Improving Service Provision for Non-Normative Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the UK

Improving Service Provision for Non-Normative Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the UK  
CTDC Policy Brief No. 6 – November 2017

This policy brief examines the gaps in legal, psychosocial, and community-based support for non-normative refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, particularly those from Arabic-speaking countries. It highlights the tension between Western legal frameworks—where protection depends on fitting into fixed LGBTQI identity categories—and the lived experiences of individuals who may not self-identify in those terms.

🔍 Key Challenges Identified

• ⚠️ Identity Proof Pressure: UK asylum processes often require applicants to prove their identity as LGBTQI, creating pressure to adopt Western identity narratives that many find alienating or unsafe.
• 🏙️ Limited Psychosocial Support: Psychosocial support is extremely limited and often London-centric, leaving large refugee populations elsewhere underserved.
• 📞 No Consistent Referral System: There is no consistent or up-to-date referral system for non-normative asylum seekers; existing resources are outdated, sparse, or lack detail.
• 🤝 Fragmented Organisations: Many refugee and LGBTQI organisations operate in isolation, lacking coordination, and rarely share resources or information.
• 🌍 Language & Cultural Barriers: A lack of translated materials and culturally relevant support further marginalises refugees from the MENA region.

🛠️ Strategic Recommendations

1. Capacity Building and Training
   • Support refugee and LGBTQI organisations to provide culturally sensitive psychosocial services, especially outside London.
   • Offer training on gender and sexuality to service providers, challenging rigid identity frameworks and building inclusive practices.
2. Database and Referral System
   • Develop and maintain a comprehensive, multilingual database of support services to be shared across networks.
   • Ensure referral pathways are clear, accessible, and updated regularly in Arabic, Kurdish, and Farsi.
3. Advocacy and Funding
   • Advocate for responsive funding mechanisms for volunteer-led or under-resourced organisations.
   • Pressure funders to support services in regions with high refugee populations but minimal LGBT-focused programming.
4. Inclusive Frameworks
   • Promote frameworks based on Sexual Practices and Gender Performance (SPGP) to avoid exclusionary identity-based criteria.
   • Recognise that visibility is not always safe, and service models must account for varying levels of disclosure and identity.

This brief urges UK-based stakeholders to build more holistic, intersectional, and context-aware support systems for refugees with non-normative sexualities and gender expressions—ensuring that survival is not contingent on conformity.

👉 To read the full policy brief, click below 👇