: How One Nonprofit Is Attempting to Help LGBTQ Refugees Fleeing Afghanistan #WorldNEWS Thousands of people have attempted to flee Afghanistan this week as Taliban forces gained control of the country,

How One Nonprofit Is Attempting to Help LGBTQ Refugees Fleeing Afghanistan #WorldNEWS
Thousands of people have attempted to flee Afghanistan this week as Taliban forces gained control of the country, culminating in the capital city of Kabul on Aug. 15. At least 400,000 Afghans have been forcibly displaced this year—250,000 since late May alone, according to the United Nations. A refugee crisis seems almost certain, and the fate of vulnerable groups including women leaders, persecuted religious minorities and LGBTQ people remains unclear under the new regime. On Aug. 13 Canada pledged to resettle 20,000 vulnerable Afghans who might be targeted by the Taliban. The U. S. also announced on Aug. 17 that it will allocate 0 million to allow for an increase in Afghan refugees, but did not specify exact numbers.
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As in many conflicts, LGBTQ people in Afghanistan are uniquely vulnerable. Same sex intimacy was punishable by imprisonment or even death under Afghanistan’s prior government, and advocates worry LGBTQ people face an even greater threat of violence under the Taliban, pointing to the harsh interpretation of Shari‘a law that the group governed with while in power from 1996 to 2001. While the modern day Taliban has framed itself as more moderate, many human rights groups remain concerned. Just last month, a Taliban judge told the German tabloid Bild that gay men would be executed by being crushed to death.

Rainbow Railroad, a global nonprofit that aims to help LGBTQ people facing persecution, is preparing to help LGBTQ Afghans attempting to escape. Founded in 2006 in Canada, the organization works to help LGBTQ people flee countries where they face imminent danger because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The group responds to over 3,000 requests each year, and manages to help roughly 200 people move across borders annually.
Read more: Afghans Who Fled the First Taliban Regime Found Precarious Sanctuary in Pakistan. New Refugees May Get an Even Colder Welcome
Rainbow Railroad has already received 50 requests for help from people in Afghanistan this year and is anticipating an uptick in the near future. TIME spoke with Kimahli Powell, the executive director of Rainbow Railroad, about the current crisis in Afghanistan, the nonprofit’s work in the region and what people at home can do to help.
TIME: Is Rainbow Railroad working to help anyone currently trying to leave Afghanistan?
Kimahli Powell: LGBTQ organizing is really limited in Afghanistan for multiple reasons, including Afghanistan being in a perpetual state of war and the criminalizing of consensual same sex conduct. Theres limited human rights defenders to go to and there are limited organizations that provide support.

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