Video: The asylum regime for LGBTI refugees in East Africa

Source: refugeeresearch



Eric Gitari speaking at the 'LGBT Identities, Governance, and Asylum' session at the 13th conference of the International Association for Studies in Forced Migration (IASFM) held in Kampala, Uganda, July 3-6.

He says that LGBT refugees from countries like DRC and Somalia find no relief in the countries they flee to, like Kenya and Tanzania, because those countries mirror the attitudes and treatment they are fleeing from. In Uganda refugee registration means that those fleeing persecution because they are gay are not going to declare this. Instead they will cite political, social or ethic issues. This means they are invisible in asylum statistics. 

These countries receiving LGBT refugees do not accept the UNHCR advisory that LGBT are covered by the Refugee Convention. This exclusion means that LGBT refugees live on the extreme margins of society. When they seek assistance from agencies it cannot be relied upon because they may encounter homophobic attitudes. He cites cases in Nairobi of clients being referred for 'curative therapy'.  

He notes developments such as the 2008 UNHRC advice but relates problems with pursuing training of UNHCR staff in Uganda because of the attitude of local staff. Because they are invisible, the existence of LGBT refugees is denied. NGOs will ask 'where are they?'

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