The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women highlighted startling insights in a report titled “Gender-related killings of women and girls” (femicide/feminicide) released recently. The study demonstrated an increase in gender-related killings of women and girls in 2022, indicating an escalating global crisis. This article unpacks the key takeaways from this report, delving into the troubling reality of femicides and exploring the pattern of these violent occurrences worldwide.
Understanding Femicide/Feminicide
Femicide, or feminicide, is defined as the deliberate killing of women or girls simply because they are female. This gender-based crime stems from deeply entrenched societal attitudes and discrimination against women. Unlike homicide, femicide specifically targets individuals based on their gender, often in instances where women fall victim to their partners, family members, or individuals driven by misogyny, gender-based violence, or cultural beliefs that devalue women.
Key Highlights of the Study
According to the recent study, approximately 89,000 women and girls worldwide were intentionally killed in 2022, marking the highest annual count recorded in the past two decades. Although overall global homicides started to drop in 2022, the number of female homicides did not decrease.
Perpetrator-Victim Disparity
The study also revealed that women are more likely to be victims of intimate partner or family-related homicides compared to men. While males constituted the majority of global homicide victims (80% in 2022), women and girls bore the brunt of domestic violence, accounting for about 53% of all in-home killings and 66% of intimate partner homicides.
Continental Trends in Femicide
In terms of geographical trends, Africa reported the highest number of intimate partner or family-related homicides of women in 2022, surpassing Asia for the first time in 13 years. Despite reporting fewer cases, the Americas documented relatively higher rates of femicides per 100,000 female population.
Regional Variations and Recent Changes
Interestingly, Africa emerged as the region with the highest number of femicide victims in absolute terms in 2022, with about 20,000 victims. Furthermore, Africa also had the highest number of victims relative to its female population size (2.8 victims per 100,000 women). Meanwhile, Europe registered a decrease in the number of female intimate partner or family-related homicides by 21% on average between 2010 and 2022. However, this overall decrease was marred by setbacks observed in Western and Southern Europe since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020.
India-Specific Insights
On the Indian front, there has been a slight decline in gender-based killings over the past decade, but serious issues persist. Dowry-related deaths, honor killings, and witchcraft accusations continue to plague the nation. Dowry-related reasons topped the list as the leading cause of gender-related deaths in India, with honor killings and witchcraft-related murders forming a smaller but still concerning percentage.
About the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Established in 1997, the UNODC acts as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. It was renamed as the UNODC in 2002, merging the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and the Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Division of the United Nations Office at Vienna.
