|Published on: 8th May 2025|Categories: News|

ECRE has published a policy note which examines how the 2024 recast Reception Conditions Directive can support more effective and harmonised implementation of gender-sensitive reception across the EU. It draws on a wide range of sources, including the Asylum Information Database (AIDA), evaluations from the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), and relevant case law, to illustrate the structural and practical barriers refugee women and girls still face upon arrival.
The policy note provides a number of concrete recommendations for the European Commission, EU member states, and the EU Asylum Agency to ensure that reception conditions uphold international and European legal standards, including by:
- Enforcing individualised, intersectional assessments of special reception needs
- Guaranteeing safe and adequate reception conditions, especially for women and girls in vulnerable situations
- Enhancing access to healthcare, education, and employment
- Implementing gender-sensitive guidelines, training, and monitoring mechanisms.
It also highlights the importance of combining legal reform with consistent, on-the-ground compliance with existing protections.
The policy note is available here.