The United Nations Women (UN Women) has revealed that in 2024, nearly every 10 minutes, a woman or girl was killed by an intimate partner or family member. The announcement comes in a press release marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, highlighting the ongoing global crisis of femicide.

According to the latest femicide brief from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women, 50,000 of the 83,000 women and girls intentionally killed last year were murdered by someone within their own household. This averages 137 killings per day, compared with just 11% of male homicides being perpetrated by family members or partners.

“Femicides don’t happen in isolation. They often sit on a continuum of violence that can start with controlling behaviour, threats, and harassment, including online. Digital violence often doesn’t stay online. It can escalate offline and, in the worst cases, contribute to lethal harm,” said Sarah Hendriks, Director of UN Women’s Policy Division.

Early Intervention and Stronger Laws Needed

Hendriks emphasized the urgent need for early intervention systems and legislation that recognizes how violence manifests both online and offline.

“Every woman and girl has the right to be safe in every part of her life. To prevent these killings, we need laws that hold perpetrators to account well before violence turns deadly,” she said.

John Brandolino, Acting Executive Director of UNODC, warned that the home “remains a dangerous and sometimes lethal place for too many women and girls around the world.” He added that the 2025 femicide brief highlights the urgent need for better prevention strategies and criminal justice responses tailored to gender-related killings.

Regional Differences in Femicide

The report revealed significant regional variations in intimate partner or family-related femicides:

• Africa: 3 per 100,000 women and girls (highest rate)
• Americas: 1.5 per 100,000
• Oceania: 1.4 per 100,000
• Asia: 0.7 per 100,000
• Europe: 0.5 per 100,000

UN Women and UNODC noted that femicides occurring outside the home are also widespread, but data remains limited. To improve understanding, both organizations are working with governments to implement a 2022 statistical framework designed to enhance the identification and recording of gender-related killings.

Better data, officials say, is crucial for shaping effective policy responses and ensuring justice for victims.