Last Tuesday, September 10, we attended the first meeting of the renewed LGTBIQ+ working group of UNHCR, reactivated in 2024 after its inactivity since the pandemic. Colors Sitges Link has been accepted as a member organization, reaffirming our commitment to the fight against discrimination, hate speech, and hate crimes. We believe that this fight must overcome the barriers of our own privileges, focusing on those who, in addition to belonging to the LGTBIQ+ community, are more exposed due to their racialized or migrant status. These individuals are often the target of xenophobic attacks, both online and offline, and suffer from a serious lack of emotional and institutional support, especially in a reception system that is slow and, in many cases, unfavorable in its decisions.

The harsh reality of homeless LGTBIQ+ individuals in Barcelona

Did you know that in the city of Barcelona, there are LGTBIQ+ individuals who are forced to sleep on the street? At Colors Sitges Link, we have expressed our concern to the Barcelona City Council, requesting measures to alleviate this situation and offering our support to help these individuals find the stability they deserve and allow them to live with dignity.

Concrete actions to improve the quality of life for LGTBIQ+ refugees

At Colors Sitges Link, we would like to share some of the initiatives we will carry out to actively contribute to improving the quality of life for LGTBIQ+ refugees:

  • Sensitization and empowerment workshops: Development of mentoring programs for entrepreneurs.
  • Diversity training: Aimed at professional groups, such as lawyers and teachers, to foster a better understanding of the needs of the community.
  • Intervention and social support protocols: In collaboration with the Integral Attention Services (SAI), we will create mechanisms that facilitate the creation of social networks for refugees, improving communication channels between users and our organization.
  • Right to health: We will establish ways to facilitate access to antiretroviral treatments (ART), especially for HIV-positive individuals.
  • Support for people with disabilities: We will ensure the protection of the rights and freedoms of these individuals within the community.
  • Collaboration with specialized entities: We will work with organizations that support homeless people and those who need jobs suited to their skills and training.
  • Volunteering opportunities: We will offer participation and support spaces through volunteering.
  • Reporting mechanisms: We will provide effective tools to report discrimination and hate crimes, contributing to effective evaluation and response.

At Colors Sitges Link, we will continue working tirelessly to defend the rights of LGTBIQ+ individuals, especially those in vulnerable situations. We are committed to creating a more inclusive, transversal, diverse, and safe society for everyone.