Omari fled Nigeria a few years ago because he is queer. In his home country, strict anti-gay laws still apply, and the LGBTQ+ community is in great danger. After a journey of many years, he ended up at the registration center in Ter Apel in 2023.
There he was abused and verbally abused outside the gates by other asylum seekers because of his orientation. Omari did not expect this to happen, especially in the Netherlands. “I was completely stunned, I never expected this.”
Later – due to European regulations – he ended up in Germany to complete his asylum procedure there. There he was asked a remarkable question: whether he might want to be received at a special location for vulnerable refugees. These asylum centers have existed in various German states for years. Omari now has a residence permit and lives in Cologne.
According to one of the submitters of the proposal, D66 councilor Suleyman Aslami, Omari’s experience is no exception. “COC figures show that sixty percent of LGBTI refugees experience violence, intimidation and bullying, which is really worrying.”
German approach
In their initiative proposal, the parties refer, among other things, to special asylum reception in Germany. There, shelter for vulnerable asylum seekers, such as queer people, is very common. There are already eighteen reception locations for queer asylum seekers near Dortmund.
According to Omari, these reception locations show that vulnerable refugees can be received safely. Omari looks positively at his time with the Eastern neighbors: “In Germany I found safety and felt love around me.”
Aslami emphasizes that this is now only a proposal. Discussions with the municipality and COA still have to take place. So no definitive plans or locations have been determined yet.