A United Nations report has revealed a grim reality: last year, a woman was killed by an intimate partner or family member somewhere in the world every ten minutes. Shockingly, 60 per cent of victims were murdered by partners or relatives such as fathers, uncles, mothers, or brothers.
Compiled by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the report analysed data from 117 countries and found that nearly 50,000 women and girls were killed by those closest to them. On average, 137 women lost their lives each day.
Although the number is slightly lower than 2023 figures, experts caution that this does not signal a reduction in violence. Differences in data collection and reporting explain some of the variation.
The report highlights that the home remains the most dangerous place for women and girls. Globally, no region is immune, although Africa recorded the highest number of killings last year, with around 22,000 deaths.
Sarah Hendricks, Director of UN Women’s Policy Division, noted, “Femicide is rarely an isolated incident. It is often part of a cycle of violence that begins with controlling behaviour, threats, and online harassment before escalating to murder.”
The UN warns that without urgent intervention, femicide will continue to devastate families worldwide, calling for stronger laws, better enforcement, and protective measures for women and girls everywhere.