THE NEED

There are 70 countries that criminalise LGBTIQ+ people, some of which have the death penalty. In addition to legislative criminalisation and persecution, LGBTIQ+ people are impacted by patriarchy, societal norms and familial pressures that impede the possibility to live their lives to the fullest potential and to be safe and free. 

LGBTIQ+ people experience persecution, family rejection, violence, loss of employment and education, and many other human rights abuses. 

Therefore, LGBTIQ+ people seek asylum in countries known to be LGBTIQ+ inclusive - including Australia. 

BUT... The journey to find safety is dangerous for LGBTIQ+ people, disclosing sexuality or gender identity, or being born with variations in sex characteristics can be particularly dangerous in detention with high rates of assault and harassment, and resulting PTSD for many. 

Asylum claims for LGBTIQ+ people can be very difficult due to fears of discrimination, mistranslation, and difficulty proving LGBTIQ+ status. Disclosure can also result in retribution against or from family members in the country of origin. 

A SOLUTION

Community Sponsorship is a proven method to enable safe settlement through arrangement of a humanitarian visa in a transition country, safe passage to the host country, and local community support for at least the first year. This bypasses the hugely traumatic and insecure asylum-seeking process. Ideally, it also enables more refugees to come here outside of Government imposed quotas. 

This scheme can also draw attention to the need for Australia to increase its humanitarian intake and to specifically include people fleeing because of diverse sexuality, sex characteristics and gender identity. 

OUR SUBFUND

PFA is supporting the community sponsorship movement through enabling a specific LGBTIQ+ focus. We have established a specific purpose sub-fund to enable individual donors to actively participate by donating. This sub-fund was established in 2021 by Dennis Altman and Ruth McNair as part of PFA, ABN 85 116 997 427. 

All donations to the sub-fund are tax deductible. This is a ‘flow through’ sub-fund, established so that granting out the donated funds will happen during at least the next 5 years. 

OUR PARTNERS

Our knowledge in this area is significant, but there are many groups that have real expertise and lived experience, and we want to work with them in partnership. Groups we are already collaborating with include: 

• Forcibly Displaced Peoples Network: LGBTIQ+ refugee-led peak in Australia 
• Peer-Led LGBTQIA+ Refugee Support Groups: Many Coloured Sky, part of Three For All Foundation. All of the peer-led LGBTIQ refugee support groups developing around Australia.
• Legal: Refugee Legal (Melb), RACS (Sydney), LGBTIQ Legal Service (Melb)
• CRSA and Amnesty Australia: Encouraging a focus on LGBTIQ+ as a group at risk.
• Philanthropy: Sidney Myer Fund, Australian Communities Foundation 

OUR TARGET 

We have raised over $50,000 in the first year. We aim to continue raising at least $50,000 per year.