A total of 47,000 women and girls were killed by their partners or relatives in 2020. One victim every eleven minutes. That’s him "lethal" balance and the complaint made today by the United Nations on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The report "Killings of women and girls by their intimate partners or other family members", prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), highlights that women are the main victims of domestic violence around the world.
The publication collects data from 95 countries on murders committed for gender reasons between October 2019 and December 2020.
Although men are the victims in 81% of all homicides that are committed, when the crime occurs in the home, the statistics turn around.
"Women and girls are the main victims of lethal violence in the home in all parts of the world, accounting for six out of ten murders committed by intimate partners or other relatives.", denounces the director of the UNODC, Ghada Waly.
In this sense, the UN recalls that the murder of women within the family "represents one of the most extreme manifestations of gender violence" and is often the culmination of previous psychological, sexual or physical abuse.
"The situation has not improved over the past decade, even in places where lethal violence has generally decreased"Waly laments in a statement issued today.
All in all, Europe has registered a 13% decrease in murders of women in the private sphere in the last 10 years, while in America it has increased by 9%.
Africa is, for its part, "where women and girls appear to be at higher risk of being killed by their intimate partners or other family members"highlights the report.
Given these data, Waly claims "Urgent and specific actions to empower and protect women and girls, prevent gender-based violence and save lives".
Among these actions, the UN proposes to develop a common statistical framework to measure these murders, invest in prevention, approve specific laws and actions, and guarantee sanctions and trials for the perpetrators of the killings.
"Only a comprehensive approach and long-term commitment can lead to a substantial reduction in gender-related killings", concludes the report.
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