Protecting L.G.B.T.Q. Refugees

The writers’ suggestions to fast-track or bypass the resettlement process for L.G.B.T.Q. refugees are desperately needed. Yet resettlement alone will not solve their protection needs. They also need immediate protection in the places where they reside.

In Kenya, for example, a number of local organizations — some led by refugees themselves — are providing urgently needed services and shelter, like safe houses that offer income-generation activities.

Despite significant challenges, much can still be done to support and protect L.G.B.T.Q. refugees in insecure settings. We can start by funding the agencies that are working hard to protect these vulnerable communities.

Sarah Chynoweth
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The writer is founder and director of the Sexual Violence Project at the Women’s Refugee Commission, an NGO based in New York.