Disturbing new data from the United Nations reveals that approximately 50,000 women and girls were killed by an intimate partner or family member in 2024 alone, a statistic that underscores a deadly lack of global progress in addressing gender-based violence.

According to a 2025 femicide report released Monday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women, a woman or girl is killed by someone she knows nearly every 10 minutes. The report, timed to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, found that of the 83,000 women and girls intentionally killed in 2024, nearly 60% died at the hands of a partner or relative.

"The home remains a dangerous and sometimes lethal place for too many women and girls around the world," said John Brandolino, UNODC's acting executive director.

The report starkly highlights the gendered nature of these killings. In contrast, only 11% of male homicides were perpetrated by intimate partners or family members.

"The 2025 femicide brief provides a stark reminder of the need for better prevention strategies and criminal justice responses to femicide," Brandolino added.

The study also pointed to technology as an aggravating factor in violence against women. Cyberstalking, coercive control, and image-based abuse were identified as potential risk factors that can escalate into physical violence and, in some cases, femicide.

"Femicides don't 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 crisis is global, with women and girls subjected to extreme violence in every region. A regional breakdown showed Africa had the highest femicide rate in 2024, with 3 killings per 100,000 women and girls. The Americas followed with 1.5, then Oceania with 1.4, Asia with 0.7, and Europe with the lowest rate of 0.5.

In response to the findings, the UN is calling for "urgent, coordinated prevention." The report specifies six key areas for action, including strengthening legal frameworks, improving services for survivors, and implementing firearm restrictions.