First LGBTIQA+ refugee arrives in Australia through nation-first resettlement program
Monday 27 July 2026
Media release
A refugee who spent his life in fear of persecution for being gay has found safety in Australia, marking the first arrival through Bridge to Safety. Led by the Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN) in partnership with the Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS), Bridge to Safety is the only program of its kind in the region, dedicated to helping LGBTIQA+ refugees access resettlement and other pathways to safety.
Farsheed, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, arrived over the weekend after his case was prepared and his visa lodged through the program. His arrival is the first proof that Bridge to Safety works – and that safety is possible for a group too often excluded from the international protection system.
LGBTIQA+ people fleeing persecution face barriers others do not. Discrimination, family rejection, and asylum processes never designed with them in mind can block access to refugee resettlement and other pathways to safety – even for those who most need protection.
Launched in early 2026, Bridge to Safety was created to close that gap. The program pairs FDPN's community trust and lived-experience leadership with legal expertise from RACS, which prepares, lodges and monitors visa applications. FDPN and its local partners support applicants through the process, from gathering evidence to transit and arrival.
“For years, our community has known a hard truth: the systems that are supposed to protect refugees too often leave LGBTIQA+ people behind,” said FDPN Executive Director Dr Renee Dixson. “Farsheed is safe today because our community showed up for each other. He is the first but he won’t be the last to find freedom through Bridge to Safety.”
Farsheed’s arrival is significant far beyond one individual case. It shows that community-led identification, specialist legal assistance and government resettlement systems can work together to reach people who are often invisible within the international protection system.
Sarah Dale, Centre Director and Principal Solicitor at RACS, said the program fills a crucial gap in refugee resettlement. “Bridge to Safety is an ambitious program to make safety possible for people who are excluded from existing resettlement processes. It’s legal to seek asylum – but legal isn’t the same as possible. Not everyone can access this right.”
FDPN will continue to support Farsheed as he adjusts to life in Australia. Bridge to Safety continues to receive and verify referrals, and prepare cases for others awaiting protection.
###
Media enquiries
Dr Renee Dixson and Sarah Dale are available for interview or comment.
FDPN – Executive Director Dr Renee Dixson: renee.dixson@fdpn.org.au
RACS – Hsu-Ann Khoury: media@racs.org.au
About Bridge to Safety
Bridge to Safety is a groundbreaking program helping LGBTIQA+ refugees in Asia and Southwest Asia escape persecution and build new lives in Australia.
Learn more: fdpn.org.au/bridgetosafety.
How to support
Bridge to Safety is actively seeking philanthropic and corporate partners to fund the work of bringing LGBTIQA+ refugees to safety in Australia. FDPN estimates it will cost approximately $13,000 per person supported through the program, depending on variables such as flight costs.
Learn more: fdpn.org.au/bridgetosafety.
About FDPN
The Forcibly Displaced People Network (FDPN) is Australia’s national peak body led by LGBTIQA+ professionals with lived and technical expertise in forced displacement. FDPN is changing the protection, resettlement and settlement landscape by combining lived experience with policy leadership, advocacy and sector expertise to improve the systems that shape people’s safety and futures. Since 2020, FDPN has driven systemic change across Australia, Asia and the Pacific by influencing policy and humanitarian practice, generating evidence, strengthening sector capability, creating community-led protection and resettlement pathways such as Bridge to Safety, and supporting LGBTIQA+ refugees to build safe, stable and self-reliant lives.
Learn more: visit fdpn.org.au and follow @fdpn.lgbtiq on Instagram and @fdpn-lgbtiq on LinkedIn.
About RACS
The Refugee Advice & Casework Service (RACS) is a nonprofit providing essential legal support for refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia. It's legal to seek asylum — but it's difficult to navigate Australia's immigration system without legal expertise. Since 1987, RACS has helped more than 75,000 refugees find long-term safety in Australia.
Learn more: visit racs.org.au and follow @racsaustralia on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
