UN femicide report says home is the most dangerous place for women

It is meant to be a safe space, but the United Nations said in a sobering report published on Monday that the deadliest place for women is at home.

The UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime found that in 2023, 140 women and girls died every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative.

That meant one woman was killed every 10 minutes.

The report was released as people around the world marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

At a march in Lima, activist Rocio Silva said women in Peru are angry for many different reasons.

“The first, is that we have a woman president in the country who is totally functional to the patriarchy. She doesn't care about gender violence or other issues linked to women.”

In the Italian capital, Rome, demonstrator Elisabetta Girolami said many people took to the street to say “no” to patriarchy and to reaffirm the culture of consent.

“Everything that is not ‘yes’ in relationships between people is rape. This must be reaffirmed not only today but every day of the year, “ she said.

The report found Africa has the highest number killings by a partner or family member, with an estimated 21,700 victims out of the 51,100.

Africa also had the highest number of victims relative to the size of its population — 2.9 victims per 100,000 people.

The UN said, however, that no region is excluded.

There were also high rates last year in the Americas with 1.6 female victims per 100,000 and in Oceania with 1.5 per 100,000, it said. Rates were significantly lower in Asia and Europe.

Despite the high numbers, it said the lack of consistent and comprehensive data remains a significant challenge.

The report said that despite efforts to prevent the killing of women and girls by countries, their killings “remain at alarmingly high levels”.

“They are often the culmination of repeated episodes of gender-based violence, which means they are preventable through timely and effective interventions,” the two agencies said.

In his address on the international day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said this violence against women “shames humanity”

The UN said the report highlights the urgent need for strong criminal justice systems that hold perpetrators accountable, while ensuring adequate support for survivors.