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On September 26th, the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman made a speech at the Refugee Convention in Washington, US where she outlined the direction the government may be going in regarding immigration bills.
Manchester Pride is extremely concerned following the comment from the Home Secretary against the UN’s Refugee Convention. To suggest that being gay or a woman is not enough to qualify for refugee protection is deeply worrying.
The reality is there are over 65 countries where same-sex relationships are illegal and 14 that criminalise the gender identity of transgender people, with many of those places holding jurisdictions where the death penalty is imposed. No person should be a risk of persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Manchester is a vibrant, multicultural city made so by its rich diversity of people who call it home. Manchester Pride will continue to work alongside charities such as Right to Remain,These Walls Must Fall and Lesbian Immigration Support Group (LISG) to challenge the Government and injustices in the asylum system.
As part of this keynote speech, Braverman said that "what we have seen in practice is an interpretive shift away from 'persecution', in favour of something more akin to a definition of 'discrimination'.
"The practical consequence of which has been to expand the number of those who may qualify for asylum, and to lower the threshold for doing so."
The percentage of people claiming asylum on a sexual orientation or gender identity basis has risen by 89% percent between 2021 and 2022, but still only makes up 2% of all asylum claims.
In her speech, the Home Secretary went on to say: "Let me be clear, there are vast swathes of the world where it is extremely difficult to be gay, or to be a woman. Where individuals are being persecuted, it is right that we offer sanctuary.
"But we will not be able to sustain an asylum system if in effect, simply being gay, or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin is sufficient to qualify for protection.
As of 2023 there are 64 countries that have laws that criminalise homosexuality. Earlier in 2023, for example, Uganda criminalised homosexuality, sentencing includes the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality”.
Events to attend:
March on the Tory Party Conference with Resist Racism (October 1st)
Lesbian Immigrant Support Group:
A group of women in Greater Manchester who support lesbian and bisexual asylum
seekers and refugees.
Fresh Grassroots Rainbow Community
A non-profit organisation that supports Black, Asian and Other LGBT refugees and people
seeking asylum in the UK.
Right to Remain
Right to Remain works with communities, groups and organisations across the UK. They
provide information, resources, training and assistance to help people to establish their
right to remain and challenge injustice in the immigration and asylum system.
Right to remain also provides a toolkit that provides a guide to the UK immigration and
asylum system. It’s free to use and can be found here.
African Rainbow Family
Supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people of
African heritage and the wider Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic groups.
These Walls Must Fall
All groups listed in this document provide volunteering opportunities for people wishing
to provide direct support to LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees.
Right to Remain is a migration justice organisation working across Britain. They provide information, resources, training and assistance to help people to establish their right to remain, and work to challenge injustice in the immigration and asylum system.
These Walls Must Fall, Manchester, is a group of campaigners with direct experience of the immigration and asylum system. Supported by Right to Remain, they are organising to build the movement for migration justice.
These organisations will be holding an informal meeting on 4th October for community groups, voluntary organisations and advice and information services to share with each other how we are preparing our communities to face the impact of the Illegal Migration Act.
