The Only Way Is Up report shows that the humanitarian and disaster risk reduction systems often fail to recognise or address the discrimination, violence and exclusion experienced by people with diverse Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expressions, and Sex Characteristics (aka LGBTIQ+ people). This includes women and girls with diverse SOGIESC. The current Human Rights Council focus on the human rights of women and girls in humanitarian situations provides an opportunity to highlight system-wide changes needed to include people with diverse SOGIESC.

Discrimination, violence and exclusion is experienced by people with diverse SOGIESC before, during and after disasters and conflict. Before crises hit families, local communities, faith communities, schools, workplaces, medical centres, the streets can all be unwelcoming places for people with diverse SOGIESC, undermining people’s potential to develop resilient and dignified lives. Discrimination, violence and exclusion continues during crises, at border crossings, in camps, or at aid distribution locations. People with diverse SOGIESC may ‘choose’ to avoid accessing aid, because of the risks involved. New forms of discrimination, violence and exclusion also emerge, including being blamed for causing disasters. Exclusion in recovery then reinforces pre-crisis marginalisation. 

The report  — as a follow-up to Pride in the Humanitarian System  — explores why the humanitarian and disaster risk reduction systems seem unable to address these needs.

 The conclusion is that the problems are systemic. And changing the systems will require more than a few workshops and adding LGBTIQ+ to long lists of supposedly ‘consulted’ marginalised groups. It will require more than the current fragmented efforts of a few agencies. It requires genuine involvement of diverse SOGIESC CSOs. It requires systemic change, and leadership from the global humanitarian community.

The Only Way Is Up report includes a review of existing inclusion frameworks, original research in three humanitarian settings, analysis of humanitarian responses, and interviews with humanitarian and DRR staff. The research and analysis was guided by representatives of diverse SOGIESC CSOs. As well as recommendations for systems change, the report includes a tool for benchmarking diverse SOGIESC in the humanitarian and DRR sectors.