A new United Nations report has revealed that a woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes worldwide, underscoring the lack of global progress in combating gender-based killings.
The findings were released on Monday to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The 2025 femicide report, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and UN Women, found that an estimated 83,000 women and girls were deliberately killed in 2024. Nearly 60 percent of these victims, about 50,000 individuals, were murdered by intimate partners or family members.
According to the UN, this means a woman or girl is killed by someone close to her almost every 10 minutes. By contrast, only 11 percent of male homicides were committed by partners or relatives.
“The home remains a dangerous and sometimes lethal place for too many women and girls around the world,” said John Brandolino, acting executive director of UNODC. He added that the new brief highlights the urgent need for stronger prevention strategies and more effective criminal justice responses.
The report also warns that technology is amplifying violence through cyberstalking, coercive online control and image-based abuse. These digital threats can escalate into physical violence and, in some cases, femicide.
“Femicides do not happen in isolation. They often sit on a continuum of violence that can start with controlling behavior, threats, and harassment, including online,” said Sarah Hendriks, director of UN Women’s policy division.
The UN noted that severe violence against women and girls is occurring in every region. Africa recorded the highest femicide rate in 2024 at three per 100,000 women and girls, followed by the Americas, Oceania, Asia, and Europe.
The report calls for urgent and coordinated global action across six priority areas, including stronger legal protections, survivor-centered support services, and tighter firearm controls.
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