The United Nations, in a report released to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, highlighted the alarming scale of gender-based violence in 2023. According to the report, a woman or girl was “intentionally” killed every 10 minutes by an intimate partner or family member.
The data reveals that in 2023 alone, approximately 51,100 women and girls worldwide were killed by intimate partners or other family members. This averages to 140 women or girls losing their lives daily at the hands of someone in their family.
The report says that one in three women experience violence in their lifetime.
The report also notes stark gender disparities in private-sphere violence: while 60 percent of female homicides are committed by intimate partners or family members, only 12 percent of male homicides occur in the private sphere.
The report comes as women and girls in Afghanistan face increasing restrictions on their rights by the Taliban. Over the last three years, women and girls are banned from secondary schools and universities in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, women are banned from working in non-governmental organizations. Taliban have also declared women’s voice as forbidden in their new law.
A global crisis
The UN emphasized that gender-based violence is one of the most widespread and underreported human rights violations globally. It also noted that one in three women experiences violence during her lifetime.
Marking November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the UN called for urgent action, stating that the crisis demands accountability and concrete measures.
16 days of activism
The report launches the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign aimed at mobilizing efforts to combat violence against women. This year’s campaign is particularly significant as the world approaches the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, a landmark global framework for gender equality.
The UN urged governments and institutions to strengthen protections for women, ensure accountability for perpetrators, and invest in programs that empower women and girls.
“Every 10 minutes, a woman’s life is taken intentionally—this is a crisis that cannot be ignored,” the UN said, stressing the collective responsibility of individuals, communities, and governments in eradicating gender-based violence.
The organization emphasized that there is “no excuse” for violence against women and girls and called for renewed commitments to create safe and equitable environments for all.
