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Femicide Reform Signals Urgent Global Warning
Femicide Reform Signals Urgent Global Warning
Context: Italy’s recent unanimous decision to classify femicide as a distinct criminal offence has reignited global discussions on gender-based killings. What is Femicide?
Definition Of Femicide
- Femicide refers to the intentional killing of women because of their gender, rooted in misogyny, control, and gendered power imbalance. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identifies it as the “most extreme manifestation of violence against women.
- Countries like Italy (2025) have recently recognised it as a distinct offence, acknowledging that such killings are systemic and patterned, not isolated acts.
Why Is Femicide a Concerning Matter?
- High Burden of Gendered Violence: According to UNODC (2022), over 45,000 women worldwide were killed by intimate partners/family members—one woman every 11 minutes.
- Patriarchal Drivers: Structural inequality, male entitlement, and socio-cultural norms create conditions where violence becomes normalised. Case studies like the murder of Giulia Cecchettin in Italy highlight how intimate-partner violence escalates when social norms excuse aggression as “passion.”
- Indian Relevance
- The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB 2022) reports that over 31% of all crimes against women involve cruelty by husbands/relatives—showing similar patterns of gendered control.
- Economic Survey (2022-23) also notes that low female labour force participation and persistent social vulnerability heighten risks of violence.
Does India Have Laws Related to Femicide?
- No Stand-Alone Law, but Multiple Relevant Provisions: India does not explicitly define “femicide,” but related offences are covered through:
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 101 & 105: murder/homicide
- Section 80: dowry death
- Section 85 & 86: cruelty by husband/relatives
- Domestic Violence Act 2005: civil protections
- POCSO Act 2012: for minor victims
- Policy and Institutional Framework
- Nirbhaya Fund and One Stop Centres support survivors.
- National Gender Index (NITI Aayog) highlights persistent gender inequality impacting safety.
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The Source’s Authority and Ownership of the Article is Claimed By THE STUDY IAS BY MANIKANT SINGH
