The Europen Court of Justice ruled that the Netherlands cannot deport two Iraqi girls who have been residing in the country since 2015. The Court said that returning these girls to Iraq could put them at risk of persecution due to the Westernized views on norms and values they have adopted while living in the Netherlands, specifically about gender equality. The Court's decision highlights that women who share the characteristic of having come to identify with the value of gender equality during their time in a Member State may be regarded as belonging to a particular social group, which could then constitute a reason for persecution in more restrictive environments.
Compiled from: CJEU: Iraqi women can claim asylum on basis of becoming ‘westernised’ during stay, Irish Legal News, 11 Jun. 2024,