Human Rights Council – 59^th Session
Item 3: Annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women
Joint Statement delivered on Gender related killings of women and girls also known as Femicide
24 June 2025

Mr. President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of a cross-regional group of 67 states, including my own.

Femicide is the most extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls, constituting a grave violation of their human rights including their right to life. Although the majority of femicides are perpetrated by an intimate partner or family member, they also take place in many contexts beyond the domestic sphere, including by someone unknown to the victim, or connected with armed conflict, gangs, human trafficking and other forms of organized crime.

Femicide is driven by gender-based discrimination, unequal power relations between women and men, gender stereotypes, deeply rooted patriarchal norms and harmful social norms. The fact that 1 woman or girl are killed every 10 minutes, is quite alarming.

Although there have been positive developments, real change remains slow. We encourage states to take effective, informed, comprehensive and timely measures to prevent, investigate, prosecute, and punish femicide in a manner that is commensurate with the gravity of the crime. Adequate psychosocial support, protection and accessible legal aid, should also be made available for the families of victims. We also call on states to strengthen data collection and reporting on femicide, given its importance in the establishment of preventive measures.

Moreover, it is important that we enhance international, regional, and bilateral cooperation, including through technical assistance, capacity-building, and the sharing of good practices, to assist in preventing and addressing femicides.

In this regard, we urge states to ensure that their response to femicides is consistent with their international human rights obligations.

I thank you.

List of signatories:

1. Cyprus
2. Albania
3. Chile
4. Iceland
5. Panama
6. Lithuania
7. Monaco
8. Costa Rica
9. ⁠Malta
10. ⁠N. Macedonia
11. ⁠Greece
12. Georgia
13. Liechtenstein
14. ⁠Paraguay
15. ⁠UK
16. ⁠Serbia
17. ⁠Norway
18. ⁠India
19. Montenegro
20. ⁠Czechia
21. ⁠Belgium
22. ⁠Mongolia
23. ⁠Romania
24. ⁠Mauritius
25. ⁠Slovenia
26. ⁠France
27. ⁠Latvia
28. ⁠Spain
29. ⁠Slovakia
30. South Africa
31. ⁠Estonia
32. ROK
33. Moldova
34. ⁠Poland
35. Colombia
36. ⁠Austria
37. Peru
38. ⁠Luxembourg
39. ⁠Brazil
40. ⁠Netherlands
41. ⁠Japan
42. ⁠Hungary
43. ⁠Australia
44. ⁠Sweden
45. ⁠Croatia
46. ⁠Italy
47. Portugal
48. ⁠Finland
49. Bolivia
50. Uruguay
51. Ecuador
52. ⁠China
53. ⁠Ukraine
54. ⁠Canada
55. Guatemala
56. ⁠Armenia
57. NZ
58. ⁠Denmark
59. ⁠Ireland
60. ⁠Namibia
61. ⁠Maldives
62. Cabo Verde
63. ⁠Mexico
64. Honduras
65. ⁠Ethiopia
66. ⁠Marshall islands
67. Andorra