Femicide is an ultimate form of violence against women and girls, which takes place in every country, and its root causes lie in gender inequality, misogyny, heightened militarization, power imbalances, and various forms of institutionalized discrimination. For decades, feminist movements in SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) countries have been sounding the alarm about the growing rates of femicide, urging governments to take decisive and meaningful action to end the murder of women.
The indifference of many governments and lawmakers toward comprehensively addressing violence against women, the absence of robust protective laws, and the existence of laws that facilitate the killings of women or reduce the punishment for the perpetrators , have, in recent years, led to what can only be described as a pandemic across the region.
The interplay of culture and religion, which often justifies and excuses violent crimes against women, including the killing of women on the basis of honor, the shrinking of civic space and criminalization of civic activism and feminist interventions, authoritarian rule, rise in fundamentalisms, widespread conflict and occupation have resulted in pushback against women’s rights, their achievements and feminist movements, increasing the violence women face on a daily basis in this region. In fact, this period can aptly be labeled as one of the deadliest periods for women in the SWANA region.
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In Iran, the killing of Mansoureh Ghadiri Javid, a seasoned journalist, by her lawyer husband in Tehran on November 12th, 2024, sent shock waves through Iranian civil society. This tragedy occurred just two days after another femicide was reported in Mashhad, where a man killed his wife with an axe for refusing sexual relations. Once again, this raised the question as to why there is no comprehensive legal measure to protect women against violence, despite a bill being put forth over twelve years ago.
Official statistics reveal that femicide in Iran is on the rise. In July 2024, Etemad newspaper reported that, in the first three months of the year alone (April to June 2024), at least 85 women in Iran were killed by close male relatives, including husbands, fathers, and brothers. In Turkey, where women’s rights activists have long struggled to protect women from violence, the organization “We Will Stop Femicide” reported its highest number of monthly femicides in history in October 2024. This record included 48 femicides and 23 suspicious deaths, with 54% of the victims killed in their homes and 40% murdered by their husbands. According to the organization, from January to September 2024, 295 murders of women by men and 184 suspicious deaths were recorded, adding to a decade-long toll of over 3,000 women killed by men. In 2021, Turkey withdrew from the Istanbul Convention—a critical international treaty aimed at combating violence against women—under the pretext that it promoted “unacceptable” values. This has effectively placed millions of women and girls in the country at higher risk of violence, including femicide.
In Lebanon, 2023 saw a significant surge in femicides, with 29 women killed—a 300% increase from the 11 cases reported in 2022. A new bill was proposed earlier this year by reformist MPs, who worked in collaboration with local feminist NGOs, with the aim of eliminating discrimination against women in Lebanon’s laws, which place severe constraints on those who are trying to escape abusive relationships.
Similarly, Jordan witnessed a 94% increase in familial homicides in 2022, with reports revealing 35 women and children killed by close relatives. Human Rights Watch reported that while Jordan has implemented some legal reforms, Article 340 of its penal code still permits reduced sentences for men who kill women relatives, perpetuating a culture of impunity for murder and other crimes committed and justified in the name of “honor.”
The ongoing conflict in Syria has further intensified the risks of femicide, with the Women’s Coordination in the Autonomous Administration reporting 25 femicides in northeastern Syria in 2023, including murders committed in the name of “honor.” However, many incidents go unreported due to families hiding crimes out of shame or fear of social repercussions.
In Tunisia, the Ministry of Women, Family, and Seniors reported that femicides rose from six cases in 2018 to 23 in 2023, indicating a significant rise over five years, with 71% of the victims killed by their spouses. The economic vulnerability of many women in Tunisia, combined with the lack of protective legislation, has further compounded their risk of violence.
In Egypt, the Edraak Foundation for Development and Equality reported 165 femicides in 2020, and the ongoing trend of violence against women remains an issue amid increased state pressures on women’s groups and activists. The report also highlights that 52.17% of the victims were married women, with 71% of femicides perpetrated by their spouses. Additionally, it notes that 51% of the women victims were economically dependent, underscoring the intersection of economic vulnerability and gender-based violence.
