The Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Unit and the Programme for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) of the Council of Europe together with the Representation of UNHCR in Strasbourg are currently developing a new interactive and comprehensive online HELP module on LGBTI Persons in the Asylum Procedure.

The module aims to increase the capacity of legal professionals dealing with asylum claims based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and sex characteristics. It will provide an overview of the international and European human rights and refugee law standards and practical guidance to ensure a correct application of existing standards in the decision-making process.

The module is being developed by a Working Group composed of experts and representatives of the European Union Agency for Asylum, the Registry of the European Court of Human Rights, the Office of the Council of Europe’s Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on Migration and Refugees, ILGA Europe, Transgender Europe, OII Europe and the Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community. Representatives of the HELP Secretariat, the Secretariat of the SOGI Unit, as well as the UNCHR Representation to the European institutions in Strasbourg assist the Working Group and contribute to the development of the module.

This activity is funded by the Council of Europe’s Project Promoting Human Rights and Equality for LGBTI Persons III (2021-2023). The module will be published in 2023 and will be added to the HELP courses on Asylum and Human Rights and on Fight against Racism, Xenophobia, Homophobia and Transphobia.

The development of this module also aims to support the implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025).