Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill

Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon Excerpts

Report stage
Wednesday 6th March 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Cashman (Lab)]

For the record, the Foreign Office travel advice for Rwanda was:

“LGBT individuals can experience discrimination and abuse, including from local authorities. There are no specific anti-discrimination laws that protect LGBT individuals”.


In that instance, I wonder why the UK Government give refuge and asylum to LBGT people from Rwanda.

[Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon (Lab)]

My Lords, I, too, went to Rwanda with the noble Lord and, yes, the constitution talks about LGBT rights—but the difference is that those individuals cannot protest, march or make themselves known out in public. That was what they said to us. I spoke to people individually, and that was the information that I received—that it is not safe for LGBT people.

[Baroness Meyer (Con)]

My Lords, I am the last person to speak who was also in Rwanda last week and attended the same meetings. Like the noble Lord, Lord Murray, what I heard was that it may not be exactly like in some countries but, within Africa, and compared to everything, the witnesses said that they were protected because of the constitution, that gay men could walk in the street holding hands and were not abused, and that Rwanda is a safe enough country to send people. I do not see where this obsession comes from that Rwanda is unsafe, and I suggest, as I said last time, that a lot of people who have preconceived views should go to Rwanda and check for themselves.