UN: Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed by an intimate partner or family member
The Chronify
Condemning the lack of progress in combating femicide, the United Nations reported that last year, somewhere in the world, a woman was killed by an intimate partner every 10 minutes.
A United Nations report has revealed this alarming information, according to the news agency AFP.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women released a report on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, stating that in 2024, nearly 50,000 women and girls were killed by their intimate partners or family members.
This information was released on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The report states that globally, 60% of women who were killed were murdered by their partner or a relative such as a father, uncle, mother, or brother, compared to only 11% in the case of men.
Based on data from 117 countries, the report shows that every year 50,000 women-an average of 137 women per day, or one woman every 10 minutes-are killed. This statistic highlights the severity of violence against women and gender-based crimes.
Although the total number is slightly lower than the figure reported for 2023, the report notes that this does not indicate an actual decline; the difference primarily reflects variations in country-level reporting.
The study states, “Femicide claims the lives of thousands of women and girls every year, with no signs of improvement. Moreover, the home remains the most dangerous place for women and girls in terms of risk of murder.”
The report further notes that no region in the world is free from femicide. Last year, Africa recorded the highest number of female killings, nearly 22,000.
Sarah Hendriks, Director of UN Women’s Policy Division, stated that femicide is not an isolated incident. It is often part of ongoing violence, which can begin with controlling behavior, threats, and harassment, including online abuse.
The report notes that technological advancements have increased certain types of violence against women and girls and created new opportunities for abuse, such as non-consensual sharing of images, personal data leaks or doxxing, and deepfake videos.
Hendriks said, “We need laws that recognize how violence manifests in both online and offline spaces in the lives of women and girls and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable before their actions escalate.”
