This session will look at gender-related killings (femicide), the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls.

Despite decades of activism from women’s rights organisations and global awareness raising, evidence shows that progress in stopping such violence has been deeply inadequate. Femicide has become a social crisis. Gender-based killings are prevalent in every country – the UN has reported data from every continent. Women in the public eye, particularly women human rights defenders, politicians and journalists are often targets of intentional violence on and offline. Femicide is not inevitable and can be prevented by tackling social norms, engaging with communities and supporting the police to adopt gender-responsive policing. The implementation of such initiatives must happen now, to prevent the femicide crisis intensifying.