One woman is killed every 10 minutes at the hands of partner, family member: UN report
Around 140 women are being killed every day either by their intimate partner or a family member, a new UN report revealed.
The report by the UN Women and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), titled “Femicides in 2023: Global Estimates of Intimate Partner/Family Member Femicides,” revealed that femicide is the most extreme form of violence against women and girls, remains prevalent around the globe.
In 2023 data, 60%, or around 51,000 out of 85,000 global female deaths were committed by their intimate partners or other family members. Further breaking it down, 140 women and girls are being killed every day by their partners or close relatives, which means one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes.
“The new femicide report highlights the urgent need for strong criminal justice systems that hold perpetrators accountable while ensuring adequate support for survivors, including access to safe and transparent reporting mechanisms,” said Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC.
“At the same time, we must confront and dismantle the gender biases, power imbalances, and harmful norms that perpetuate violence against women.
Femicide transcends borders, socioeconomic statuses, and cultures, but its severity varies regionally. Based on the 2023 figures, Africa had the highest rates of femicide committed by intimate partners and family members, followed by the Americas, and Oceania.
Additionally, most women in Europe and America were killed by their intimate partners (64% and 58%, respectively). Meanwhile, other family members were deemed primary perpetrators in other regions.
Despite the alarming numbers, the lack of consistent and comprehensive data remains a significant challenge. For the 2023 data, only 37 countries reported intimate partner and family-related femicides in 2023, a sharp decline from 75 countries in 2020.
This data gap impedes efforts to monitor trends and enforce accountability for these crimes.
In addressing the problem, UN Women and UNODC stressed the need for “robust legislation, improved data collection, greater government accountability, a zero-tolerance culture, and increased funding for women’s rights organizations and institutional bodies,” urging world leaders to act with urgency to end the crisis.
Following the report, UN Women will kick off its annual 16 Days of Activism for “UNiTE” campaign, which runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10 with the theme, “Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed.” It will highlight best practices of investment to prevent violence against women, its gaps and challenges, and in moving forward.
They have also started a social media campaign to serve as a platform for speaking up against gender-based violence using the hashtags #NoExcuse and #16Days. (with reports from Pia Lee-Brago)
