Source description last updated: 22 April 2020

In brief: The Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration (ORAM) is a non-governmental organisation headquartered in the USA that advocates for the rights and needs of LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees worldwide.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Reports

Covered quarterly on ecoi.net, for countries of priorities A–E (all available countries).

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

“ORAM protects and empowers LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees globally, creating sustainability and systematic change. […]

Guided by our values of respect for diversity and human dignity, we sustain global protection of exceptionally vulnerable refugees fleeing persecution. We work closely with governments, international and local organizations, respected academic institutions and communities to promote system-wide change through the sharing of information, capacity building and establishing sustainable futures for LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees globally.” (ORAM website: About Us, undated)

“ORAM focuses its efforts on systems and individuals alike […]. Based on individual testimonies we raise awareness on the lack of protection for SGMs. Through the use of innovative tools and thought-leading research, ORAM tackles some of the largest issues regarding SGMs.” (ORAM website: The Issue, undated)

“As an independent organization, ORAM is not affiliated with any government, institution or other official agency.” (ORAM website: FAQ, undated)

“ORAM joined the Alight family (formerly the American Refugee Committee) in September 2017 and is a subsidiary partner.” (ORAM website: About Us, undated)

“ORAM is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA) and its programmatic office is based in Berlin (Germany).” (ORAM website: FAQ, undated)

Funding:

“ORAM’s funding is provided by philanthropic organizations, individuals, and international institutions” (ORAM website: FAQ, undated). ORAM’s present and recent donors include the Arcus Foundation, the Dorian Fund, Open Society Foundations, the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, the Reva & David Logan Foundation, the Tides Foundation and Brand g Vacations. (ORAM website: Donors, undated)

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: all countries

Thematic focus: Rights and needs of LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees.

Methodology:

“We get some of our information from a variety of NGOs, watchdog agencies, governments and inter-governmental agencies. But most of our information comes from supporters and LGBTI individuals worldwide […].” (ORAM website: FAQ, undated)

Some ORAM reports exclusively draw on published material (see, for example, ORAM: Country of Origin Report: Sexual and Gender Minorities – Uganda, October 2014). Other reports combine desk research on country background information/protection gaps with analysis of in-depth and in-person field interviews conducted with various stakeholders including LGBTIQ asylum seekers and refugees, local LGBTIQ organisations and communities, state human rights and asylum authorities and local and international (refugee) NGOs (see, for example, ORAM: Blind Alleys; The Unseen Struggles of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Urban Refugees in Mexico, Uganda and South Africa: Part II Country Findings: Mexico, February 2013, pp. 2-3)

Languages of publication:

English and languages of the countries reported on, including Spanish and Russian

 

All links accessed 22 April 2020.