[Brussels, 22 November 2011] On 17 November Selmin Caliskan, coordinator of EWLs project on Migrant Women, travelled to Malta along with a representative from Amnesty International’s END FGM European Campaign and the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe). Over two days this Expert NGO Coalition took part in a series of meetings with the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and also convened a seminar with Aditus, a human rights organisation.
The journey was another step in the work of the Expert NGO Coalition, who in June 2011 developed a publication entitled “En-gendering the European Asylum Support Office”. This publication found that although women’s rights, gender related persecutions as well as sexual orientation and gender identity related persecutions are recognised as a ground for seeking international protection, there are great variations amongst European Union (EU) Member States in the recognition of refugee status for individuals at risk of such persecutions in their country. It also found that gender-sensitive and inter-cultural and trauma-sensitive measures are further needed for asylum interviewing techniques, country of origin information and training programmes so that persons at risk or subjected to the above mentioned persecutions are spared additional stigmatisation, discrimination and (re-) traumatisation upon arrival in the EU.
This document comprised a set of recommendations to ensure the integration of a gender perspective into the EASO’s structure and work plan. Through the publication, the Expert NGO Coalition identified that the EASO has a decisive role in ensuring that each person is treated fairly with regard to their particular experiences. It is therefore crucial that the EASO starts laying the foundation for a proper gender and equality mainstreaming during its first years of activity.
With this in mind, the Coalition representatives met with Dr. Visser, the Head of EASO, on 17 October, in order to recommend the integration of a gender perspective into their work by taking actions such as developing gender inclusive training for asylum case workers in all EU Member States. During this meeting the Coalition also urged Dr. Visser to clearly express EASO’s commitment to deal with ALL forms of gender-based persecutions by making a public announcement on the occasion of the International Day for the elimination of Violence against Women (25 November).
Later on 17 October the Expert NGO Coalition organised a cooperative meeting with representatives from the UNHCR as they have a seat within the management board with an observer status. During the meeting issues such as the need to safeguard women’s rights were discussed, as well as the need to raise gender and LGBTI issues during stakeholder events including internal management meetings. This meeting went well and all Coalition partners are looking forward to continuing to work with the UNHCR in the future to ensure the full rights of women and LGBTI asylum seekers are realised.
On the second day of the visit a joint seminar by Amnesty International’s END FGM European Campaign, European Women’s Lobby, ILGA-Europe and Aditus on the integration of a gender and equality perspective into the asylum systems was held. The objective of the seminar was to discuss existing practices and identify the gaps and recommendations regarding the inclusion of a women’s rights, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity perspective into asylum systems.
The seminar brought together stakeholders from government, academic and civil society agencies and service-providers to analyse and debate existing frameworks for identifying and dealing with gender-based persecution during their case management with asylum seekers. Key challenges were identified and discussed, including the situation where many asylum seekers came from societies where sexual violence or being anything other than heterosexual was taboo, as Selmin Caliskan, EWL’s expert on migrant women and sexual violence, pointed out the seminar.
Identifying victims of such persecution therefore required more care than simply asking asylum seekers about their sexual history or orientation, Ms. Caliskan said. “Many women find themselves faced with a dilemma: either not saying they have been raped and risk being sent back to where they face more persecution for speaking up, having a case for asylum but being shamed and branded as having been raped,” she said.
The situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people was also discussed in relation to the way their claims to asylum have been treated when they have had to flee their home country as a result of persecution. Examples of the inadequate treatment of LGBT asylum seekers were given, caused by factors such as the presence of inadequately trained asylum claim case-workers who were unable to identify gender-based discrimination, and those who through that LGBT people could survive in their home country if they hid their sexual orientation, using this idea as grounds to reject asylum claims.
To follow the progress made in Malta a joint campaign for action on 25 November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, has been taking place, in which an AI/ILGA and EWL member from every EU Member State has tried to meet their own country’s representative to the EASO board. In this meeting they aim to gain the cooperation of their country’s EASO Board representative in asking Mr Visser to recommend the integration of a gender perspective into the work of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), and to ask him to make a public announcement on 25 November to clearly express EASO’s commitment to deal with ALL forms of gender-based persecutions.
