In 2023, an estimated 85,000 women and girls worldwide were intentionally killed, according to a new report by UN Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Of these, 51,100 victims, about 60 percent lost their lives at the hands of intimate partners or family members. This translates to an average of 140 women and girls killed each day, or one death every 10 minutes.
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UN Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released the Femicides in 2023: Global Estimates of Intimate Partner/Family Member Femicides report, which highlighted the severity of the global crisis of femicide, the most severe form of violence against women and girls.
Africa Tops Femicide Rates
The report revealed stark regional differences in femicide rates. Africa recorded the highest number of victims, with 21,700 women and girls killed by intimate partners or family members in 2023, translating to a rate of 2.9 victims per 100,000 people.
The Americas and Oce.a followed, with rates of 1.6 and 1.5 per 100,000, respectively. Asia and Europe reported lower rates, at 0.8 and 0.6 per 100,000. In Europe and the Americas, most victims (64 per cent and 58 per cent, respectively) were killed by intimate partners, while family members were the main perpetrators in other regions, accounting for 59 per cent of cases.
Femicides could have been prevented if stricter laws intervened
While the 2023 estimate of intimate partner and family-related femicides is higher than the 48,800 reported in 2022, experts attribute the increase to improved data collection rather than a rise in killings. However, the report noted that other forms of femicide outside domestic contexts remain severely underreported due to inconsistent data collection practices.
In France, between 2019 and 2022, 79 percent of female homicides were committed by intimate partners or family members, while other forms of femicide made up just 5 percent. Similarly, in South Africa, 9 percent of female homicides during 2020-2021 were femicides outside the domestic sphere.
The report emphasised that many femicides could have been prevented. In countries like France, South Africa, and Colombia, between 22 and 37 percent of women killed by their intimate partners had previously reported experiencing physical, sexual, or psychological violence. This underscores the need for interventions such as restraining orders and victim support systems.
Challenges in Data Collection
Despite increased awareness, global data collection on femicide has declined. While 75 countries reported data on intimate partner and family-related femicides in 2020, this figure dropped by half by 2023. Only a few countries provide data on non-domestic forms of femicide, which hampers global accountability and prevention efforts.
“Lack of robust data complicates global accountability and undermines efforts to prevent such killings,” the report stated, calling for comprehensive statistical frameworks to address gender-based killings.
Stronger Systems Needed
UNODC and UN Women urged countries to strengthen criminal justice systems, improve reporting mech.sms, and invest in prevention measures. The report highlighted that the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action in 2025 and the 2030 deadline for the UN Sustainable Development Goals present critical opportunities to prioritize women’s safety and gender equality.
“To combat violence against women, we must confront and dismantle the gender biases, power imbalances, and harmful norms that perpetuate it,” said UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly.
“The report stressed that femicides often represent the culmination of repeated violence. Preventive measures such as restraining orders, robust legislation, and greater government accountability are critical to addressing the issue,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.
The crisis of femicide remains one of the most severe forms of violence against women and girls, and immediate action is essential to protect lives and uphold gender equality worldwide.
