{"id":24972,"date":"2025-11-24T13:55:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T11:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/?p=24972"},"modified":"2025-11-25T10:48:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T08:48:57","slug":"two-stories-of-women-from-sierra-leone-who-survived-fgm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/two-stories-of-women-from-sierra-leone-who-survived-fgm\/","title":{"rendered":"Two stories of women from Sierra Leone who survived FGM"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"24972\" class=\"elementor elementor-24972 elementor-24957\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cfe32c8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cfe32c8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-137f0a7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" 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itemprop=\"about\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-tags\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-terms\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/category\/publications\/news-2\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">News<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/category\/publications\/press-releases\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Press Releases<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/category\/publications\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Publications<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/category\/topics\/quality-of-the-asylum-procedure\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Quality of the asylum procedure<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/category\/topics\/refugee-women-topics\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Refugee Women<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/category\/topics\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Topics<\/a>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-871f3e8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"871f3e8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-512faac e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"512faac\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b27e048 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b27e048\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Two stories of women from Sierra Leone who survived FGM<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-32e2807 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"32e2807\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"sub\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;]}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Fighting for refugee status recognition in Greece<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d6edda e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7d6edda\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9df6513 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9df6513\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b><i>On the occasion of 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we share the stories of two women from Sierra Leone who were subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) in their country. Their vulnerability and the risk they faced were not even initially recognised during the asylum process in Greece.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-203bfa8 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-toc--minimized-on-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"203bfa8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;],&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:&quot;#sub&quot;,&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;bullets&quot;,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;far fa-circle&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-regular&quot;},&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;No headings were found on this page.&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tContents\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__203bfa8\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__203bfa8\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__203bfa8\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4429294 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4429294\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recent Appeals Committees\u2019 decisions in Greece, issued in the context of asylum applications, have recognised the need for granting international protection to women persecuted through the practice of FGM in their countries of origin. <\/span><b>Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an extremely violent and harmful practice rooted in patriarchal and sexist stereotypes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, aiming to control women\u2019s bodies and constituting a flagrant form of gender-based discrimination and human rights violation. <\/span><b>Refugee Support Aegean (RSA) has represented cases of women from Sierra Leone who are survivors of this violent practice and arrived in Greece over the past two years. At first instance, their asylum applications were rejected in Greece. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They were recognised as refugees only at second instance, following the examination of their appeals by the Appeals Committees.<\/span><\/p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this text, we present <\/span><\/i><b><i>two indicative stories of women from Sierra Leone who received legal assistance from our legal team<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ensure that the Greek authorities recognised their protection needs. The text also provides an overview of FGM as a form of gender-based violence, the relevant standards under international law, and the treatment of FGM survivors\u2019 cases from Sierra Leone within the Greek asylum system in recent years:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-12e550d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"12e550d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c4e4e35 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"c4e4e35\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc12ef2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"fc12ef2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bd2c24c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"bd2c24c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e75cfdd elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e75cfdd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:53,&quot;sticky_offset_mobile&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_parent&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Laura*\u2019s story<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fab5a43 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fab5a43\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;]}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">From loss and violence to the recognition of refugee status<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d75e899 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d75e899\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laura*, originally from Sierra Leone, arrived in Greece in late 2022 together with her husband and their newborn child, when the boat they were on struck rocks, causing everyone to fall into the water. To this day, she still cannot believe what happened. After barely managing to reach the shore, masked men indiscriminately chased them. As they ran, Laura* was forced to be separated from her husband, who was holding their critically ill baby in his arms.