Melanie Nathan | Oblogdeeoblogda| June 08, 2014
Iceland is set to receive approximately 5 LGBT refugees, including one lesbian, from Uganda, Cameroon and Zimbabwe. The Committee on Refugees made the recommendation, accepted by the foreign minister and the minister of welfare. Each of the individuals made application to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The municipalities of Reykjavík and Hafnarfjörður will receive the refugees, as stated on the of the Ministry of Welfare in Iceland.The Icelandic government approved the project in September. By all standards it seems they have moved swiftly to receive the refugees.
One can only apply for refugee status and re-settlement from a foreign country. Many LGBT people are crossing borders into foreign African countries, to escape persecution from their own countries., often not realizing how difficult and long of a process it is. Some have escaped arrest orders by government, others beatings by families and communities, dolling out so called “mob justice,” in countries where Anti-Homosexuality laws and state sponsored rhetoric give license to persecute. Many were outed by tabloids and magazines such as Red pepper, Rolling Stone of Uganda and Hello Magazine.
Once crossing these borders, the LGBT refugees have to go through a very stringent process with UNHCR to determine whether they will be granted refugee status, given a mandate and ultimately resettled.
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