People Against Suffering, Oppression and Poverty

Location: South Africa

Focus: LGBTQI human rights

Website: https://www.passop.co.za

PASSOP are a community-based, non-profit human rights organisation devoted to protecting and advancing the rights of LGBTQI asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants in South Africa. They advocate on behalf of LGBTQI refugees and confront homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia throughout South Africa, providing legal, social, financial, psychosocial and housing support.

While South African law provides for asylum for people persecuted because of their SOGIE, in practice the situation is often more complex. Arriving in country, LGBTQI refugees and migrants struggle to navigate and access legal systems, health care, housing and attain asylum status. As foreign nationals, they are targets for xenophobic abuse and discrimination, and as LGBTQI people, they are vulnerable to SOGIE-based attacks. Add to this an overstretched system and the situation for LGBTQI asylum claimants becomes extremely precarious. In 2017, PASSOP found that only 4% of asylum applications per year were successful, and they currently support over 200 LGBTQI individuals

PASSOP staff have lived these experiences and are committed to uplifting and empowering their communities through collaboration with civil society, activist networks, research institutions and global funders. In 2021, GiveOut’s grant will support PASSOP’S core costs as they establish a vital shelter for the LGBTQI refugee community escaping from persecution from their countries.

GiveOut is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Registered Charity Number 1176434).