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The masked men violently restrained her, stripped her, and subjected her to a physical and even vaginal (!) search. They then forced her onto a life raft and abandoned her, along with other people, near the Turkish coast. Turkish authorities, who found them shortly thereafter, arrested her and placed her in detention. Only some days later did she manage to contact her husband, who had remained in Greece, and learn of their baby\u2019s death.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Laura*, who was still recovering from a recent caesarean section, her abduction and abandonment off the Turkish coast was not just a violent pushback; it was a deeply traumatic and degrading experience that revived memories and images of the brutal FGM she had undergone in Sierra Leone.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She was only 15 years old when she was subjected to a forced initiation ritual and clitoridectomy. To this day she tries to forget the violent and humiliating treatment she endured, particularly the bleeding and extreme pain she felt.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few days after her return to Turkey, Laura* was eventually released by the Turkish authorities and tried once again to enter Greece. This time she succeeded and was placed under reception and identification procedures in a Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC). These procedures include an obligation to assess potential vulnerability; however, in her case, her status as an FGM survivor was neither identified nor recognised. Laura* was assessed as non-vulnerable, resulting in her receiving no further care or support. Ultimately, with the help of humanitarian organisations and her RSA lawyer, the geographic restriction imposed on her was lifted, allowing her to travel, reunite with her husband, and attend the funeral and burial of their child.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the examination of her asylum application, the Asylum Service accepted that Laura* was vulnerable, including as a survivor of violence, yet still rejected her claim, concluding that despite the persecution she had already suffered in Sierra Leone, the future risk of being subjected again to FGM if returned was <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cnot significant enough\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (!) given her age.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Laura* appealed, requesting a full re-examination of her case, stressing, through her RSA lawyers, that she had already suffered persecution as a member of the particular social group of young women subjected to forced initiation and clitoridectomy, and that she continues to face a real and unavoidable risk to her life, freedom and physical integrity.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Appeals Committee ultimately found that the genital mutilation she had suffered in Sierra Leone constituted a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cpermanent harm\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, taking into account <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cits permanent and irreversible nature\u2026 combined with the particularly long-lasting consequences it has caused to her physical and mental health\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The Committee concluded that the persecution Laura* faced stemmed from both state and non-state actors against whom she could not obtain protection. Laura* was recognised as a refugee in April 2024 and today lives in Greece with her husband and their second child.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df4adfd e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"df4adfd\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-001303e elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"001303e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adb9028 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"adb9028\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:53,&quot;sticky_offset_mobile&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_parent&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The story of Mariatu* and her daughter<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-330a069 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"330a069\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec72730 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ec72730\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;]}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Recognition after the initial rejection<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e7c6f2f elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e7c6f2f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>\u201cWhen the first rejection [decision] came, I felt worthless. I was pregnant and terrified that they would send me back. When the positive decision finally came [on second instance], I couldn\u2019t believe it. I had lost all hope. It felt like a miracle for me and our daughter.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-071c829 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"071c829\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mariatu*, from Sierra Leone, was recognised as a refugee in September 2024. When we asked her how she felt, her face lit up. She told us:<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI was very happy when I managed to arrive here. When the first rejection [decision] came, it was extremely stressful for me. I felt worthless. I was pregnant and terrified that they would send me back. When my fianc\u00e9 told me that the positive decision had arrived [Note: on second instance], I didn\u2019t believe him. I thought he was lying. I had lost all hope. It felt like a miracle for me and our daughter. Now I am very happy.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mariatu* arrived in Greece with her fianc\u00e9 in late 2023 while pregnant, and her asylum application was registered upon arrival. During the reception and identification procedures carried out at the Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC), it was established that she had been subjected to FGM, and her vulnerability was recognised both as a survivor of torture and as a pregnant woman.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her asylum application, however, was rejected by the Asylum Service in May 2024 on the grounds, among others, that she would not be at risk of being subjected to FGM again, given that she was now an adult. The same decision ordered her return to Sierra Leone, despite the fact that she was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. Her daughter was born two weeks later.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In her appeal, submitted with the support of RSA\u2019s lawyers, Mariatu* stressed that she had a well-founded fear of persecution in Sierra Leone, as her newborn daughter would be at risk of being subjected to FGM if they were returned, in line with prevailing traditional practices. Her appeal was upheld by the Appeals Authority, which granted refugee status to both mother and child. Today, the family wishes to remain in Greece, to work, and for their daughter to attend a Greek school.