UK EQUAL MARRIAGE ACT ANNIVERSARY
This Friday, March 29th 2024, will mark a profound 10 years since Peter McGraith and David Cabreza became the first gay couple to be legally married in the United Kingdom. A mere few months after the passing of the Marriage Equality Act in July 2013, their marriage represented a new era of equality in this country.
As we celebrate this beautiful milestone in the United Kingdom’s history, we also endure a deep sense of sadness at the lack of protection offered to LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum in the UK. While our community proudly reflects on joyous occasions such as this union of two men in love, it is important that we look forward to a future where all LGBTIQ+ people are afforded these same rights to love freely and live safely. Our Founder and CEO, spoke more on this in her recent interview with LBC (read here).
A Word from our Founder and CEO, Aderonke Apata
The Rwanda Bill and LGBTIQ+ People Seeking Asylum
The government’s Impact Assessment makes it clear that Rwanda is not safe for LGBTIQ+ people. Yet the Home Office is seeking to deport people seeking asylum including those that are LGBTIQ+ to the same Rwanda.
The Government says, provisions of the Bill “address all of the concerns identified by the Supreme Court and make Rwanda a safe country to send migrants and meet our respective international obligations”, yet we know that the signed Treaty is not being adhered to. It simply tells us that the Rwanda Policy is not worth its salt and should be stopped.
The Bill is not in compliance with the domestic and international rule of law.
For example: Clause 1 amendment is to include maintaining full compliance with domestic and international law to the purpose of this Bill.
Clause 3 of the Bill disapplies much of the Human Rights Act as it relates to the Rwanda Policy.
Clause 5 allows Ministers pick and choose whether or not they want to comply with an interim measure from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
If it goes ahead and passes into law as it is without the amendments being included, it would be in breach of Article 13 of the ECHR, which requires States to protect people against the violation of their Convention rights.
The provisions in the Bill are toxic and extreme.
Out of desperation, the Home Office is now offering people £3,000 in exchange for voluntary deportation to Rwanda. This seems like using control power and authority.
No wonder that recently, the Irish High Court ruled that Britain is not safe for migrants because of the risk of deportation to Rwanda. The threat of deportation to Rwanda means UK is not a safe third country to return people seeking asylum to.
The UK is seen as being the beacon of upholding and respecting Human Rights, I would encourage the Home Office to look inwards and drop this cruel Rwanda Policy. It costs the tax payers millions of pounds and the trauma that it inflicts on people is unquantifiable.
Let us remain the compassionate society that we are and stop this cruel policy now – sign our No Pride in Deportation petition!