Maneli is an iranian 20-year-old trans woman who has been living in Armenia for the past seven months as a refugee. She is in desperate need of hormone therapy to address her health conditions, but unfortunately, she has been unable to access it due to a lack of resources and support. Maneli's situation is already difficult enough as she has escaped trauma and is dealing with the daily challenges of living in a new country. As a result, the absence of hormone therapy is putting her at high risk, and any further delays could have long-term consequences that may not be reversible.

She is known by the name Maneli to everyone. In all the interviews she has given, she has introduced herself as Maneli, and she has accepted her identity as Maneli. Unfortunately, due to the society's negative attitude towards trans people in Armenia, she has to keep her identity hidden by keeping her birth name hidden. Moreover, hormone therapy is prohibited in Armenia, and the government doesn't allow trans people to receive proper treatment here.

she has been suffering for the past 7 months in Armenia, and she has fallen into depression because she has no rights to live here. The government's prohibition on proper treatment and hormone therapy has worsened her condition. There is a lot of hate towards the LGBTQ community in Armenia, and she feels isolated and helpless.

She pleads for help to get out of this situation before it gets any worse. She asks people to pay attention to this matter and not accept help from organizations in Armenia unless she confirms that they are trustworthy. due to the mistreating of organizations in Armenia, currently she is in deep hunger and has been starving for 7 months, which has resulted in significant weight loss due to malnutrition.

Maneli was treated badly by the Armenian immigration department. She was refused entry into a refugee camp and left homeless in the winter without support. The petition calls for the department to provide her with the necessary assistance and support, and to treat all refugees with fairness and without discrimination based on their gender identity.

Maneli's future is uncertain, and the stress of her situation is having a significant complex impact on her mental health. Her name on the birth certificate is not registered as Maneli, which makes it even more challenging for her to access the care she needs as a transgender individual. Her basic needs are not being met, and she is in desperate need of help.

As a human rights activist, I urge the UNHCR to take immediate action and provide Maneli with the good news that her asylum has been accepted. It is crucial that Maneli is granted asylum in Armenia and then to another country that provides hormone therapy as soon as possible so that she can access the medical care she needs to live a healthy and fulfilling life. We cannot allow Maneli to suffer any longer due to a lack of access to medical care.

The UNHCR has a critical role to play in protecting the rights of LGBT refugees, and it is time to act now. We cannot wait any longer. I implore you to take all necessary measures to support Maneli and ensure she receives the medical care she needs to address her health conditions in a country that accepts LGBT rights. Her rights as a transgender individual and a refugee must be protected and upheld, and we must not forget about her.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Reference List:

Instagram post: "Urgent Appeal for Asylum and Medical Care for Trans Refugee Maneli" at https://www.instagram.com/p/CmG9cOWt4yS/

Instagram reel: "Please Sign and Share!" at https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmI1hjyDdVk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Instagram post: "We need to help Maneli get the medical care she needs"  at https://www.instagram.com/p/CmE4j08J85c/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Instagram reel: "URGENT UPDATE: Asylum and Medical Care for Trans Refugee Maneli" at https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmZSJnzIVvu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

take the next steps to help more:

GoFundMe campaign: "Help Trans Refugee Maneli Access Medical Care," created by Sarah Brown at https://gofund.me/2d758970

you can send emails to support Maneli's case in front of the UNHCR of Armenia to this email: armeniainfo@unhcr.org  or to: armye@unhcr.org

if you need an example of the email read the following: 

Subject: Support for Maneli's Case in front of UNHCR of Armenia

to UNHCR of Armenia:

I am writing to express my concern about the difficult situation that Maneli is facing as a transgender girl in Armenia. It is heartbreaking to hear that Maneli is unable to access proper treatment and hormone therapy due to the government's prohibition of such treatments for trans individuals in Armenia. Moreover, the LGBTQ+ community in Armenia is facing hate and discrimination, making it even harder for people like Maneli to survive.

I believe that it is our collective responsibility to stand up for those who are marginalized and vulnerable and to do everything we can to help them overcome their difficulties and build better lives for themselves and their families.

I am writing to request that the UNHCR of Armenia takes immediate action to support Maneli's case and provide her with the necessary assistance and resources to live a life of safety and dignity, such as access to hormone therapy, speed in the approval for her asylum claim, support for processing asylum to a country that: accepts LGBT rights, have access to hormone therapy, provide free medical care, mental health services, welfare and housing for a refugee who is trans like Canada, USA, or Europe. I have sent an email to armeniainfo@unhcr.org to offer my support and to ask what more I can do to help. I urge you to take this matter seriously and do everything in your power to ensure that Maneli's rights are protected.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

UNHCR Representation in Armenia: Address: 9 Mher Mkrtchyan Street, 0042, Yerevan, Armenia Phone: (+374) 60 620000  You can also visit their website at https://www.unhcr.org/am/ for more information and contact details.

Thank you