Why Are so Many Asylum Seekers Male?

in a nutshell #2
Philippe Wanner
March 2016

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Messages for Decision-Makers

Of the refugees who have left Syria, women outnumber men. Yet the refugees that have arrived in Europe are predominantly male.

Most of the asylum applications in Switzerland (from applicants of all nationalities) are led by men. In 2014, almost three-quarters of all applicants were male.

This male gender bias is particularly strong among refugees from the Maghreb and West Africa.

The asylum process helps to restore gender equality, as women are currently better represented in the permanent resident population.

The higher proportion of males is specific to asylum-related migration flows.