Cases of gender-related killings are recorded in all regions of the world. Every day, 137 women and girls are killed by their partners or relatives Women
In 2024, 50 thousand women and girls were killed by their intimate partners or family members—on average, one every 10 minutes. The findings come from a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women, released on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Despite long-standing international commitments, rates have not improved for many years.
A total of 83,000 women and girls were intentionally killed last year, according to the 2025 Femicide Report. Of these, 60 percent – 50 thousand became victims of their partners or relatives. This is equivalent to an average of 137 women and girls every day. By comparison, only 11 percent of murdered men were at the hands of partners or relatives.
Online violence leads to real threats
“Femicides don’t come out of nowhere. They often become the endpoint of ongoing violence that begins with surveillance, threats and harassment, including online,” said UN Women Director of Policy, Programs and Intergovernmental Affairs Sarah Hendricks. She stressed that this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign aims to draw attention to the fact that digital violence often extends beyond the online space, developing into physical violence, and in the worst case, leading to murder. also:
840 million women have experienced intimate partner or sexual violence
“Every woman and every girl has the right to safety. Preventing femicide requires timely intervention and enforcement of laws that address violence both online and offline,” added Hendricks.
Home remains a dangerous place for many
UNODC Acting Chief John Brandolino noted: “Home remains a dangerous, and at times, deadly place for too many women and girls. The report reminds us of the need for more effective efforts to prevent femicides and strengthen the response of criminal justice systems.”
According to the report, cases of gender-related killings are recorded in all regions of the world. The highest rate of femicides committed by intimate partners or family members is estimated to be in Africa— 3 cases per 100 thousand women and girls. This is followed by the countries of America (1.5), Oceania (1.4), Asia (0.7) and Europe (0.5).
Although some femicides are committed outside the home environment, data on such cases is still insufficient. To improve monitoring and analysis of information, UN Women and UNODC are working with countries to implement a statistical framework to better identify, record and classify gender-related homicides. Increasing the volume and quality of data, the UN emphasizes, is key to assessing the scale of the problem, developing effective responses and ensuring access to justice.