In Iraq, historical data shows a femicide rate of three per 100,000 women as of 2013, with Kurdish regions recording particularly high rates of forced suicides and murders committed and justified in the name of “honor” . The tragic death of Doski Azad, a transgender woman in Iraq, drew attention to the compounded risks that transgender individuals face in the region.
Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, violence against women, including femicide, has surged. According to Open-source investigators at the Centre for Information Resilience’s Afghan Witness project, 332 women have been killed by men since the Taliban takeover.
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Alarmingly, across the region, space for civic activism is shrinking. Women’s rights organizations—often the primary advocates for law reform, adoption of protective measures and providers of care for femicide victims—face escalating pressures from state and security apparatuses. Civic space is under constant threat, with organizations being shut down, activists harassed, interrogated, and, in extreme cases, detained and charged with national security violations. This hostile environment has left a void in support for women facing violence, compounding the impact of femicide on society.
Femena calls on governments in the SWANA region to urgently address the longstanding demands of women’s groups to adopt comprehensive laws that tackle gender-based violence. These laws must include measures that hold perpetrators fully accountable for their crimes. Governments must also ensure that women and girls have access to essential support services, including shelters, legal aid, mental health resources, and justice mechanisms to safeguard their rights.
In partnership with women’s organizations and movements, governments must take immediate steps to end all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls. Regional and international organizations, including the United Nations, should bolster these efforts by facilitating international cooperation to end impunity and ensure that women’s rights are consistently upheld.
Key recommendations include:
- Adopting Comprehensive Legislation: Governments must draft and implement robust laws against femicide and gender-based violence, ensuring that these laws provide clear definitions, penalties, and protections. These laws should prohibit leniency for so-called “honor” crimes and recognize femicide as a distinct criminal offense.
- Establishing Protective Measures and Support Services: Governments need to provide accessible support systems for women facing violence. This includes establishing shelters, hotlines, legal aid, and mental health services that can offer immediate assistance to survivors. Additionally, support for economic independence initiatives for women would help mitigate the cycle of violence linked to economic vulnerability.
- Facilitating and Supporting Civil Society Efforts: Women’s organizations are invaluable in advocating for victims, providing support, and challenging harmful societal norms. Governments must ensure that these organizations can operate freely and safely without fear of persecution, harassment, or shutdown.
- Awareness Raising through the Media: The media can play a critical role in promoting awareness among the public, breaking negative stereotypes and beliefs that promote sexual and gender based violence and femicide. Media outlets should support the work of women’s groups by amplifying the perspectives of WHRDs and feminists and highlighting the critical work women’s groups are doing to prevent SGBV and femicide. Awareness and Education Campaigns: Educational programs and public awareness campaigns are crucial in transforming attitudes toward women and challenging the acceptance of violence. These programs should aim to dismantle harmful gender norms and promote gender equality within communities.
- Data Collection and Transparency: Accurate data on femicide and violence against women is essential to understand and address the crisis effectively. Governments should establish systems for recording and reporting cases of femicide and other forms of gender-based violence to guide policy and measure progress.
- International Collaboration and Accountability: Regional cooperation is essential in the fight against femicide. International bodies, including the United Nations and the European Union, should work with governments and women’s organizations in the MENA region to develop and enforce gender rights agreements and protocols.
Toward this end, it is critical that the UN and member states actively work to prevent the further erosion of public trust in international human rights mechanisms, by ensuring consistency in the application of human rights law and standards, especially as it relates to Palestine. The loss of legitimacy of human rights systems and the double standards of some Western governments is contributing to a loss of legitimacy and backlash against women’s movements, who have relied on the UN and western allies in their advocacy efforts on behalf of women’s rights.
Femena urges policymakers at the national and international levels to not only hear these recommendations but to act swiftly and decisively to implement changes that will protect women and girls from violence. A comprehensive approach to change must be implemented that addresses the structural inequalities that are the underlying causes of femicide__ which include entrenched gender inequalities and systemic discrimination, misogyny, and heightened militarization, amongst other factors. Governments must work alongside the international community as well as local women’s rights groups who are the key experts and knowledge holders on women’s conditions and their emergent needs. It is only through a coordinated and committed effort that the effects of femicide in the region can be curtailed, and women’s rights can be safeguarded for future generations.