Zulfiqar Ali Laghari’s Post

# Standing Together: Supporting Asylum Seekers at the Minority Defenders Forum In a world where fundamental human rights should be guaranteed for all, countless individuals are forced to flee their homes due to persecution based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Minority Defenders Forum, an LGBTIQ-led organization, is committed to providing shelter and support for Ugandan LGBTIQ asylum seekers in Kenya. This article outlines the dire needs of our community, highlighting how you can help make a difference. ## The Challenges Facing Asylum Seekers in Kenya Currently, we provide refuge for 19 brave lesbian women and their 7 children who have escaped unimaginable hardships in Uganda. These individuals face numerous challenges daily, including: 1. **Basic Needs**: The lack of shelter basics puts them at risk every day. Many rely on unreliable donations, making it difficult to ensure consistent living conditions. 2. **Financial Independence**: With no legal right to work, many rely on begging, which is not sustainable. We believe that with proper support, these women can start small businesses and achieve financial independence. 3. **Housing Costs**: The need for regular support in terms of rent, food, electricity, and water bills is critical, especially given their joblessness. 4. **Children’s Education**: The 7 children currently attending school require assistance with school fees to continue their education and build a brighter future. 5. **Legal Recognition**: Kenya's denial of refugee status for LGBTIQ asylum seekers complicates matters further, making private arrangements for relocation essential. ## Our Long-Term Vision: A Safe Haven We envision a long-term solution that entails purchasing land and constructing a permanent safe shelter for our community in Kenya. By doing so, we can eliminate the unpredictability of monthly rent and create an environment where our members can thrive. This ambitious project, however, hinges on: - **Regular Donations**: Continued support from compassionate individuals and organizations can help us meet basic needs and contribute toward our long-term goals. - **Remote Job Opportunities**: Connecting our community members with remote work can facilitate financial independence and lessen their reliance on external aid. - **Business Start-Up Support**: Providing capital and training for small business ventures will empower these women and foster a sense of dignity and purpose. ## Mental Health Awareness: The traumatic experiences faced by LGBTIQ refugees can lead to severe mental health challenges. For further details visit our website at https://lnkd.in/dmDpsD_u . You can support us through our GoFundMe campaign page https://gofund.me/9048d52b #lgbtrefugees #pride #asylumseekers #blacklivesmatter #charity #donation #fundraising #crowdfundingcampaign #gofundme #donors #charity #donatenow #support

Around the world, children continue to be forced from home at an unacceptable pace. At the end of 2023, conflict, violence and other crisis led to an estimated 47.2 million children to be on the move. This is a record high that shows no signs of slowing down. The 2023 global figure includes 17 million refugee children, 28.1 million internally displaced children and 2 million asylum-seeking children —it does not capture the additional 3.1 million children on the move due to climate or geophysical disasters. Many of these children are deprived of the basic necessities they need to survive and thrive. However, due to the limited quality of data and statistics on children on the move, rights violations among this vulnerable population often continue without sufficient intervention. IOM Data is proud to provide #data4insight that helps address this issue, in collaboration in #IDAC with UNICEF, OECD - OCDE, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and with generous support of the European Union and jointly led by Eurostat.

WHO IS ABWINE BIGABWA YVES? THIS BELLOW THE DETAILS

Sometimes I ask the question, who does the humanitarian sector actually serve as we do not do well with respect to serving the needs and priorities of women and girls, children, young people, the elderly, persons with disabilities, young men, and LGBTIQ+ communities. Why are we not better equipped to be more people centred to serve the most marginalised. But that's a topic for another day. Today, I want to promote this important report by Outright International and Edge Effect "They Know What We Don’t: Meaningful Inclusion of LGBTIQ people in Humanitarian Action". The report highlights the need for inclusive practices on LGBTIQ issues and with LGBTIQ by documenting positive stories in humanitarian settings including in Colombia, Nepal and Ukraine to showcase #inclusion and collaboration between #LGBTIQ organizations and #humanitarian agencies. There are good practices. It is possible. We can do it. European Commission USAID Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency ODI Ford Foundation #AAP

New report calling for the inclusion of people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identities and expressions, and sexual characteristics. Looking forward to reading about the good examples in this report!

