Female asylum seekers who believe in equality between the sexes may qualify as refugees if that becomes a “motive for persecution” in their home country, the European Union’s top court ruled on Tuesday.

Nevertheless, the case concerned two teenage Iraqi girls whose initial applications for asylum in the Netherlands were rejected.

They then applied again, arguing that they had adopted Western customs during their long stay in the country.

Their applications were rejected again, so they went to court.

The EU Court of Justice ruled Tuesday that women and girls who “identify with the fundamental value of equality between women and men.” This may qualify them for refugee status if the conditions in their home country make that a motive for persecution.

The court also said a long stay in a member state, especially when it coincided with a period during which an applicant minor has forged their identity.

This has to be considered when determining whether they’re at risk of persecution for adopting Western values.

The judges added that where an asylum-seeker is a minor, EU countries have to “determine concretely the best interests for that minor as part of an individual assessment.”

As the Court of Justice is the EU’s highest court, the judgment is final and cannot be appealed.

(dpa/NAN)