Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support LGBTQ+ people in refugee camps in Africa.

The UK Government is fully committed to the promotion and protection of LGBTQ+ human rights globally and continues to urge countries that criminalise LGBTQ+ individuals, and same sex conduct to uphold the universality of human rights. We are very concerned about the criminalisation of homosexuality, and recognise that there is a long way to go before all LGBTQ+ people are able to live free and equal lives, including in some parts of Africa. The UK works closely with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, who remain deeply committed to the protection of LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum-seekers across the world, including in refugee camps in Africa. The UK allocated £105 million to support the work of UNHCR in 2020. We also remain committed to funding £3 million of LGBTQ+ rights projects this year, including project work with a focus on tackling discriminatory legislation.