Promoting financial inclusion for refugee and host community households, male participation and inclusivity! As FRC, we had the opportunity to once again observe lessons during the financial digital Literacy trainings for refugees and host communities under the Self Reliance Model (SRM) project funded by World Food Programme. This time, we visited a group in the host community village of Kasambya village, Lori Sub County in Yumbe District. The lessons are being delivered by our trained Community Based Trainers using the Bank of Uganda and UNCDF developed curriculum. The SRM approach brings together partners targeting the same beneficiaries but with different components to provide a holistic intervention as a way of increasing self reliance as we progressively shift away from the usual in-kind assistance through boosting household incomes for both refugees and host communities. This time around, we had a great interaction with lots of lessons learnt, a mixed feeling of enthusiasm and scepticism expressed by some participants when probed on achieving their financial goals. In one of the groups where majority of learners are women, a participant expressed her concern about low male participation as evident in the picture, citing that their husbands are not interested in attending lessons because they are too busy catching up with friends at the local trading centers while others are preoccupied with lots of unproductive activity. Some pass time chewing Khat which is commonly referred to as "mairungi" in the local language. Another lady was quick to comment that "that is why it is hard for many of us women to trust our husbands with the money we make. We have been taught here that while developing financial goals and drafting budgets for the home, we need to sit together with our spouses and children however, we sometimes make plans together and even agree to give our husbands the money as our contribution but in the end, they (husbands) use the money to chew mairungi." While it is true that some of these cases are happening in the communities, we have equally received positive responses from some men through our continuous sensitization strategy, using peer to peer role models and closely working with local leaders to further encourage their community members to enroll for the financial and digital Literacy trainings held within their communities. It is important to note that male participation plays a pivotal role in transforming homesteads to achieve the desired financial goals while considerably not leaving behind their children, and Persons with Disability. Finnish Refugee Council - Suomen Pakolaisapu

Enhancing GBV Awareness and Empowering Communities in Kakuma Rehori Community-Based Organization (CBO) is at the forefront of enhancing the capacity of communities in Kakuma 1, Zone 2, to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Recognizing the critical need for community empowerment through skill-sharing, Rehori has been instrumental in organizing workshops where women have courageously shared their experiences with GBV. These sessions have not only highlighted the prevalence of GBV but also underscored the importance of engaging men in these conversations. Participants have provided valuable recommendations, emphasizing the need for more workshops focused on educating men about GBV. This approach aims to foster a supportive environment where both men and women work together to combat GBV. Additionally, women have highlighted the necessity of skill development programs that enable them to sustain their lives and generate income, reducing dependency and vulnerability. To achieve lasting resilience and durable solutions, it is imperative that global donors and stakeholders invest in these initiatives. Funding and support for skill development, education, and awareness programs are crucial in empowering refugees to become self-reliant. Rehori's commitment to the principle of "nothing for us without us" ensures that the voices and needs of the refugee community are central to these efforts. By investing in the empowerment of refugees, donors and stakeholders can contribute to building resilient communities capable of addressing GBV and other challenges independently. Supporting Rehori's initiatives not only fosters a safer environment for women and children but also promotes overall community development and stability. Together, we can create a future where refugees are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive, free from the threat of GBV. #ECHO #DANIDA#DRC#EU#EU#UNHCR#COHERE#SAMUELHALL#RELON#KKRIN# #Brenna#Simon#Bill#Everlyne#Imbolokony#Tracy#Elizabeth#Cadeau#Nyatora#abdiRane#Raphael#REHORI#Local#Actors.

Next Monday, August 19th, is World Humanitarian Day. This day honors and recognizes the incredible efforts of humanitarian workers and advocates for the safety and well-being of people affected by crises around the world. This year, I'm excited to shine a spotlight on an important report titled "They Know What We Don't: Meaningful Inclusion of LGBTIQ People in Humanitarian Action," authored by Outright International and Edge Effect. This report focuses on the experiences of LGBTIQ individuals in humanitarian crises, documenting human rights violations and advocating for their meaningful inclusion in humanitarian and development sectors. As we approach World Humanitarian Day, I encourage everyone to explore this insightful report and raise awareness about the challenges LGBTIQ individuals face in humanitarian settings. It's a crucial opportunity to learn, amplify voices, and advocate for meaningful change. I believe that this report deserves mainstream media coverage to reach a wider audience and spark meaningful conversations. The report features insights from various countries, including Nepal, Colombia, Ukraine, Myanmar, and Lebanon. These diverse perspectives point to the urgent need for inclusion and equality in humanitarian action. #WorldHumanitarianDay #LGBTIQInclusion #HumanitarianAction #InclusionMatters 

Did you know that over half of all #refugees are 24 years old or under? Around the world, there is a rise in recognition of the power and importance of refugee-led organisations (#RLO). Rarely featured in discussions about these however, is the prominent role of refugee youth-led organisations (#RYLO). Last year, I had the pleasure of teaming up and working with Evan Easton-Calabria at UNICEF Innocenti and Rahildaris Marchena at Global Refugee Youth Network (GRYN) to better understand this under-explored context. We interviewed #YouthLeaders of #RYLOs across the world to better understand the shared and contextual barriers and enablers of their work. This blog shares key insights and aims to be a #CallToAction to support RYLO leaders’ demands, and to invest more resources to understand their unique and critical role. As the work of supporting RYLOs continues to expand, the following messages, shared by RYLO leaders and members, are important to heed: - RYLOs exist because young refugees’ needs are not being met. Refugee youth are taking initiative and filling #advocacy, #programmatic, and #funding gaps to improve their lives and the lives of young people in their communities. - There is dissonance between the challenges that young refugees face and the type of activities that funders prioritize. #YouthCentered approaches to programme and intervention #design need to be prioritized. - More #research is needed to understand the particular challenges and successes of RYLOs, including intersectional challenges such #age and #gender. In particular, there’s a need to better understand the contextual factor that enable or hinder girls from establishing and leading RYLOs. - Young refugees and RYLOs should have the right to participation as #EqualPartners in decision-making processes concerning their situation. This requires a shift in humanitarian and development agencies’ #perceptions and #narratives from refugee youth as merely recipients to agents of change. Bo Viktor Nylund Dr. Cecile Aptel Ramya Subrahmanian Josiah Kaplan, PhD. Priya Marwah Kate Mahoney Marcy Levy Evan Easton-Calabria Rahildaris Marchena Foni Vuni Faridah Luanda Barth Mwanza Barbara Albajara Saenz

Watching these two beautiful young girls growing from project beneficiaries to change makers on their own says a lot in different areas: 1. Passion is not a statement but an act from the inside pushing you to take actions . Some people will say I have passion but if you don’t ask them to take action they won’t. 2.They did not wait for incentives or payment to become a change agent , on their own they gathered their peers within the IDP camp and now even host communities are inviting them to hold sessions . 3. Getting this kind of behavior results as a program or project person does not come with conducting a one day or a very short timeline activity it takes long duration of time . This is a result of a 2 years work Most people use resources and do a lot of one day activities , give items and aids and say they are changing behaviors. I see that a lot So as a program person or a change agent who want to design a program please work with at least 3 months or years with the same set of people before you can say you have made impact You are welcome 🤗 Today For Tomorrow Foundation-TFTF I am proud of how you designed and implement your programs , the impact results speaks If you want to learn how to program in addressing issues, my DM is open or if you need my consultant service as a program specialist , my DM is open.