Is There a Female Advantage in First and Second-Instance Decisions on Asylum Applications in Europe?

Livia Elisa Ortensi, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna
Francesca Tosi, University of Bologna
Roberto Impicciatore, University of Bologna

This study investigates the gender dynamics in asylum decision-making within the EU27, EFTA countries, and the UK from 2008 to 2023. Despite constituting over half of the global refugee population, women remain underrepresented among asylum seekers in Europe. By reproducing Eurostat microdata and controlling for a comprehensive set of indicators assessing political conditions and gender discrimination, including LGBT+ discrimination, in applicants' countries of origin, this research addresses three key questions. First, it examines whether there is a female advantage in receiving overall positive decisions, identifying the specific countries of origin where this advantage is observed and determining whether it applies to both first and second-instance decisions. Second, it investigates whether women benefit from a higher likelihood of being granted more favorable types of protection, such as increased recognition of Refugee Status. Finally, the study analyzes the variations in these gendered outcomes across different destination countries.

Keywords: Migrant Populations and Refugees, Gender Dynamics, Population Policies, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination

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