Hello and welcome to note 2 of 15! In the last note, we spoke about why you need to learn about asylum processes and how to use this course. In this note, we’ll discuss seeking asylum on the basis of gender-based violence. We can do this together!

Under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, an individual can apply for asylum if you can establish any of the following grounds:

• You are not safe in your country and your country cannot protect you
• You are not safe because of your race, religion, nationality, political stance or for being a member of a particular social group
• You have reasons to believe that you might face hostility or oppression because of who you are, what you do or what others think you do. You can establish this if you have received any threats and you can show that there is a future risk.
• You are outside your home country.

Furthermore, in 2011, the Istanbul Convention became the first legally binding treaty that created a framework to protect women from all kinds of gender-based violence. Under this convention, women facing abuse can seek asylum in several countries.

You qualify for gender-based asylum on the basis of

• Female genital mutilation
• Domestic violence
• Forced marriage and/or child marriage
• Sexual assault
• Rape, including marital rape
• Violation of human rights
• Forced abortion
• Psychological violence
• Stalking
• Forced sterilization

This convention is applicable in over 30 countries including Turkey, Switzerland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, France, Germany, Greece, Croatia, Denmark, etc. For a full list, see https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/210/signatures?desktop=false

Outside of Europe, there are several other countries who also extend asylum for women suffering or at risk of gender based violence. The easiest way to find out if you qualify is to go to the specific country’s immigration law page. Because these laws keep can keep modifying from time to time, it is easier to search when you want to decide to start your application process.

REMEMBER: Many countries offer gender based asylum. You are not alone.

ACTION: You should try applying for asylum in the country you’re residing temporarily. Look up its immigration and asylum policies.

NEXT: We look at different types of legal help you may be able to access.

TERMINOLOGY

Administrative Removal
Administrative Review
Appeal
Appeal Rights Exhausted
Appellant
Asylum Interview
Asylum seeker
Asylum support
Bail
Caseworker
Counsel

https://righttoremain.org.uk/toolkit/glossary.html