Refugee Coalition of East Africa

08/06/2026

We will always stand with displaced q***r and trans people 🏳️‍🌈

In a moment filled with darkness and uncertainty, Pride month celebrates joy as resistance. That's why we continue to work towards a world where ALL people are welcome and free to be exactly who they are.

08/06/2026

The Ghana anti-homosexuality bill is a dangerous piece of legislation that fundamentally violates the human rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ individuals, and it has no place in a just and equitable society. Such regressive laws only serve to incite hatred, encourage discrimination, and inflict severe psychological and physical harm on marginalized communities, undermining Ghana’s commitment to universal human rights protections.

🚨 A dangerous new bill in Ghana is on the verge of becoming law. 🚨
If signed by President John Dramani Mahama, it won't just impact a minority, it will threaten the fundamental right to safety, privacy, and free expression for everyone.

Under this law, citizens could face years in prison simply for being who they are, while ordinary community workers, allies, and friends could be jailed just for showing basic human kindness or offering support. 💔 No one should face prison for standing up for the dignity and safety of others.
The bill is now with President Mahama who can approve or reject it. Ask him to choose fairness and equal protection under the law. ✨

✊🏽 STAND WITH GHANA. Sign the petition with Rightify Ghana , and tell Ghana's President to reject the anti-LGBT+ bill! https://brnw.ch/21x34tf

08/06/2026

01/06/2026

Last week Ghana passed its anti-homosexuality bill, the latest in a dangerous continental trend following Uganda's 2023 law and repeated attempts in Kenya. These laws do not protect "culture" or "family"; they produce violence, displacement, and death. They tell q***r people they are criminals, then turn them into asylum seekers fleeing across borders with nothing. We at RefCEA see this daily: q***r refugees from Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, and beyond arriving beaten, r***d, disowned, and hoping someone will see them as human. As the rest of Africa, we must fight back, not next year, but now. Support local q***r organizers. Document every eviction and arrest. Recognize q***r refugees as refugees. And remember: these legislative trends do not save families; they create orphans. To our Ghanaian siblings: we see you. To the continent: the wave stops when we refuse to let borders become graves. ***rrefugeesmatter

Ghana approves an extreme anti-LGBTQ+ bill that could jail LGBTQ+ people, allies and rights advocates in a blow for human rights in Africa.

29/05/2026

Held a powerful civic education session today on refugee rights, tenant rights, and rights of arrested persons alongside other RLO representatives, including the Executive Director of RefCEA supported by Alight 🙏
We examined the Refugee Act 2021 and international law, discussed how to relate to authority, and talked about transferring this knowledge to the wider community.
Key themes we covered:
✅ Humility in advocacy
✅ Documentation — keep your refugee ID, lease, police records
✅ Limitations — funding gaps, red tape, systemic barriers
✅ Homophobia & transphobia — LGBTQI refugees still face discrimination in humanitarian spaces
✅ Systemic discrimination — takes years to overcome, but we keep fighting
Our advocacy and strategic litigation continues pushing for protection, services, and systemic change for LGBTQI migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers in East Africa. 💜💙
Thank you to everyone who showed up. More communities coming

26/05/2026

https://humanist-world.net/2026/05/23/lgbtq-refugees-left-behind/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAR-tyxjbGNrBH63H2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHkqDAHQ3mumUSm2qorenmeeRENu6YxRjmQ3PmlTc4r1ueWnGx3GAw3ED2P1H_aem_iyyonSnWg_25yWc5MjB8-A

LGBTQ+ Refugees Left Behind The Human Cost of Foreign Aid Cuts Published in the lead-up to commemorate Africa Day on 25 May by Charity Austin Charity is an activist, writer, and community leader, and the founder of Trans Inclusion Group (formerly Trans Initiative Gorom). Her work focuses on human ri...

20/05/2026

A major win for the q***r community in Kenya! The Kenyan High Court just ruled that the state cannot automatically refuse requests to change gender markers on official IDs, affirming that doing so violates dignity, privacy, and equality. The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) welcomes the decision, noting it compels public institutions to act fairly and in line with the Bill of Rights. For trans refugees and asylum seekers, this means fewer administrative barriers to accessing safety, health care, and services because your identity is real, and it deserves recognition. 🏳️‍⚧️

18/05/2026

Prove your value

17/05/2026

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT), themed "At the heart of democracy." But for LGBTQI+ refugees fleeing Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Somalia, Burundi, or Ghana, democracy does not exist when anti-homosexuality laws across the continent force people into hiding and across borders. While we mark this day, Ghana is moving to pass the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, and Uganda continues its persecution. Meanwhile, the US-designated hate group MassResistance is actively coaching anti-LGBTQ movements in Senegal and Ghana. We must name the threat: Ghana is set to host the 4th African Inter-Parliamentary Anti-LGBTQ Conference from May 27–30, 2026, in Accra, where leaders aim to export Uganda’s model of persecution across West Africa.

To our refugee family living in fear: we see you. To the world: asylum is a lifeline, not a loophole. These conferences produce the laws that create refugees. Fighting these laws before they pass is the only true democracy. Stand with us. Protect our people.