As reported in the New York Times, ABC News, and other media outlets, Femicide in Africa has risen in frequency since 2022. In Kenya  there are already being 30 plus counts of femicide just in January of this year. The year 2023 had highest number of total intentional female homicides (femicide), showing that the world leaders are failing half of the population by not taking action to prevent femicide. This recent rise in femicide is why action addressing femicide is pertinent. Femicide is not only located in Africa, but also an epidemic affecting the population worldwide. 

In 2021 there were 45,000 instances of femicide with the continent of Africa making up 38.22% of the total, according to a 2022 UN Women brief. And in 2022 there was an estimated 89,000 counts of femicide globally, a number that is twice as large as the previous year, with 48,800 women having been murdered by an intimate partner or family member. That is 137 women everyday being killed by either partners or male relatives. Femicide is killing women solely because they are women, with no other apparent motivation other than hatred, contempt, and power. 

In 2013, the UN General Assembly passed the 68/191 resolution, yet this has not done anything to prevent the rising numbers of femicide. Further, in a UN press release from November (2023), it is stated that nearly 89,000 women were killed as counts of femicide, the highest yearly number in the past twenty years. And as homicide rates worldwide drop, femicide rates increase. 

As of data from 2022, Africa has the highest rate of gender-based killings in the world with an estimated 20,000 counts of femicide, though it should be noted that these numbers may be much higher. This is to say that while femicide is proving to be an increasing global issue, it is impacting the continent of Africa more severely, and especially Kenya in this current year. Per 100,000 people, 2.8 women were killed in Africa because of femicide, whereas that number is significantly less in the Americas (1.5 per 100,000) and Asia (0.8 per 100,000). These numbers are extremely high yet are most likely only a fraction of the true number as a majority of femicide cases go unreported or are not classified as femicide or homicide. In fact, 44 % of African women have reported that they have experienced gender-based violence, this is almost half the female population, further supporting that this is a systemic issue. The police aren’t even supporting the victims, and the governments are involved in creating institutions that perpetuate victim blaming. Further, Africa’s economic decline in the past 30 years has only left African women in a worse state. 

Without acting now femicide is most likely to continue the trend of the past three years and only worsen and could wipe out an entire generation, or it could destabilize countries which would then lead to more conflict. Femicide aside, Women are already the most vulnerable according to Dr. Emily Sample. She concludes that women are the most trafficked, disproportionally affected by climate change and drought, not as able to migrate and are the most likely to sexually exploited in times of conflict (Making up 86% of those sexually exploited in times of conflict). And when you add in being murdered solely for being a woman you are met with circumstances that make it impossible for women to feel safe enough to exist in our world. This is my plea to you that action needs to be taken. Gender based violence has been normalized and accepted because of the lack of action from the international community and a lack of accountability of the perpetrators. 

So, what do we do? First, we need to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women on a global scale to lay down legally binding standards that protect women globally. Second, we need to increase women peacekeepers, currently there are no active peace keeping missions in Kenya. This needs to change. Further, since we are dealing with a gender-based conflict that is an extremely sensitive topic, we need more women in peacekeeping, and currently women make up only 8% of the UN peacekeeping operations.

Women are essential when dealing with femicide because the survivors of gender-based violence are more likely to turn to a fellow woman for support rather than a man. Third, we need to alter Resolution 68/191 to be legally binding and introduces legislation condemning femicide. This resolution uses extremely vague language and does not provide the grounds to bring justice, thus we need to amend the resolution and use stronger language. This resolution was adopted in 2013 but femicide has only worsened so this resolution is not having its intended effect. Fourth, on a community level we need to engage communities in a zero-tolerance policy for violence against women to combat social norms that normalize femicide. Fifth, we need to strengthen the financial support to women’s rights organizations so that we can prevent femicide with survivor centered support and protection, as well as early intervention. Governments must “invest in institutions that are more inclusive and well-equipped to end impunity, strengthen prevention, and help victims, from frontline responders to the judiciary, to end the violence before it is too late.” This includes creating safe spaces because many women feel that they cannot talk about gender-based violence and those that do speak out may be further subjected to gender based violence because they spoke out. We also need to support those who cannot leave, and support for those who leave but then are left with nothing (i.e. Building more women’s shelters)

To conclude, action needs to be taken, it is a steep path but one that must be taken to ensure that women can exist in our world without constant fear that they may be subjected to gender based violence.

Adelaide Howell is a rising junior at American University where she is majoring in international studies with a focus on peace and conflict resolution as well as human rights. She grew up in Hong Kong where she was able to travel all around Asia which inspired her interest in international relations and human rights.