Rescue Refugees Beyond Borders Network launches powerful storytelling project highlighting the untold experiences of sexual and gender minorities seeking safety

Over the weekend in Kampala, advocates, refugees, and human rights defenders gathered for the launch of “Voices in the Shadows,” a groundbreaking documentary and storytelling project by Rescue Refugees Beyond Borders Network (RRBBN). The launch brought together refugee representatives from across Uganda to amplify stories that have remained largely hidden from public discourse.

Unveiling Hidden Realities

The project presents intimate narratives from LGBTQ+ refugees who have fled persecution in their home countries, only to encounter fresh challenges in Uganda. Despite the country’s progressive refugee policies that emphasize integration and self-reliance, the reality for sexual and gender minorities remains starkly different.

“These stories reveal a stark reality: for LGBTQ+ refugees, safety, dignity, and belonging remain out of reach,” the project documentation states. The narratives capture the experiences of individuals, particularly transgender people, who face relentless adversity in both rural and urban refugee settlements.

The Human Cost of Legislation

The launch comes against the backdrop of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) of 2023, which has significantly worsened conditions for LGBTQ+ refugees. The legislation has created what advocates describe as a “dangerous environment” for people already fleeing persecution in their home countries.

Saidah Nachirima, a lawyer and human rights activist featured in the project, highlighted the compounding challenges. “Before the Constitutional Court judgment, landlords were legally prohibited from renting to people suspected of being LGBTI. This law made it nearly impossible for urban refugees to find housing,” she explained.

The project documents how transgender refugees face particular difficulties, with some being evicted from refugee camps on allegations of “promoting homosexuality.”

Stories of Resilience and Survival

Among the powerful testimonies featured is that of Arianah Mutoni, a Congolese transgender woman who fled to Uganda at age six. Her story illustrates the complex challenges of growing up as a refugee while navigating gender identity in a hostile environment.

“The discrimination is overwhelming,” Mutoni shared. “Being a refugee means you’re already a target, but then being trans? It’s like adding more fuel to the fire.“

Her account details a traumatic 2019 incident where police raided her home, subjected her to public humiliation, and held her in custody for three weeks. “They didn’t even greet me, they just started beating me. They undressed me in front of everyone and accused me of trying to recruit children into homosexuality. I was treated like an animal.“

Advocacy in Dangerous Times

The project also highlights the work of advocates like Balaga Lukongo David of Last Hope Refugee Association and Natabi Phiona of RRBBN, who continue supporting LGBTQ+ refugees despite facing arrests, threats, and community hostility.

“The law makes our work risky,” Balaga noted. “If we try to support someone, we fear being accused of promoting homosexuality.“

These advocates provide essential services including English language courses, mental health support, legal aid, and healthcare referrals, creating lifelines for some of Uganda’s most vulnerable populations.

International Implications

The launch event underscored the gap between Uganda’s celebrated refugee policies and the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Unlike some countries that recognize persecution based on sexual orientation as grounds for refugee status, Uganda does not acknowledge this as a legitimate claim.

The project calls for immediate international action, including:

• Comprehensive support for LGBTQ+ refugees, including healthcare, legal assistance, and safe spaces
• Advocacy for the repeal of the Anti-Homosexuality Act
• Financial support for grassroots organizations
• Inclusion of LGBTQ+ refugees in international agency programs

A Call for Action

“Voices in the Shadows” aims to educate, provoke dialogue, and demand action by centering the lived realities of those too often silenced. The project calls on the global community, governments, donors, and civil society to confront systemic injustices and stand in solidarity for lasting change.

As RRBBN Executive Director noted during the launch, “These individuals deserve the right to live with dignity, to love freely, to access basic services, and to build a life in safety. Their fight is not only for their survival but for their right to exist as their true selves.“

The launch represents a critical moment in Uganda’s ongoing human rights discourse, bringing visibility to experiences that have remained in the shadows for too long. As the stories continue to circulate, they serve as both testimony to human resilience and an urgent call for systemic change.

The “Voices in the Shadows” project is supported by UHAI-EASHRI and represents ongoing efforts to document and advocate for the rights of marginalized refugee communities in Uganda.