Gender and Persecution: Protecting Women Under International Refugee Law

This article argues that the definition of refugee should be expanded to include those with a well-founded fear of gender persecution. Part II of this article surveys customs and laws regarding women in various regions of the world that could be considered to be a form of persecution. The customs highlighted are Islam in the Middle East, Hinduism in India, tribal customs in Africa and the machismo culture in Latin America. Part III discusses current international agreements that protect refugees and Part IV highlights the developing international appeal for an expansion of the definition of refugee to include women fleeing persecution because of their sex. Part V addresses how persecution is defined in international refugee law and Part VI argues that including gender persecution as a basis for refugee status would not result in an influx of claimants. [Descriptors: Migration - Refugees and Immigration, International]