New initiative helps LGBTIQA+ refugees access resettlement in Australia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

11 February 2026

For the first time, LGBTIQA+ refugees will be able to access dedicated support for priority processing in Australia’s humanitarian program.

As a result of years of advocacy, Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN) is leading a new national program, Bridge To Safety, in partnership with Refugee Advice & Casework Service Centre (RACS), to assist LGBTIQA+ refugees from Asia and the Pacific to prepare and lodge humanitarian visa applications with the Department of Home Affairs.

“The program improves access to refugee protection for people who have been left behind for too long. It offers safety, dignity, and the chance to live without fear,” said Dr Renee Dixson, FDPN Executive Director and co-founder.

“Now our community can access accurate information and targeted support to lodge humanitarian visa applications as a priority through the existing Australian humanitarian programs,” Dr Dixson said.

While policies allow LGBTIQA+ cases to be prioritised, the gap sits in access and support. Many LGBTIQA+ people fear sharing their experiences and are excluded from humanitarian aid services. Discrimination, family rejection, and unsafe processes can and do block access to resettlement and complementary pathways.

Bridge To Safety addresses these barriers by linking community trust with legal expertise. As an LGBTIQA+ refugee-led organisation, FDPN provides safe, community-led support. FDPN will identify, evaluate, and prioritise cases through self-referrals and regional partner organisations. RACS will provide specialist legal assistance to prepare and lodge visa applications with Home Affairs.

RACS Centre Director and Principal Solicitor Sarah Dale said, “LGBTIQA+ people are often highly vulnerable and fall through the cracks in the international refugee system. This plan is incredibly promising and encouraging for the many thousands of people who have lived lives in fear and even intense persecution to finally be free and safe.”

The program is now seeking philanthropic and corporate funding as well as individual donations to enable case identification, legal preparation, regional coordination and safe arrival support in Australia.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

FDPN – Executive Director Dr Renee Dixson: bridgetosafety@fdpn.org.au

RACS – Hsu-Ann Khoury: media@racs.org.au