UN report: A girl is killed every 10 minutes by a partner or family member

A new UN report has revealed that every 10 minutes, a girl is killed by her partner or a member of her own family.

The report, ‘Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years after Beijing,’ highlights growing threats to women and girls worldwide, citing increased discrimination, weaker legal protections, and declining support for gender equality programmes.

“In conflict and crisis-affected countries, progress on gender equality has regressed or moved forward at marginal rates. Health services to fulfil fundamental rights have increasingly come under deliberate attack,” the report states.

It also points to a surge in conflict-related sexual violence.

According to the report, digital technology and artificial intelligence contribute to the spread of harmful stereotypes, while the digital gender gap continues to limit opportunities for women.

Over the past decade, the number of women and girls living in conflict zones has risen by 50 per cent. Women’s rights defenders also face daily harassment, personal attacks, and even death.

Recent global crises such as Covid-19, climate change, and rising food and fuel prices—have worsened the situation, increasing the urgency for action.

Gender equality

UN Secretary-General António Guterres says gender equality benefits everyone, yet women’s rights remain under attack.

“Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we’re seeing the mainstreaming of misogyny,” Guterres says.

“Together, we must stand firm in making human rights, equality, and empowerment a reality for all women and girls, for everyone, everywhere,” he adds.

UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to ensuring all women and girls enjoy their rights and freedoms.

“Complex challenges stand in the way of gender equality and women’s empowerment, but we remain steadfast, pushing forward with ambition and resolve. Women and girls are demanding change and they deserve nothing less,” she says.

In 1995, 189 governments adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark agenda for gender equality.

Now, 30 years later, progress has been made in some areas. The report notes that gender parity has been achieved in girls’ education, maternal mortality has dropped by a third, and women’s representation in parliaments has more than doubled.

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Countries have also enacted 1,531 legal reforms to remove discriminatory laws since 1995.

Despite these advancements, the UN warns that women’s rights are still under threat, and urgent efforts are needed to protect and advance gender equality worldwide.

Kenya is grappling with an alarming surge in gender-based violence (GBV), with a reported 7,107 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) since September 2023.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia in November last year announced that the country had witnessed a grim rise in femicide, with 100 women murdered between August and November 2024.

As reported, Nairobi County recorded the highest number of SGBV cases, while Samburu and Mandera counties reported the lowest.