The Danish Refugee Appeals Board has decided to grant refugee status to Afghan women and girls, who have applied for asylum in Denmark

Due to the deteriorated human rights situation for women and girls in Afghanistan, the Danish Refugee Appeals Board on 30 January 2023 decided to change practice: Afghan women and girls, who have applied for asylum in Denmark will from now on be granted refugee status (section 7(1) of the Danish Aliens Act) due to the risk they would face in Afghanistan.

The Danish Refugee Appeals Board has based their decision on background information about the situation in Afghanistan including the EUAA’s Country Guidance and other human rights reports such as the DRC report ”Afghanistan Conference - The Human Rights Situation after August 2021”, published 30 December 2022. 

It is important to be aware that an application for asylum in Denmark can only be made by being physically present in Denmark, and that no changes in neither visa restrictions nor resettlement schemes are to be expected. The Danish Refugee Appeals Board has provided information regarding this on their website in both Dari and Pashto.

The change in practice is substantial as the Danish Refugee Appeals Board has not previously recognized women and girls from an entire country as refugees based on their gender.