A Transgender Woman’s Path to Safety and Recognition

Anna (*a fictional name) is a young transgender woman who worked as a nail artist and lived with her mother in a large city in her home country. After the government adopted a law punishing diverse gender expressions and sexual orientations with life imprisonment or death, Anna’s life became increasingly dangerous. A close friend was killed because he was gay, and after receiving similar threats herself, Anna left her close friends and family and fled, with only her dog for support. During her journey to Europe, she survived severe violence, including sexual harassment by the Turkish police and human trafficking.

After Anna arrived in Greece, she was living in a camp on an island, where she faced repeated threats because of her gender identity. For her own safety, she was eventually transferred to a camp near Athens, yet she continued to feel unsafe and far from the freedom she had hoped to find in Europe. With her asylum interview approaching, at this stage, Anna contacted ELIL

ELIL’s legal team met with Anna three times to discuss her case. The team explained the asylum procedure, highlighted the importance of demonstrating the personal risk she would face if returned, and worked closely with the camp’s social worker to ensure holistic support.  With her consent, we coordinated with her former lawyer so that Anna would not have to explain painful experiences again and again. We focussed on the most essential elements of her case, ensuring that she knew what to expect on the day of her interview. ELIL’s lawyer prepared Anna for her asylum interview, accompanied her on the day, and submitted a detailed legal memo in support of her claim.

A few months later, the Greek Asylum Service recognised that Anna faced a well-founded fear of persecution on the basis of her gender identity and granted her international protection. Today, Anna is a recognised refugee in Greece, with the right to work, study, and access healthcare. Most importantly, Anna is safe.

*Name and personal details have been changed to protect the identity of the applicant.