“Femicide is a global tragedy of pandemic proportions,” says Morris Tidball-Binz, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions. In a press release on 23 October, the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights publicised Tidball-Binz’s recent report to the UN General Assembly, dated July 2023, which affirms that “every year, tens of thousands of women and girls are killed worldwide because of their gender.” The report focuses on the importance of the investigation of femicide as a means of addressing impunity, providing justice to victims and their families, and contributing to prevention, including a definition of the term feminicide[1], which refers to an intentional killing with a gender-related motivation and with the involvement, impunity, or inaction of the State.

PSI’s World Women’s Committee (WOC) decided in 2022 to keep the flame burning every 25 November to raise awareness and highlight the critical position of states, including their public services, in the prevention, treatment, and reparation of the harm of feminicide. Tidball-Binz’s report provides momentum for the international community to move forward.

“States and their public services are critical to the prevention, treatment, and reparation of the harm of feminicide”, said Gloria Mills, PSI WOC President.

Economic violence is often made invisible and ignored in the political debate. A weak financial situation reduces the individual's freedom of action. Economic equality is a prerequisite for women to build their financial independence and self-confidence. Ensuring equal pay for work of equal value and counteracting the subordinate position of women in the labour market are important tools for combating violence against women. In the framework of the international responsibility that states have for due diligence, we highlight the importance of coordination between all state powers, including national and local administrations, the parliament, the police, and judiciary systems. Nevertheless, it is also essential to bring together and consult with civil society organisations: feminist and trade union movements, including public services unions, have a fundamental role to play.

PSI President Britta Lejon points out that, "the work of employers, states, and trade unions, for equality in the labour market increases women's opportunity to live independent lives and the conditions to leave violent relationships. A fundamental aspect for  PSI." 

Combating feminicide needs coherence between public policies and the action of public services. As public services unions, we have organising and mobilising power in the key sectors and institutions that need to respond and align, which include health, education, and social services. PSI and affiliates can use collective bargaining and social dialogue to arm our struggle – we need to act now. PSI General Secretary Daniel Bertossa pointed out that “We must mobilise and act now to combat feminicides using collective bargaining and social dialogue to align public policies and the action of public services.

The European Institute for Gender Equality has stated that there is no standard definition of femicide among EU member states or worldwide. This prevents its measurement; the figures are hidden among general homicide data. Cases of feminicide are even less visible, even in Latin America where the term is more commonly used by the feminist movement. It’s time for action. Public service women workers and the PSI World Women's Committee are faced with the challenge of winning for society what we have already won for the world of work through the most progressive international labour standard, ILO Convention 190. We need our power as unions and women to transfer more strength to coalitions that can join forces to stop this scourge.

Further consultation resources:

Femi(ni)cide Watch Platform

Model Law on the Prevention, Punishment, and Eradication of the Gender-Related Killing of Women and Girls (Femicide/Feminicide) 

A Femicide Factsheet: Global Stats & Calls to Action

Vienna Declaration on Femicide

PSI C190 Global Ratification Map

[1] Marcela Lagarde, a Mexican feminist, developed the term "feminicide" in 2006, to add to femicide an element of impunity, institutional violence, and lack of due diligence of States with regard to the murder of women.