Here’s how to support LGBTQ Ukrainian refugees

ORAM has announced the expansion of its housing program to support displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians in Berlin and beyond.

ORAM, the Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration, today announced the expansion of its housing program for displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians to include longer-term housing options, including the launch of a housing collective in Berlin, where ORAM has an office. The longer-term program expansion complements the organization’s existing partnerships with Airbnb, Hilton, Booking.com, and parent organization Alight to provide short-term housing options to displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians in Berlin and other LGBTIQ-friendly European cities. 

ORAM launched its program to provide housing for displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians in late March 2022. To date, the nonprofit has already provided more than 600 nights of housing in Hilton hotels and Airbnb’s to LGBTIQ Ukrainians and other vulnerable individuals displaced by the war in Ukraine. 

“In the wake of Russia’s brutal invasion, displaced Ukrainians have sacrificed everything and left their homes behind to escape unimaginable violence and loss. And displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians are especially vulnerable to isolation and discrimination in this process,” said Steve Roth, Executive Director of ORAM.

“Safe and secure housing is a fundamental need which enables people to rebuild their lives. ORAM is thrilled to help fulfill this need for displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians, particularly in a queer-friendly city like Berlin.” 

The short-term housing options that ORAM currently provides include free stays at Hilton hotels and Airbnb’s, for a maximum of 14 and 30 nights respectively, in Berlin and across Europe. ORAM works with Safebow, a grassroots organization focused on evacuating and resettling individuals from marginalized communities affected by the war in Ukraine, to provide short-term housing for displaced queer Ukrainians. 

ORAM’s research with key stakeholders on the ground and displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians indicates that longer-term housing is one of the biggest needs of displaced individuals, including LGBTIQ people.

ORAM and its partners expect their longer-term housing initiative to benefit displaced queer Ukrainians by enabling them to adapt to their new environments, register for essential resources and services, and establish stable livelihoods. The new program will be launched in Berlin, where LGBTIQ identities are recognized and protected, and social welfare programs are progressive and inclusive. 

“As the situation in Ukraine shifts everyday, our shared goal is to help displaced people navigate through one of the most challenging experiences a person can face. ORAM deepens the breadth of this work by focusing their efforts on the LGBTIQ community, and we are honored to be their partners as they actively work to support and change the lives of this marginalized group of people,” adds Jocelyn Wyatt, Alight CEO. 

To learn more about ORAM’s response to the crisis in Ukraine and how you can help, go here.

If you know someone who could benefit from ORAM’s housing initiative, visit: https://www.oramrefugee.org/help-for-lgbtiq-ukrainians. 

About ORAM

ORAM protects and empowers LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees globally, creating sustainability and systematic change. Founded in 2008, ORAM is one of the first international nongovernmental organizations to advocate for and assist people fleeing persecution based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression (SOGIE) and has since become a thought-leader in LGBTIQ migration.

To learn more about ORAM’s other work, visit www.oramrefugee.org and Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.