Feminicide: A Global Phenomenon

Taken from articles written by prominent defenders of women’s rights, academicians and representatives
of civil society, this third publication focuses mainly on legal aspects and legislation. It aims
to make headway in the debate on the need for effective legal frameworks, as well as in other related
issues such as statistical records and action protocols, not forgetting the need for comprehensive government
polices to eradicate violence against women. These are numerous challenges that require
a firm commitment from the states, from the EU and CELAC, just as civil society demands.

The novelty of this third publication is that in addition to articles on Latin American countries such
as Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, El Salvador, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, it also includes articles
on European countries like Italy and Spain, highlighting the magnitude and global nature of this
phenomenon. Organisations from both continents have therefore joined forces to request an effective,
efficient response to this serious violation of human rights: violence against women and its most
extreme manifestation, feminicide or femicide.

Since the translation of the term “femicide” from English to Spanish, the terms feminicide and femicide
have been used interchangeably to refer to the same phenomenon, i.e. the death of women on
account of their gender or simply because they were women. The articles in this publication reflect the
interchangeable use of the terms “femicide” and “feminicide” according to their use in the different
countries.