UN Report: 85,000 Women and Girls Killed Globally in 2023, 60% by Intimate Partners or Family Members

A new United Nations report reveals that approximately 85,000 women and girls were intentionally killed worldwide in 2023, with 60 percent of these homicides committed by intimate partners or family members. This statistic means that one woman was killed every 10 minutes by those closest to her. The report, released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, highlights the global scale of femicide.

Africa recorded the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicide, followed by the Americas and Oceania. UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly emphasized the urgent need for robust criminal justice systems to hold perpetrators accountable and provide adequate support for survivors. She also called for efforts to challenge and dismantle the gender biases and harmful norms that perpetuate violence against women.Top of Form