GENDER GUIDELINES FOR THE DETERMINATION OF ASYLUM CLAIMS

Early day motion 1370, tabled 1 June 1998 by Baroness King of Bow (Labour). Signed by 136 members.

That this House is gravely concerned that some women who have fled detention, physical and sexual violence and other forms of torture are being refused asylum by the Home Office; believes that the introduction of gender guidelines will alert decision-makers to the specific difficulties women have in gaining protection under the 1951 United Nations Convention on Refugees; notes that Canada, the United States, and Australia have all successfully produced gender guidelines which have made their asylum procedures both fairer and more efficient; welcomes the gender guidelines that are being drafted by the Refugee Women's Legal Group; and calls on the Government to fulfil the commitment it made in the Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and introduce gender guidelines for the determination of asylum claims in the immediate future.

Signatures by party: Labour 88, Liberal Democrat 31, Labour/Co-operative 5, Plaid Cymru 4, Conservative 3, Scottish National Party 2, UUP 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.