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Using the case of Switzerland, this article analyses the inclusion of a gender dimension in the legal definition of the concept of a refugee. The author shows how various levels legal authority have contributed to this development, shaped by influences both from above (international authorities, parliamentary debates, jurisprudence) and from below, through the internal practices of administrations. By articulating these different levels together, the author shows the crucial role played by civil servants in the production of legal standards (and not just in their application alone). Finally, the article shows that, while ‘gender-related persecution’ is increasingly taken into account when assessing refugees’ claims, it remains a ‘secondary’ issue, considered as devoid of any political dimension.