CEDAW/C/60/D/51/2013
before the courts. She contends that that is also the case for an asylum seeker whose
case has been rejected as manifestly unfounded. Furthermore, she submits that there
is no precedent and no legal literature to support the opinion that it could be
possible for an asylum seeker to appeal against a decision issued under the
“manifestly unfounded” procedure before the Danish courts. The author further
contests the statement that the Danish courts have the real and effective ability to
stay a deportation order and maintains that, according to current jurisprudence,
courts can stay a deportation order only in exceptional circumstances. She is
therefore challenging the State party’s observation that there is a real and effective
remedy available for asylum seekers in her position.
5.6 The author concedes that it is correct that she did not mention the relevant
provisions of the Convention, but maintains that she did describe gender-based
violence in the form of rape and forced prostitution. In addition, because her case
was declared manifestly unfounded, she was not allowed access to counsel who
would have been able to invoke the relevant provisions. For that reason, the author
considers that the reference to communication No. 8/2005 is irrelevant, given that
the author in that case had counsel who could have raised the issue appropriately.
The author maintains that she was interviewed by the Danish Immigration Service
on 29 April 2010 without the assistance of counsel; therefore, the requirement that
she mention the relevant provisions of the Convention for the communication to be
declared admissible is unacceptable. She argues that it was incumbent on the Dani sh
authorities to identify that the acts of gender-based violence that she suffered were
related to the Convention and to treat her asylum application accordingly. She
further submits that her case is similar to those concerning victims of trafficking and
should have been handled accordingly. She therefore considers that her
communication is in line with the requirements of the Optional Protocol and should
be declared admissible.
5.7 The author notes that the State party argues that her reference to a simi lar case
before the Human Rights Committee is not proof of discrimination against female
asylum seekers. She explains that she mentioned the case because it also concerned
a female asylum seeker who suffered from a lack of equal treatment with men in a
similar situation. The author elaborates that that case was also considered manifestly
unfounded and that it was only after the communication was forwarded to the
Human Rights Committee that the Danish authorities reopened the case, provided
counsel and allowed the case to proceed to the Refugee Appeals Board, which
eventually granted asylum. In her opinion, that demonstrates very clearly the
importance of the rights to appeal against judgements and to legal counsel.
5.8 The author concedes that, from a statistical point of view, a single case cannot
be considered proof of gender discrimination. She refers to a number of other cases
as further evidence of her claim, however. She observes that communications
Nos. 33/2011, M.N.N. v. Denmark, and 40/2012, M.S. v. Denmark, were initially
treated as manifestly unfounded asylum cases, indicating that gender-specific issues
are treated less seriously than “male issues” such as political repression.
Furthermore, she submits that only the Danish authorities would be abl e to provide
gender-disaggregated data on the number of asylum seekers whose claims are
rejected under the “manifestly unfounded” procedure.
5.9 The author contends that it is disturbing that more women asylum seekers have
their asylum requests denied than male asylum seekers with a similar asylum
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