends that UNHCR, “Establish a bilateral network, led by LGBTIQ+ people with lived experiences in forced displacement, that is funded by UNHCR, organized at the global level, and includes space for these individuals to come together to interact with one another and with UNHCR leadership.”
In this report, Rainbow Railroad proposes strengthening the global response to these serious challenges through an International LGBTQI+ forced displacement network which will engage people with lived experience, governments, civil society and academics, in research, advocacy and policy development.
Rainbow Railroad, along with international partners, will build a critically needed long-term platform to support LGBTQI+ persons in forced displacement and to advocate for improved protection outcomes and access to durable solutions.
In addition to generating lasting research and policy solutions, the network would provide a forum for different actors to mobilize and coordinate humanitarian response efforts in real time when crises occur.
You can read the full report outlining the goals of the LGBTQI+ forced displacement network below, or download the report here.