Translated with AI
In 2024, 50,000 women and girls were killed by their intimate partners or family members, an average of one victim every ten minutes. These figures are presented in a new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women, published on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the organization's press service reported.
Despite long-standing international commitments, indicators have not improved for many years.
According to the 2025 Femicide Report, a total of 83,000 women and girls were intentionally murdered last year. Of these, 60 percent, or 50,000, were killed by their partners or relatives. This equates to an average of 137 women and girls killed every day. By comparison, only 11 percent of men killed were killed by partners or family members.
"Femicides don't just happen. They often become the final culmination of ongoing violence that begins with control, threats, and harassment—including online," noted Sarah Hendricks, Director of Policy, Programmes, and Intergovernmental Relations at UN Women. She emphasized that this year's 16 Days of Activism campaign aims to draw attention to how digital violence often extends beyond the online realm, escalating into physical violence and, in the worst cases, leading to murder.
"Every woman and girl has the right to safety. Preventing femicide requires timely intervention and enforcement of laws that address both online and offline violence," Hendricks added.
John Brandolino, Acting Head of UNODC, noted: "The home remains a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, place for too many women and girls. This report highlights the need for more effective measures to prevent femicides and strengthen the response of criminal justice systems."
According to the report, cases of gender-based homicide are recorded in every region of the world. The highest rate of femicides committed by intimate partners or family members is estimated to be in Africa—three cases per 100,000 women and girls. These are followed by countries in the Americas (1.5), Oceania (1.4), Asia (0.7), and Europe (0.5).
Although some femicides are committed outside the home, data on these cases remains insufficient. To improve monitoring and analysis, UN Women and UNODC are working with countries to implement a statistical framework that will allow for more accurate identification, recording, and classification of gender-based killings. Improving the volume and quality of data, the UN emphasizes, is key to assessing the scale of the problem, developing effective responses, and ensuring access to justice.
