More than 5 women or girls were killed every hour by intimate partners or family members in 2021, according to a new UN study.
The report on femicide comes ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and is a stark reminder that home is not a safe place for women and girls globally.
According to the UN, of the all the women and girls intentionally killed in 2021, more than half (56 per cent) were killed by intimate partners or a member of their family. It equates to about 45,000 women and girls.
Over the past decade, the overall number of women and girls killed by homicide has remained largely unchanged, and it’s important to note the true scale of femicide is likely much higher than what is officially reported.
“Behind every femicide statistic is the story of an individual woman or girl who has been failed,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.
“These deaths are preventable—the tools and the knowledge to do so already exist.
“Women’s rights organisations are already monitoring data and advocating for policy change and accountability. Now we need the concerted action across society that will fulfil women’s and girls’ right to feel and to be safe, at home, on the streets, and everywhere.”
The report from the UN is a horrific reminder that violence against women and girls continues to be one of the most pervasive human rights violations on a global scale.
Violence against women and girls is a significant issue in every region across the globe, however women and girls were more at risk of being killed by intimate partners of family members in Africa. According to the report, the rate of gender related killings in the private sphere was estimated at 2.5 per 100,000 female population in Africa. This compares with 1.4 in the Americas, 1.2 in Oceania, 0.8 in Asia and 0.6 in Europe.
The UN suggests that the pandemic coincided with a “significant increase” in gender related killings in the private sphere in 2020 across Northern America and also in Western and Southern Europe.
Far too many victims of gendered violence go unreported, according to the UN, who highlight that for 4 in 10 women and girls killed intentionally in 2021, insufficient information exists to identify their deaths as femicide.
While the statistics are dire, the UN emphasises that violence against women is not inevitable and can be prevented. A combination of support and protection for victim-survivors, ensuring police and justice systems are more responsive, and primary prevention by addressing root causes of gendered violence are essential to reduce the numbers of women and girls killed.
Improving data collection on femicides is also a critical step to better policies and programs in this space.
UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Ghada Waly said no woman or girl should fear for her life because of who she is.
“To stop all forms of gender-related killings of women and girls, we need to count every victim, everywhere, and improve understanding of the risks and drivers of femicide so we can design better and more effective prevention and criminal justice responses.
“UNODC is proud to launch the 2022 femicide study with UN Women to galvanize global action and salute the efforts of women’s rights organizations around the world to end this crime.”