Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review
Document Type
Article
Abstract
In December of 2013, Uganda passed the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which broadly criminalized same-sex relationships and supported the livelihoods of individuals in same-sex relationships, permitting sentences of life in prison for some sex acts. Ugandans fled the country to protect their safety. Many came to Kenya, a large majority coming to Kakuma Camp in the northwestern part of the country. At least 400 LGBTQI+ Ugandans arrived in the country between January 2014 and February 2015. Their resettlement was initially expedited and comparatively generous resources were made available to them. However, by the end of 2014, UNHCR and its partner organizations shifted away from that initial response and began assessing needs on a case-by-case basis. Conditions in Kakuma Camp for LGBTQI+ refugees have steadily worsened since 2014, and at the writing of this article in late 2022, refugees have been organizing within their own communities and on social media to demand better healthcare, protection, and information. Currently, refugees navigate a difficult social terrain where there are no explicit anti-homosexuality laws in Kenya, yet there are similar homophobic attitudes that result in continued persecution. With resettlement timelines being amorphous and inaccessible, change must occur in Kenya at Kakuma Camp within the resources provided by international aid agencies like UNHCR.
Recommended Citation
King, Wren
(2023)
"Creating a Safer LGBTQI+ Refugee Experience in Kakuma Camp,"
Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review: Vol. 8, Article 16.
Available at:
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/murr/vol8/iss1/16