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Q. How can I ensure that UNHCR treats my case with sensitivity and respect, especially when my situation involves personal and sensitive matters like my gender identity or sexual orientation?
You may find yourself in situations where you need assistance or have concerns about how your personal and sensitive matters, such as gender identity or sexual orientation, are being handled by UNHCR, you can take certain steps:
Ask for Privacy: It's important to voice your need for privacy during discussions or interviews related to your case. You have the right to confidentiality, especially when discussing personal matters. Request a private meeting space if needed.
Seek Legal Advice: Consider seeking legal advice or representation. Some situations may require legal intervention to ensure your rights are protected.
Document Incidents: If you encounter inappropriate behaviour or comments from UNHCR staff or anyone else, document these incidents. This could include writing down what happened, when it occurred, and who was involved. This documentation can be valuable if you need to report the behaviour.
Report Concerns: If you believe that your case is not being handled appropriately or if you face discrimination or insensitive treatment, report your concerns to the complaint box or insepctor general's office. They should take your concerns seriously.
Advocate for Your Rights: Remember that you have rights as a refugee, and UNHCR has a responsibility to protect and assist you. Advocate for your rights and don't hesitate to speak up if you feel they are not being upheld.
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Beyond AGD Aggregate Breakdown
UNHCR global data systems do not have minimum Age, Gender, Diversity (AGD) typologies to allow for country, regional, global, and temporal aggregation, and data comparability. UNHCR does not have any systematic way to organize, analyse, or monitor the reliability of these data. Analysis of these data are done on a case-by-case basis. It is not possible to pull these data for regional or global decision-making or provide the assistance and protection to the person concerned.
Refugees do not have any obligation to inform UNHCR of their sexual orientation. If they do, they will be recorded as "female" or "male". LGBTI data is not collected during registration, nor is it systematically collected during durable solutions related work or stored in ProGres V4 in any reliable way. You can use a specific need code 'at risk due to profile', but it is not possible to generate case by case or aggregate data on persons who are gay, intersex etc. and may have specific protection concerns that need to be attended to.
Questions:
- What methods does UNHCR use to capture nuanced data necessary for effective decision-making regarding LGBTIQ+ individuals?
- How do independent reports and research support or contradict UNHCR's public claims about their activities and strategies for LGBTIQ+ individuals?
- Are there testimonies or case studies from LGBTIQ+ refugees or collaborating organizations that can provide insight into the real-world impact of UNHCR’s policies and assistance programs?
- What specific training is provided to UNHCR staff to address the complex needs of LGBTIQ+ persons, and is it sufficient to inform and improve policies and program implementation?
- How are LGBTIQ+ considerations integrated into UNHCR’s broader programming, and is this integration substantive or superficial?
- Does UNHCR offer transparent reporting with clear metrics and accountability measures regarding initiatives for LGBTIQ+ persons?
- Are there discrepancies between the strategies designed for future operations and the current practices regarding LGBTIQ+ issues?
- What is the nature of UNHCR’s partnerships with LGBTIQ+-led organizations, and how substantial and sustainable are these collaborations?
- In what ways do UNHCR’s initiatives take into account the legal and social environments of the host countries to realistically and sensitively support LGBTIQ+ refugees?
- Is there evidence of UNHCR's commitment to continuous improvement, especially in addressing shortcomings in data collection and capacity development for supporting LGBTIQ+ individuals?
