140 women killed on average by partner or relative per day in 2023: UN

Home remains the deadliest place for women, with an average of 140 women and girls being killed each day by an intimate partner or family member in 2023, according to a report released on Monday by two UN agencies.

The report, issued by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, states that approximately 51,100 women and girls were killed by an intimate partner or family member worldwide in 2023, up from around 48,800 victims in 2022.

The report, published on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, clarified that the increase in numbers was primarily due to improved data availability rather than a rise in killings.

However, both agencies emphasised that this form of gender-based violence affects women and girls everywhere, with no region untouched. The report reaffirmed that "the home is the most dangerous place for women and girls."

Africa recorded the highest number of intimate partner and family-related killings, with an estimated 21,700 victims in 2023. The continent also had the highest rate of such deaths relative to its population, with 2.9 victims per 100,000 people.

The Americas and Oceania also had high rates, with 1.6 female victims per 100,000 in the Americas and 1.5 per 100,000 in Oceania. In contrast, Asia and Europe had significantly lower rates, at 0.8 and 0.6 victims per 100,000, respectively.

The report highlighted that in Europe and the Americas, most women killed within the private sphere are victims of intimate partners, while male homicides tend to occur outside of homes and families.

It further noted that while men and boys represent the majority of homicide victims overall, women and girls remain disproportionately affected by lethal violence within the family. Nearly 60% of all women intentionally killed in 2023 were victims of intimate partner or family member homicide, despite women making up only 20% of all homicide victims.

Despite efforts to prevent violence against women, the report expressed concern that such killings continue to occur at "alarmingly high levels." The agencies stressed that these deaths are often the result of repeated gender-based violence and could be prevented through timely and effective interventions.