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a18f3b4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a18f3b4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d009c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"4d009c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-16c4a10 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"16c4a10\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:53,&quot;sticky_offset_mobile&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_parent&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">FGM: Gender-based violence and international law<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d80b423 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d80b423\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c73cac elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3c73cac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;]}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u201cTraumatic. Painful. Irreversible.\u201d<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-65f173b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"65f173b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are the words used by UN Women, the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, to describe female genital <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unwomen.org\/en\/articles\/faqs\/faqs-on-female-genital-mutilation-causes-impact-and-how-to-end-it#94076\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mutilation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (FGM). It is a practice rooted in deeply entrenched patriarchal and sexist norms, which gravely violates women\u2019s rights and bodily integrity, causing survivors long-term physical and psychological harm, irreversible damage, and lifelong suffering. FGM is practiced in around <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/topics\/el\/article\/20200206STO72031\/akrotiriasmos-ton-gunaikeion-organon-aities-kai-sunepeies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">30 countries<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the world.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the UN Refugee Agency (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.refworld.org\/policy\/legalguidance\/unhcr\/2009\/en\/65361\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UNHCR<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), female genital mutilation constitutes a form of gender-based violence that causes severe harm, both physical and psychological, and amounts to persecution. FGM also constitutes torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under international jurisprudence and legal doctrine, including numerous decisions from UN treaty bodies, the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council, and the European Court of Human Rights (see e.g. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.refworld.org\/legal\/general\/cat\/2008\/en\/53514\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.refworld.org\/jurisprudence\/caselaw\/echr\/2007\/en\/47485\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.refworld.org\/legal\/general\/hrc\/2000\/en\/38892\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.refworld.org\/reference\/themreport\/unhrc\/2008\/en\/55519\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c52a829 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c52a829\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a5bb013 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"a5bb013\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f59a6e elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2f59a6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:53,&quot;sticky_offset_mobile&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_parent&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">FGM and refugee status in Greece: The case of Sierra Leone<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f85662c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f85662c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1db268b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1db268b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Greece, during the first half of 2025, the recognition rate for asylum applicants from Sierra Leone who were granted refugee status by the Asylum Service stood at <\/span><b>34%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. At the same time, Sierra Leone ranked <\/span><b>fourth <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">among the main countries of origin of people lodging appeals against first-instance rejection decisions issued by the Asylum Service.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Sierra Leone has one of the highest FGM prevalence rates in Africa.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/data.unicef.org\/resources\/understanding-the-relationship-between-child-marriage-and-fgm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UNICEF<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it ranks fourth among the ten countries where FGM is most widespread.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Approximately nine out of ten girls and women in Sierra Leone have been subjected to FGM.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Girls experience the brutality of this practice from a very young age, and in some cases even as infants. To this day, Sierra Leonean law does not prohibit or criminalise any practice related to female genital mutilation.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As recognised by the Appeals Committees in the cases of Laura* and Mariatu*, when assessing claims by FGM survivors, the Greek authorities must recognise that female genital mutilation causes <\/span><b>permanent and irreversible physical and psychological harm, i.e. a harm of a lasting nature, which constitutes a violation of the human rights of women and girls, an extreme form of gender-based discrimination and violence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unequivocally amounts to persecution within the meaning of the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Protecting survivors of such extreme violence is the duty of any democratic state: to safeguard their right to liberty and bodily integrity, and to restore their right to live with dignity and basic safety.<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e82e26d elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e82e26d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>* The names have been changed to protect safety and privacy.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-948c2f4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"948c2f4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0fb7b5a elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"0fb7b5a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-8675aed elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"about\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-tags\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-terms\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/tag\/2025-2\/\" class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">2025<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/tag\/featured\/\" 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Greece\u200b<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":24986,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,6,5,274,332,137],"tags":[336,18],"class_list":{"0":"post-24972","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news-2","8":"category-press-releases","9":"category-publications","10":"category-quality-of-the-asylum-procedure","11":"category-refugee-women-topics","12":"category-topics","13":"tag-2025-2","14":"tag-featured"},"menu_order":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24972","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24972"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26090,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24972\/revisions\/26090"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}