In some countries, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) people are forced to flee because of their identity. Homophobic discrimination and the threat of violence on a daily basis can leave them with no choice but to seek safety and protection elsewhere.
Being an LGBTI refugee can add to the complex challenges and threats that a refugee faces after fleeing conflict. They need to find physical safety from war and conflict, whilst also being protected from threats and discrimination that can result from their LGBTI identity.
It remains a crime to be LGBTI in 77 countries worldwide and is punishable by death in at least seven countries. As a result, the number of LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers is increasing, with most qualifying as "members of a particular social group" under the Refugee Convention.
“Until UNHCR helped him, he felt that every person he met was a monster"
Scottish actor and writer Alan Cumming is a UNHCR High Profile Supporter. In September 2016 Alan travelled to Lebanon on his first mission, where he met Syrian refugees living in informal settlements and unfinished buildings.
During his visit, he learnt about UNHCR’s work protecting refugees who have fled their country but remain at risk of violence and persecution because of their gender identity or sexual orientation.
At a centre for LGBTI people in Lebanon, actor Alan Cumming met a gay 19-year-old Syrian refugee, who said that he had been sexually assaulted at an early age. After militants tortured him and killed his family he fled to Lebanon. However he continues to live in fear of ongoing violence.
“In the middle of his story, he told me this intensely sad thing,” said Cumming. “Until UNHCR helped him, he felt that every person he met was a monster and thought there was no one in the world that would show him kindness. He now knows there are people who will show him kindness, but what a horrible place to be in when that’s what your experience has taught you.”
UNHCR High Profile Supporter Alan Cumming meets with LGBTI refugees at Zico House in Lebanon.
Image © UNHCR/ Jordi Matas
UNHCR is a global leader in protecting vulnerable people fleeing violence, conflict and prejudice. UNHCR sensitively identifies LGBTI refugees and displaced people for immediate protection or resettlement and fosters supportive communities to protect LGBTI people who are at-risk.
Together with Australian support, UNHCR is helping some of the world’s most vulnerable refugees.
Alan Cumming met *Khaled, an LGBTI Refugee at Zico House.
Khaled, 34, is a transgender Iraqi refugee. She was born in Baghdad, where she lived with her parents and 10 siblings and has identified as female since she was a young child.
Khaled's father and brothers physically assaulted her. When she was around 20 years old her brother took her to the hospital and forced her to receive testosterone injections. In her early twenties, she was abducted by three men in her neighbourhood and was raped. She eventually came to Lebanon with her employer and decided to stay. She requested asylum with UNHCR in January 2016.
In Lebanon, she lacked livelihood opportunities, accommodation, income and legal documentation. She turned to survival sex and experienced raids by police. Under the care of UNHCR, she is receiving financial assistance for food, psychological support and attends regular meetings with an LGBTI group. She has recently been accepted by France for urgent resettlement.
*Name changed to maintain confidentiality.
Image © UNHCR/ Jordi Matas
Let LGBTI refugees know that there is kindness in this world.
Help Australia for UNHCR support vulnerable refugees at unrefugees.org.au/donate
UNHCR High Profile Supporter Alan Cumming meets Mohamed*, a gay Syrian refugee at Zico House in Lebanon. Mohamed, 19, was born in Aleppo, where he lived with his parents and 4 siblings.
In 2011 he was sent to Lebanon to stay with his older brother. While away his family was killed when their home was shelled. Mohamed now participates in an Outreach Volunteer Program run by UNHCR, helping in the identification and referral of cases of LGBTI refugees at heightened risk.
*Name changed to maintain confidentiality.
Image © UNHCR/ Jordi Matas
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Australia for UNHCR (ABN 35 092 843 322) respects the importance of privacy and security of your personal information. This privacy policy sets out the way we collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information and underpins our commitment to protecting your right to privacy. This policy reflects Australia for UNHCR’s obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (including the National Privacy Principles) (the Privacy Act). Australia for UNHCR embraces the National Privacy Principles and is committed to safeguarding your personal data. As members of the following bodies, we adhere to additional codes of conduct and ethical fundraising practices:
We may revise this Privacy Policy or any part of it from time to time. You will find the most current version on our website or obtain a copy from our Donor Care Team; contact details are included at the bottom of this policy.
Collection of Personal Information
Australia for UNHCR follows the Australian Privacy Principles in handling personal information; we collect personal information about individuals including supporters, employees, contractors, volunteers, special representatives/delegates and job applicants. This information is collected directly from you, in person, by phone or email, on hard copy donation forms or via our website. We may also collect your personal information from publically available sources or third parties.
Use of Personal Data
The information we collect and hold generally includes contact details (name, address, email), personal details including date of birth, and credit card or bank accounts details.
We use the personal information you provide us with for the purpose for which it was provided to us, other related purposes or as permitted or required by law. Generally we collect and use your personal information for:
We also use your information in our marketing and fundraising activities, keeping you informed of our latest news, campaigns and appeals or about campaigns and appeals which may be of interest to you, and offer you the opportunity to subscribe to them. We may also offer you the opportunity to participate in surveys carried out by Australia for UNHCR or its agents.
Direct Marketing
We use your personal details to assist in the cost-effective development of our marketing and fundraising activities by sending you information by post, email or telephone. As we have a large number of supporters, at times we use external providers to assist with our telemarketing and mailing. We will take reasonable steps to ensure that our contracts with third parties include requirements for third parties to comply with the Use and Disclosure requirements of the Privacy Act.
We will endeavour to provide you with an opportunity to opt out of receiving such communications. By signing our pledge documents, you consent to having your personal information stored. If you do not opt out by ticking the box, we will send you our direct marketing materials. We make every effort to ensure that our opt-out notices are clear and easy to follow.
