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Recently, Italy passed a landmark law formally recognisingfemicide as a separate criminal offence, making life imprisonment the mandatory punishment for gender-motivated killings of women.

Femicide: Concept, Legal Recognition & Global Context

Femicide refers to the intentional killing of women and girls because of their gender. It is regarded as one of the most extreme forms of gender-based violence (GBV) and reflects deep-rooted patriarchal discrimination and control over women.

What is Femicide?

According to UN frameworks, femicide includes gender-related killings committed by:

1. Intimate partners (current or former)
2. Family members (including relatives by marriage or adoption)
3. Other perpetrators, where gender is a primary motive

Femicide is distinct from general homicide because the victim’s gender is central to the motive, often linked to control, honour, jealousy, or refusal to accept autonomy.

Why Recognise Femicide as a Separate Crime?

Countries that legislate specifically on femicide argue that:

• It highlights systemic gender discrimination
• Helps improve data collection and crime classification
• Enables targeted policy and prevention strategies
• Signals stronger state acknowledgment of gender-based violence

Without separate recognition, such crimes may be treated as ordinary homicide, masking the structural gender dimension.

Italy’s Femicide Law

• Italy recently amended its criminal law to explicitly recognise femicide
• Life imprisonment is mandated for killings proven to be gender-motivated
• The law was passed with broad political support
• It follows public outrage over high-profile murders of women, particularly cases involving:
  • Former partners
  • Patterns of harassment and coercive control

Italy joins a small group of countries with dedicated femicide laws.

Countries with Specific Femicide Laws

• Examples include:Mexico, Chile, Cyprus, Morocco, North Macedonia, Türkiye, Gabon, and Italy (latest addition)
• Many other countries do not define femicide separately but may treat gender as an aggravating factor during sentencing.

Global Situation

• UN reports indicate that tens of thousands of women each year are killed by intimate partners or family members
• However, data gaps remain because many countries do not classify or report femicide separately
• Researchers link femicide to:
  • Patriarchal norms
  • Gender inequality
  • Weak protection mechanisms
  • Social tolerance of domestic violence

Debates Around Femicide Laws

Some legal experts argue that:

• Broad definitions may create challenges in proving gender motive
• Laws must be supported by:
  • Strong policing and investigation
  • Victim protection systems
  • Social awareness campaigns

Legal reform alone may not be sufficient without institutional and cultural change.

India’s Position

India does not recognise femicide as a separate legal category, but has several laws addressing gender-based violence and harmful practices:

• Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
• Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
• National Commission for Women Act, 1990
• Specific provisions under IPC/CrPC related to dowry death, cruelty, and sexual offences

In India, gender may act as a contextual or aggravating factor, but homicide laws are not separately classified as femicide.

Related International Observance

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

• Observed on 25 November
• Designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999
• Aims to raise awareness about violence against women and girls (VAWG)