Resources

Guidelines on gender, women and asylum

UNHCR and some states have published guidelines on gender and/or refugee women for asylum decision-makers:
UNHCR

UNHCR (1991) Guidelines on the Protection of Refugee Women. https://www.unhcr.org/media/guidelines-protection-refugee-women

UNHCR (1995) Sexual Violence Against Refugees: Guidelines on Prevention and Response https://www.unhcr.org/media/sexual-violence-against-refugees-guidelines-prevention-and-response-unhcr

UNHCR (2002) Guidelines on International Protection No. 1: Gender‑Related Persecution https://www.unhcr.org/media/guidelines-international-protection-no-1-gender-related-persecution-within-context-article-1a

UNHCR (2002) Guidelines on International Protection No. 2: Membership of a Particular Social Group https://www.unhcr.org/media/guidelines-international-protection-no-2-membership-particular-social-group-within-context

UNHCR (2003) Sexual and Gender‑Based Violence against Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Guidelines for Prevention and Response www.unhcr.org/media/sexual-and-gender-based-violence-against-refugees-returnees-and-internally-displaced-persons

UNHCR (2006) Guidelines on International Protection No. 7: The Application of Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Convention and/or 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees to Victims of Trafficking and Persons at Risk of Being Trafficked www.unhcr.org/media/guidelines-international-protection-no-7-application-article-1a-2-1951-convention-and-or-0

UNHCR (2008) UNHCR Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls, January 2008 www.unhcr.org/publications/unhcr-handbook-protection-women-and-girls

UNHCR (2009) Guidelines on International Protection No. 8 Child Asylum Claims under Articles 1(A)2 and 1(F) of the 1951 Convention and/or 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugee www.unhcr.org/media/unhcr-guidelines-international-protection-no-9-claims-refugee-status-based-sexual-orientation

UNHCR (2012) Guidelines on International Protection No. 9: Sexual orientation and gender identity. UNHCR (2018) Policy on Gender, Age and Diversity www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/legacy-pdf/5aa13c0c7.pdf

Australia

DIMA (1996) ‘Guidelines on gender issues for decision makers’ International Journal of Refugee Law, vol. 9 (special issue) 1996, pp.195–212 https://academic.oup.com/ijrl/article/9/Special_Issue/195/2884391

Canada

IRB (2022) Chairperson’s Guideline 4: Gender Considerations in Proceedings Before the Immigration and Refugee Board https://irb.gc.ca/en/legal-policy/policies/Pages/GuideDir04.aspx

Norway

Guidelines on gender related persecution (in Norwegian) https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/retningslinjer-om-kjonnsrelatert-forfolg/id696289/

Guidelines on applications concerning applications based on persecution on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity (in Norwegian) https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/g042012-ikrafttredelse-av-endringer-i--2/id686817/

Sweden

Swedish Migration Board (2001) Gender-Based Persecution: Guidelines for Investigation and Evaluation of the Needs of Women for Protection https://evaw-global-database.unwomen.org/es/countries/europe/sweden/2002/swedish-migration-board---guidelines-for-investigation-and-assessment-of-women-s-need-for-protection

Updated version 2021 (in Swedish only) https://lifos.migrationsverket.se/dokument?documentSummaryId=45493

UK

Home Office (2018) Gender issues in the asylum claim https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/699703/gender-issues-in-the-asylum-claim-v3.pdf