If you do not wish to receive future communications from Australia for UNHCR or have any questions about privacy please contact our Donor Care Team; contact details are included at the bottom of this policy.
Disclosure and Sharing of Personal Data
We occasionally invite other like-minded and trusted organisations in Australia to contact you with information that may be of interest. This allows Australia for UNHCR to increase its base of supporters and reach more people with our vital message.
Any personal contact information you provide to us may be disclosed, if appropriate, to third parties who provide services on our behalf. We may also disclose your personal information to our volunteers who assist with many of our tasks.
Strict confidentiality agreements are in place with our service providers and external agencies, and with staff and volunteers who handle your personal information. We will only disclose your personal information for the purposes for which it was initially collected, other directly related purposes or purposes to which you otherwise consent.
Other than as stated above, we will we not share your personal information. However, it is possible, though unlikely, that we might be forced to disclose personal information in response to legal processes or when we believe in good faith that the law requires it, for example, in response to a court order, subpoena or a law enforcement agency's request.
If you do not wish Australia for UNHCR to share your personal information with like-minded and trusted organisations in Australia, you may opt out by ticking the appropriate box on the donation or pledge form or contact our Donor Care team, with contact details at the bottom of this policy. If you have any questions about privacy please contact our Donor Care Team (see contact details at the bottom of this policy).
Access and Correction of Personal Data
Australia for UNHCR will correct its records containing Personal Information as soon as practically possible at the request of the individual concerned in accordance with the Privacy Act. We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information that we collect and hold is accurate, complete and up-to-date. However, we rely on you to advise us of any changes to your personal information to help us maintain accurate, complete and up-to-date information.
We will, on request, provide you with access to the personal information we hold about you unless otherwise required or permitted by law. We will notify you of the basis for any denial of access to your personal information.
Individuals wishing to lodge a request to access and/or correct their Personal Information should do so by contacting our Donor Care Team; contact details are included at the bottom of this document.
Quality of Personal Information
Australia for UNHCR will review, on a regular and ongoing basis, its collection and storage practices to ascertain how improvements to accuracy can be achieved. We may utilise the services of third parties in order to maintain accurate personal information. Where such disclosure is made, we take reasonable steps to require these organisations comply with the National Privacy Principles.
Storage and Security of Information
We strive to protect your personal information, that it is protected from misuse, loss, interference and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. For example, whenever we ask for your financial details online, we use security-encrypted response forms.
No data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, Australia for UNHCR cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us over the internet, and you do so at your own risk. Once we receive your transmission, we make our best effort to try and ensure its security both on our systems and while in transit between our systems and the companies who provide us with various services. If you do not wish to make your financial contribution online, please contact us to receive a hard copy form; contact details are included at the bottom of this policy.
Making a Privacy Complaint
If you wish to make a complaint about a breach of this privacy policy or the privacy principles of the Privacy Act 1988 you can contact us using the contact details at the bottom of this policy. You will need to provide us with sufficient details regarding your complaint as well as any supporting evidence and/or information.
We will refer your complaint to our Privacy Officer who will investigate the issue and determine the steps that we will undertake to resolve your complaint. We will contact you if we require any additional information from you and will notify you in writing of the outcome of the investigation. If you are not satisfied with our determination, you can contact us to discuss your concerns. If your complaint is about the way we handle your personal information, you may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by calling 1300 363 992, online at www.oaic.gov.au or writing to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001.
Online Activity and Privacy
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When you visit our website our server tracks non-personal statistical information about your experience on the site, such as pages viewed and donation details. The Australia for UNHCR website uses cookies and tracking technology to enhance your experience and deliver content relevant to your behaviour. This enables us to gather information such as the number of website visits and how you interact with our website. We use this information to help us understand more about how our site is used, so we can continually improve your experience.
We also use cookies for tracking the statistics of our website, which allows us to better understand your visit and improve the layout and functionality of our website. This analysis is conducted in such a way to ensure the anonymity of visitors while the information can help us customise the online experience for visitor to our site. No personally identifiable information is obtained. Information is gathered at an aggregate level and may be shared with third parties to help us analyse website usage and deliver marketing material.
You have the ability to accept or decline cookies by modifying the settings in your browser. If you do not wish to receive any cookies you may set your browser to either prompt or refuse cookies.
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Australia for UNHCR sometimes embeds photos and video content from websites such as YouTube. Pages with this embedded content may present cookies from these websites. Similarly, when you use one of the share buttons on our website, a cookie may be set by the service you have chosen to share content through. We do not control the dissemination of these cookies; you should check the relevant third party website for more information about these.
In addition, if you linked to our websites from a third party website, we cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of the owners or operators of that site. We recommend you check the policy of the third party site and contact its owner or operator if you have any concerns or questions.
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If you don’t want to receive cookies, you can modify your browser so that it notifies you when cookies are sent to it or you can refuse cookies altogether. You can also delete cookies that have already been set.
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Our website and mobile site may contain links to online forums. Think carefully before you post or publish any Personal Information in these forums as it will be publicly available.
Secure Online transactions
If you make a donation via our website, we process your credit/debit card details securely using an accredited internet payment security system. With the combination of SSL encryption on our website and a secure browser at your end, we take all reasonable measures to ensure that your credit/debit card and personal information are protected when you donate online. We also recommend that you take appropriate security precautions when accessing the internet via public Wi-Fi networks or shared computers.
Contact Us
You will find the most current version of our Privacy Policy on our website at privacy-policy.
If you have any questions about your privacy, wish to access or change your details, how to lodge a complaint regarding the handling of your information and how that complaint will be handled by Australia for UNHCR, please contact our
Donor Care Team: