LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and refugees: Recognition and public policies for protection

Abstract

The LGBTQI+ and refugee agendas are interconnected, and there are frequent instances where LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and refugees experience mistreatment and rights violations during the asylum process. Since the first LGBTQI+ refugee requests took place in the 1990s, the topic has not yet been satisfactorily debated. Although states have been creating norms and programs targeting this population, some of these initiatives do not seem to reach local realities, and persistent gaps hinder the ability of LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and refugees to fully enjoy their rights, especially when specific subgroups are isolated and analyzed. Shedding light on the migratory policies established in Europe and acknowledging that some specific migrant populations have received modest academic attention; thus far, this work seeks to investigate the main issues discussed thus far by the literature on the specific hardship, violence, and intersectional discrimination suffered by LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and refugees during the asylum application and procedure. It also aims to disseminate the role public policies play in protecting and encouraging social inclusion and rights, not only for this portion of the population as a unified group but also for this acronym that encompasses a relatively diverse population in need of innovative policies for comprehensive inclusion.