VIENNA: One woman will be killed by her partner or relative every 10 minutes worldwide in 2023, the United Nations warned Monday, stressing that murders of women remain at “alarmingly high levels.”
Nearly 85,000 women and girls were killed by people last year, according to a joint report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women published on Monday.
The report found that about 60% – or more than 51,000 women and girls – died at the hands of their partners or relatives.
This equates to 140 women being killed every day, or one every 10 minutes, by the people closest to them.
“The home remains the most dangerous place for women and girls in terms of their risk of fatal abuse,” the report said.
While men were four times more likely to be victims of homicide than women – making up 80% of all homicide victims last year – they more often died at the hands of a stranger.
Africa saw the highest number of victims, with 21,700 women killed by someone close to them in 2023.
The lowest rates of femicide were in Europe (2,300 homicides in absolute terms) and Asia.
Despite efforts in some countries to prevent femicide, they remain at “alarmingly high levels” due to deep gender inequality and harmful stereotypes.
“We must confront and dismantle gender biases, power imbalances and harmful norms that perpetuate violence against women,” Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, said in a statement accompanying the report.
Data from countries, including France, indicated that femicide is often the “culmination” of recurring episodes of violence and can be prevented through measures such as restraining orders.
Sima Bahouth, Executive Director of UN Women, said there was a need for strong legislation, increased government accountability, and increased funding for women’s rights organizations and institutional bodies to eliminate violence against women.
Furthermore, she said improved data collection from various national sources – including media reports – and a “zero tolerance culture” are essential in tackling femicide.
The report is based on available data from 107 countries or territories, and information collected by UNODC from responses submitted by Member States.
Its release coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.