A UN report reveals that 140 women are killed daily by close relatives or partners, highlighting the global femicide crisis and urgent need for action.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap] United Nations report has revealed a grim reality: no fewer than 140 women and girls are killed each day by their partners or close relatives, amounting to one death every 10 minutes.
The report, released by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), underscores the global crisis of femicide and calls for urgent action.
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In 2023 alone, an estimated 51,000 women lost their lives to intimate partner and family-related violence. Africa recorded the highest femicide rates, with 21,700 victims, followed by the Americas and Oceania.
The statistics vary globally, with women in Europe and the Americas more likely to be killed by intimate partners, while in Africa and Asia, family members were more often the perpetrators.
The report coincides with the 25th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the launch of the annual 16 Days of Activism campaign.
This year’s campaign, themed “Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed. #NoExcuse. UNITE to End Violence Against Women,” seeks to galvanise global efforts to combat gender-based violence.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent action, stating, “The epidemic of violence against women and girls shames humanity. We need justice, accountability, and support for advocacy.”
One of the report’s key concerns is the lack of consistent data. In 2023, only 37 countries reported data on intimate partner and family-related femicides, a drastic decline from 75 in 2020.
This data gap impedes the ability to track trends and hold perpetrators accountable.
UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous stressed the need for robust legislation, reliable data collection, and greater funding for women’s rights organisations.
“Violence against women and girls is preventable, not inevitable,” she said, urging immediate action.
Ghada Waly, Executive Director of UNODC, highlighted the importance of strong criminal justice systems. “We must ensure survivors have access to safe and transparent reporting mechanisms and that perpetrators face accountability.”
With the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action approaching in 2025, and the Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs) 2030 deadline looming, the report serves as a stark reminder of the work still required to achieve gender equality.
As the 16 Days of Activism campaign continues until 10 December, UN agencies are urging governments and societies worldwide to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to gender-based violence. The time to act, they stress, is now.
Source: Read more at arise.tv
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
