Every 10 Minutes, a Woman is Killed by an Intimate Partner

A shocking new report from the United Nations reveals that last year, somewhere in the world, a woman was killed by someone close to her every ten minutes. Alarmingly, 60 per cent of these victims were murdered by their partners or family members, including fathers, uncles, mothers, or brothers. The findings, released on Monday, underscore the UN’s concern over the lack of progress in combating violence against women.

The report, published to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, was compiled jointly by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women. Based on data from 117 countries, it shows that nearly 50,000 women and girls were killed last year by intimate partners or family members. On average, 137 women died each day.

Although the total number is slightly lower than figures reported in 2023, experts caution that this does not necessarily indicate a reduction in killings. Variations in reporting and data collection across countries account for some of the discrepancies.

The study emphasises that “femicide continues to claim the lives of thousands of women and girls every year, with little sign of improvement. The home—where women and girls are supposed to be safest—remains the most dangerous place for them.”

No region in the world is free from the threat of gender-based killings, though Africa recorded the highest numbers last year, with approximately 22,000 women murdered.

Sarah Hendricks, Director of UN Women’s Policy Division, stressed that femicide is rarely an isolated event. “It is often the culmination of ongoing violence, starting with controlling behaviour, threats, and harassment—including online abuse—before escalating to lethal violence,” she said.

The UN report calls for strengthened international and national measures to prevent violence against women and to hold perpetrators accountable, warning that without urgent action, countless lives will continue to be at risk.