Femicide is the intentional killing of a woman or girl because of her gender.

Core idea

Femicide is a specific type of homicide where gender is a key reason for the killing, such as killings driven by misogyny, control, or punishment of women for not conforming to expected roles. It is often described as the most extreme form on a continuum of violence against women and girls.

Common forms

Femicide can include:

• Killings by current or former intimate partners.

• “Honor” killings, dowry-related killings, and deaths linked to harmful practices like female genital mutilation.

• Killings targeting women and girls because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or because they are indigenous or otherwise marginalized.

Why it is named separately

Many international bodies and feminist organizations use the term to highlight that these murders are rooted in unequal power relations and gender-based discrimination, not just individual conflict. Some countries now recognize femicide as a distinct crime in law to better track, prevent, and punish such killings.