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LGBTQ+ sensitivity in the refugee crisis response in Poland

What are the biggest challenges refugees and migrants from the LGBTQ+ community face in Poland, and how do locally-led organisations create networks and structures to support them?

In this episode, we are talking about the Ukraine crisis response in Poland with a focus on strengthening the capacity of local organisations and advocacy for LGBTQ+ migrants and refugees.

Hear the insights from Sarian Jarosz, Advocacy and Research Lead at Queer Without Borders, an informal group of activists working for the improvement of the situation of LGBTQI+ migrants and refugees in Poland. Piotr Kolodziej, our Regional Lead in Eastern Europe, shares how the partnership between the HLA and Queer Without Borders happened and what are our plans to strengthen the capacity of local organisations supporting LGBTQ+ refugees and migrants in Poland.

Listen to the episode on SpotifyApple PodcastsAmazon Music and Buzzsprout.

About the speakers

Piotr Kolodziej is the HLA’s Regional Lead in Eastern Europe. Piotr is based in Poland and has over thirteen years of experience in humanitarian and development organisations. Piotr worked at the International Rescue Committee, Ashoka and Polish Humanitarian Action, including heading a mission in Turkey/Syria, and leading teams in Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Iraq. Piotr has also supported the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership as a Lead Facilitator and Tech To The Rescue as a Crisis Response Consultant.

Sarian Jarosz is Advocacy and Research Lead at Queer Without Borders, our partner and LGBTQ+ Advisor in Poland. Sarian currently works as a Research Coordinator at Migration Consortium (Konsorcjum Migracyjne) and has broad experience working with refugees and migrants in Poland, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Denmark, and Uganda. For several years, Sarian worked for Amnesty International as an LGBTQ+ investigator.

This episode was hosted by Oksana Dobrovolska, Communications Officer at the HLA.

Listen to the episode on SpotifyApple PodcastsAmazon Music and Buzzsprout.

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The views and opinions expressed in our podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of their organisations.

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