The 2023 report from the United Nations Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), titled "Femicides in 2023: Global Estimates of Intimate Partner/Family Member Femicides," highlights that femicide—the most extreme form of violence against women and girls—remains a global issue.According to the report, every ten minutes, a woman is killed by an intimate partner or family member.

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"Globally, 85,000 women and girls were intentionally killed in 2023. Of these, 60 percent—51,100—were killed by an intimate partner or family member. The data shows that 140 women and girls are killed every day by their partner or a close relative, which means one woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes," the report states.

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The report also reveals that Africa recorded the highest number of femicide cases in 2023, followed by Europe and the Americas."In 2023, Africa recorded the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicide, followed by the Americas and Oceania.

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In Europe and the Americas, most women killed in the domestic sphere—64 percent and 58 percent, respectively—were victims of intimate partners, while elsewhere, family members were the primary perpetrators," it adds.

address this issue, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous has called for stronger laws and greater accountability from governments worldwide."Violence against women and girls is not

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inevitable—it is preventable. We need robust legislation, improved data collection, greater government accountability, a zero-tolerance culture, and increased funding for women’s rights organisations and institutional bodies," she emphasized.Meanwhile, femicide continues to be a major issue in Nigeria, fuelled by deeply rooted patriarchal beliefs and cultural pressures.

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Between July 2023 and June 2024, the country recorded 52 cases of women being killed.Ghana faces a similar challenge, with over 100 women murdered by male partners between 2021 and 2023. The Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) is calling on the government and law enforcement agencies to collaborate in addressing this concerning trend.

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