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Founded in 2016 · Afghan-led · Privacy-first

Safety, dignity and a future for LGBTQ+ Afghans.

Rainbow Voice Afghanistan documents human-rights conditions, preserves community voices and connects LGBTQ+ Afghans, especially people displaced to Pakistan, with reliable, sourced information.

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2016Year established
Afghan-ledCommunity-centered leadership
Privacy-firstSafeguarding in every publication
Evidence-basedPublic sources and clear attribution
Our institutional role

Credible information. Responsible advocacy. Community protection.

Rainbow Voice Afghanistan brings together documented human-rights information, displacement updates, survivor-centered storytelling and practical safety guidance. Our work is designed for community members, journalists, researchers, humanitarian actors and decision-makers.

Learn about our work

How we work

01Safety before visibilityWe minimize identifying information and avoid unnecessary exposure.
02Attribution and accuracyNews summaries link to public primary or established sources.
03Afghan community leadershipCommunity dignity and lived experience guide priorities.
Browse safelyPrivacy and digital protectionAfghanistanRights and protection situationNewsDisplacement and return pressure
Documented evidence

A protection crisis across borders

These figures describe documented interviews, reported abuses and registered populations—not the total number of LGBTQ+ Afghans.

60LGBT Afghans interviewed for the 2022 Human Rights Watch and Outright report.
1,700+LGBTQI+ Afghans whose reported abuses were documented by Rainbow Railroad.
3.1m+Afghan refugees, asylum-seekers and Afghans of other statuses hosted by Pakistan at the beginning of 2025.
2016–26Ten years of Afghan community organizing, documentation and advocacy.
Afghanistan in images

Land, culture and displacement

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Kabul and surrounding mountains
Kabul
Bamyan Valley
Bamyan Valley
Friday Mosque of Herat
Herat
Islamabad skyline
Islamabad, Pakistan
Afghan displacement
Afghan displacement
Community testimony

“I only want the chance to live as myself.”

Read an anonymous bisexual Afghan man’s account of love, family violence, the killing of his partner, escape to Pakistan and his continuing search for protection.

Read the survivor story
Anonymous illustration accompanying a survivor testimony
Our media standard

More photographs—without exposing people.

We use real photographs of Afghan cities, landscapes, public events and humanitarian contexts. We do not publish identifiable photographs of LGBTQ+ Afghans without informed, revocable consent and a documented security review.

See credits and safety policy →

Before publishing a story

  • Remove names, faces and exact locations.
  • Strip metadata and inspect backgrounds.
  • Never reveal asylum, shelter or travel details.
  • Use secure contact channels and clear consent.