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The decision to give haven to Alqunun capped a nearly week-long drama that highlighted the power of social media to call attention to her case and reverse initial plans by Thai officials to deport her back to Kuwait, where she fled her family while on holiday.

Alqunun’s appeal for refugee status also underscored the severe restrictions that women in Saudi Arabia face. Under the kingdom’s strict guardianship laws, adult women must obtain permission from a male guardian to travel abroad, marry or be released from prison. In some cases a male’s consent is also necessary to work.

Alqunun, who was stopped by Thai authorities, had barricaded herself in her room and demanded to meet with representatives of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

Using Twitter, Alqunun documented the standoff in real time, garnering tens of thousands of followers. A loose group of activists and friends bolstered her social media campaign using the hashtag #SaveRahaf and were able to successfully stave off deportation. She was admitted to Thailand on Monday while the U.N. processed her request.

Photo by LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/Getty Images

The head of Thailand’s immigration bureau, Surachate Hakparn, said Alqunun would leave on a flight that would bring her to Toronto.

“Today Rahaf has been granted refugee status,” he told reporters.

Hakparn said that when she departed, she had a “smiling face.”

The U.N. refugee agency coordinated with Canadian authorities to resettle her there, and she will be in the care of the International Organization for Migration once she arrives, he added.

Several other countries, including Australia, had said they could welcome Alqunun as a refugee.

Alqunun, from Hail in northwestern Saudi Arabia, said she feared she may have been killed if she was forced to return to her family. Her friends said she had suffered abuse at their hands.

Alqunun’s father and brother, who denied any allegations of abuse, traveled to Thailand and attempted to meet her, but Hakparn said as of Friday morning she had refused the meeting.