Immigration and Refugee Board (Canada)

Women Refugee Claimants Fearing Gender-Related Persecution: Guidelines Issued by the Chairperson Pursuant to Section 65(3) of the Immigration Act

These Guidelines issued by the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board are often cited as the first explicit governmental recognition that persecution on account of gender is a valid ground on which to claim refugee status. The guidelines emphasize that for these claims to be accepted a link must be made between gender and the feared persecution and that these claims are still assessed on an individual basis.