A new United Nations report highlights a tragic reality: Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed somewhere in the world. Source: NCR Online.
Over the past year, approximately 50,000 women were victims of femicide, 60 per cent of whom were killed by partners or relatives. By comparison, only 11 per cent of male homicide victims were killed by family members. Gender inequality and misogyny remain key drivers.
On average, 137 women are murdered each day. Although slightly lower than in 2023, this number is influenced by uneven reporting across countries. No region has been spared, and Africa again recorded the highest number, with around 22,000 victims last year.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was observed on November 25. The day also launched the 16-day UNITE campaign, which ends on December 10, International Human Rights Day.
This 2025 campaign has as its theme “End Digital Violence against Women and Girls” and calls on governments to end impunity through laws that penalise it and technology companies to ensure the safety of platforms and remove harmful content.
The campaign also urges “individuals to speak out, support survivors and challenge harmful online norms.”
The UN report notes that technological development has also contributed to new forms of violence.
These include nonconsensual sharing of images and information, doxxing and deepfake videos created using artificial intelligence. Automated harassment and coordinated hate campaigns target women of all ages.
More than 38 per cent of women are estimated to have experienced online violence, while 85 per cent have witnessed abuse directed at other women on digital platforms.
“It is very important for us to raise awareness,” said Maryknoll Sister Abby Avelino, the Rome-based international coordinator of Talitha Kum, the global, sister-led network against human trafficking.
Digital violence, she explained, is increasingly widespread, and the online world is now a major site of exploitation.
Sr Abby noted that members of the network gathered online on November 25 to reflect on the impact of war and conflict on gender-based violence.
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UN report: Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed somewhere in the world (By Beatrice Guarrera, OSV News)
