International Day Highlights Ongoing Violence Against Women

The United Nations said on Monday that femicide remains at “alarmingly high levels”, warning that one woman will be killed by her partner or relative every 10 minutes worldwide by 2023. Nearly 85,000 women and girls were killed by humans last year, according to a joint report released Monday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women.

The report found that nearly 60 percent — more than 51,000 women and girls — were killed by their partners or relatives. This equates to 140 women a day, or one woman every 10 minutes, being killed by those closest to her.

“The home remains the most dangerous place for women and girls in terms of risk of fatal victimization,” the report said. While men were four times more likely than women to be murder victims (they accounted for 80 percent of all homicide victims last year), they often died at the hands of a stranger.

The heaviest loss occurred in Africa, with 21,700 women killed by their relatives in 2023. The lowest femicide rates were seen in Europe (2,300 murders in absolute numbers) and Asia. Despite efforts to prevent femicide in some countries, femicide remains at “alarmingly high levels” due to entrenched gender inequality and damaging stereotypes.

“We must confront and dismantle gender biases, power imbalances, and harmful norms that perpetuate gender discrimination. violence against women,UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said in a statement accompanying the report. Data from countries including France showed that femicide was the “culmination” of frequently recurring violent incidents and could be prevented with measures such as restraining orders.

UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said stopping violence against women requires robust legislation, greater government accountability and more funding for women’s rights organizations and institutional structures.

He also said that better data collection from different national sources, including media reports, and a “zero tolerance culture” were important in combating femicide. The report is based on existing data from 107 countries or territories and information gathered by UNODC from responses submitted by member states.

His release coincides with: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.