A Literature Review on the Application of IRB Chairperson Guidelines 4: "Women Refugee Claimants Fearing Gender-Related Persecution" in Decision Making

This paper examines Canada's "Women Refugee Claimants  Fearing Gender-Related Persecution" and its implications on women asylum seekers in Canada. Canada's Women Refugee Claimants Fearing Gender-Related Persecution Guidelines were examined in order to get a better understanding of its impact on women seeking protection from gender based persecution. The first section of this paper looks at how certain refugee policies such as the Designated Country of Origin List and the Internal Flight Alternative have impacted women fleeing gender based persecution while the second

section discusses the implications of the guidelines on women asylum seekers refugee determination process. This paper provides background information on some of the unique forms of persecution that are specific to women and discusses the lack of women's issues within international refugee law. Lastly, this paper provides ways in which the guidelines can be improved to better support women fleeing gender based persecution.