MANCHESTER, UK — African Rainbow Family (ARF), the UK’s leading grassroots charity for LGBTIQ+ refugees of African heritage, has been formally recognised in the latest report by the United Nations Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI).
The UN report of 17th of April 2025 referenced African Rainbow Family’s submission in paragraphs 64 and 80. It draws directly from African Rainbow Family’s submission, which highlights the harrowing “continuous cycles of violence” faced by lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women. The citation underscores the systemic failures in both countries of origin and host-country asylum systems, including the United Kingdom.
Breaking the Silence on Intersectionality
African Rainbow Family’s submission provided the UN with primary qualitative data from its Access to Justice (2024) and Accomodation Reports. The evidence reveals that African LBQ women are not only fleeing state-sanctioned criminalisation but also gender-specific harms such as “corrective” rape, forced marriage, and family-based abuse.
“Being referenced by the United Nations is a testament to the courage of our ‘Siblings’ who shared their trauma to demand change,” said Adeniyi Balogun, Refugee Advocacy and Campaigns Manager at African Rainbow Family.
“It confirms what we see on the frontline every day: displacement does not automatically equal safety. In host countries like the UK, LBQ women continue to face ‘constant fear’ due to unsafe asylum accommodation and a refugee determination process that often relies on harmful stereotypes.” Continued Adeniyi Balogun.
Key Findings Highlighted to the UN:
- The “Safety” Paradox: Many LBQ women report ongoing harassment and institutional neglect within the UK asylum system, describing it as a continuation of the violence they fled.
- Protection Gaps: Current Refugee Status Determination (RSD) processes often fail to recognize the intersectional nature of African LBQ identities, leading to “gendered disbelief” during interviews.
- Systemic Barriers: A critical lack of culturally competent legal advice and safe, LBQ-specific housing remains a primary barrier to true protection.
A Call for Global Action
In light of this UN recognition, African Rainbow Family is calling on the UK Government and international policymakers to adopt the recommendations set out in their submission, including:
- Removing “Safe Country” assumptions that obscure the lived realities of LBQ women.
- Ending the use of shared, mixed-gender asylum accommodation where LBQ women are at risk of homophobic and sexualized violence.
- Sustained funding for grassroots, expert-by-lived-experience organizations that provide the only true safe spaces for these marginalized groups.
ARF remains committed to campaigning for racial justice and human rights, ensuring that no LBQ refugee is forced to live in the shadows.