Partners, family members killed 137 women each day in 2024: UN
Majority die at hands of loved ones
About 83 000 women and girls were intentionally killed worldwide last year – 60 percent of them at the hands of partners or relatives.
By way of comparison, just 11 percent of male homicide victims were killed by family members or intimate partners.
More than 50 000 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members around the world in 2024, the equivalent of one every 10 minutes or 137 per day, according to a new report.
Released recently to mark the 2025 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women warned that femicide continues to claim tens of thousands of lives each year with “no sign of real progress”.
Experts say economic instability, conflict, forced displacement and limited access to safe housing can worsen the risks faced by women trapped in abusive situations.
“The home remains a dangerous and sometimes lethal place for too many women and girls around the world,” said John Brandolino, acting executive director of UNODC.
He added that the findings underline the need for stronger prevention efforts and criminal justice responses.
Africa highest
The UN said that women and girls were being subjected to extreme forms of violence in every part of the world.
According to the report, the highest regional rate of femicide by intimate partners or family members was recorded in Africa, followed by the Americas, Oceania, Asia and Europe.
The regional breakdown saw Africa with the highest rate of femicide in 2024 with 3 per 100 000 women and girls, followed by the Americas with 1.5, Oceania with 1.4, Asia with 0.7 and Europe with the lowest at 0.5.
The report called for "urgent, coordinated prevention" and specified six key areas, among them strengthening legal frameworks, survivor-focused services and firearm restrictions.
The report warns that many killings are preventable, but that gaps in protection, police responses and social support systems leave women and girls at heightened risk of fatal violence.
At the same time, it is thought that the figures are likely an underestimate, due to poor data collection in many countries, survivors’ fear of reporting violence, and outdated legal definitions that make cases difficult to identify.
Increase support
Sarah Hendriks, director of UN Women’s policy division, said femicides often sit on a “continuum of violence” that can start with controlling behaviour, harassment and online abuse.
“Digital violence often doesn’t stay online,” she said. “It can escalate offline and, in the worst cases, contribute to lethal harm.”
UN Women says coordinated efforts involving schools, workplaces, public services and local communities are needed to spot early signs of violence.
The campaigners also called on governments to increase funding for shelters, legal aid and specialist support services.
The findings were released as the UN’s annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign started.
Global campaign
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign led by UN Women under the UNiTE to End Violence against Women initiative. It runs each year from 25 November to 10 December, connecting the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Human Rights Day.
In 2025, the campaign focuses on ending digital violence against all women and girls – one of the fastest-evolving forms of abuse worldwide. Digital violence includes online harassment, stalking, gendered disinformation, deepfakes, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images, all of which are rising sharply as technology advances.
The 2025 UNiTE campaign calls on governments, technology companies, and communities to act now – to strengthen laws, end impunity, and hold platforms accountable. It urges sustained investment in prevention, digital literacy, and survivor-centred services. It also calls for long-term support to women’s rights organisations that are leading efforts to make digital spaces safe and inclusive for all.
- AL JAZEERA
By way of comparison, just 11 percent of male homicide victims were killed by family members or intimate partners.
More than 50 000 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members around the world in 2024, the equivalent of one every 10 minutes or 137 per day, according to a new report.
Released recently to mark the 2025 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women warned that femicide continues to claim tens of thousands of lives each year with “no sign of real progress”.
Experts say economic instability, conflict, forced displacement and limited access to safe housing can worsen the risks faced by women trapped in abusive situations.
“The home remains a dangerous and sometimes lethal place for too many women and girls around the world,” said John Brandolino, acting executive director of UNODC.
He added that the findings underline the need for stronger prevention efforts and criminal justice responses.
Africa highest
The UN said that women and girls were being subjected to extreme forms of violence in every part of the world.
According to the report, the highest regional rate of femicide by intimate partners or family members was recorded in Africa, followed by the Americas, Oceania, Asia and Europe.
The regional breakdown saw Africa with the highest rate of femicide in 2024 with 3 per 100 000 women and girls, followed by the Americas with 1.5, Oceania with 1.4, Asia with 0.7 and Europe with the lowest at 0.5.
The report called for "urgent, coordinated prevention" and specified six key areas, among them strengthening legal frameworks, survivor-focused services and firearm restrictions.
The report warns that many killings are preventable, but that gaps in protection, police responses and social support systems leave women and girls at heightened risk of fatal violence.
At the same time, it is thought that the figures are likely an underestimate, due to poor data collection in many countries, survivors’ fear of reporting violence, and outdated legal definitions that make cases difficult to identify.
Increase support
Sarah Hendriks, director of UN Women’s policy division, said femicides often sit on a “continuum of violence” that can start with controlling behaviour, harassment and online abuse.
“Digital violence often doesn’t stay online,” she said. “It can escalate offline and, in the worst cases, contribute to lethal harm.”
UN Women says coordinated efforts involving schools, workplaces, public services and local communities are needed to spot early signs of violence.
The campaigners also called on governments to increase funding for shelters, legal aid and specialist support services.
The findings were released as the UN’s annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign started.
Global campaign
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a global campaign led by UN Women under the UNiTE to End Violence against Women initiative. It runs each year from 25 November to 10 December, connecting the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Human Rights Day.
In 2025, the campaign focuses on ending digital violence against all women and girls – one of the fastest-evolving forms of abuse worldwide. Digital violence includes online harassment, stalking, gendered disinformation, deepfakes, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images, all of which are rising sharply as technology advances.
The 2025 UNiTE campaign calls on governments, technology companies, and communities to act now – to strengthen laws, end impunity, and hold platforms accountable. It urges sustained investment in prevention, digital literacy, and survivor-centred services. It also calls for long-term support to women’s rights organisations that are leading efforts to make digital spaces safe and inclusive for all.
- AL JAZEERA
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