Afghan women and girls applying for asylum in Sweden will be considered to be refugees

The situation for women in Afghanistan has gradually deteriorated since the Taliban movement took power in the country. The Swedish Migration Agency is now tightening up the assessment of cases involving Afghan women.

“Being a woman from Afghanistan is in itself considered to be a sufficient basis for obtaining protection in Sweden,” says Carl Bexelius, Director of Legal Affairs at the Swedish Migration Agency.

“We believe that the situation for women in Afghanistan entails a violation of their basic human rights, to the point that it must be considered persecution. Thus, Afghan women should be assessed as refugees and granted a residence permit, regardless of other circumstances,” says Carl Bexelius.

As a result of the deteriorating situation, the Swedish Migration Agency is tightening up its assessment of asylum cases involving Afghan women. This is being done via a revised judicial position published today.

The Swedish Migration Agency’s stricter assessment means that women from Afghanistan who have had their asylum application rejected can apply for and receive a new examination of their case.

The Swedish Migration Agency estimates that life as a woman in Afghanistan has now become so difficult that it counts as persecution on the basis of gender. For this reason, Afghan women and girls seeking protection in Sweden will be considered to be refugees and be granted a residence permit.

Since the Taliban movement took power in Afghanistan, the situation for women has gradually deteriorated. Recently, more rules have been introduced that restrict women’s rights and freedom of movement. It has now become so difficult for Afghan women and girls to study, earn a living, seek care or get protection from violence that they can be considered to be persecuted on the basis of their gender. A person at risk of gender-based persecution is entitled to a residence permit as a refugee.

The Swedish Migration Agency has long monitored developments in Afghanistan, and in the past year as many as 89 percent of all Afghan women who have applied for asylum in Sweden have been granted a residence permit. But now the Swedish Migration Agency assesses that the situation for women in Afghanistan has become so difficult that all asylum-seeking women and girls should be granted refugee status, which entails a three-year residence permit.