Africa recorded the highest rates of intimate partner and family-related femicides in 2023, according to the latest United Nations report.
The report by UN Women highlighted that globally, 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally last year.
However, 51,000 women and girls were killed by their intimate partners in 2023. Out of these femicide cases, 21,700 were reported in Africa, 18,500 in Asia, America recorded 8,300, Europe reported 2,300 while Oceana had 300 incidents.
The figures show an increase in the cases as compared to 48,800 femicides reported globally in 2022.
“The 2023 figure means that 60 percent of the almost 85,000 women and girls killed intentionally during the year were murdered by their intimate partners or other family members,” read part of the UN report.
According to the report, 140 women and girls die every day globally at the hands of their partners or close relatives.
Meanwhile, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said killing of women by intimate partners has worsened.
At the same time, the National Police Service stated that 97 femicide cases were reported in the last three months alone, underscoring the magnitude of the crisis in Kenya.
In addition, Kirinyaga governor Anne Waiguru has called for the formation of a special police unit within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to combat the escalating cases of femicide in the country.
She mentioned that the unit within the structure of DCI will help in tackling and putting an end to the murders of women.
As Kenya observes the 16 Days of Gender Activism, Waiguru stressed that the country should not be witnessing an increase in femicide or gender-based violence.
