Femicides in 2023: Global estimates of intimate partner/family member femicides

Violence against women and girls is the most pervasive human rights violation. The gender-related killings of women and girls (femicides/feminicides) are the most extreme form of violence against women and girls, and they are often the outcome of prior forms of violence perpetrated against them within their homes.

With the aim of galvanizing global action against this crime, UNODC and UN Women are publishing this third joint publication with global estimates of gender-related killings of women and girls by an intimate partner or family member, with new data for 2023. The gender-related killings of women and girls are preventable, but available evidence shows that there has been too little progress. The context in which intimate partner violence can escalate into a killing has been widely studied, and the main risk factors that can be addressed to prevent femicides have been identified.

This report highlights some regions and countries of the world that have recorded a slight decrease in the number of femicides, hence contributing to global knowledge of how to effectively prevent femicides. The report reveals that the number of countries reporting on femicides has decreased by 50 per cent in the past five years. And yet, it is only by ensuring that every victim is counted, that we can ensure that perpetrators are held to account and justice is served. And it is by improving understanding of all types of gender-related killings of women and girls, that we can strengthen prevention and improve responses.