The Balkans confront a silent pandemic of violence against women

As Europe marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November), the Balkans stands out as a red zone where structural inequalities, weak institutions and deep-rooted patriarchal attitudes continue to place women at heightened risk.

According to the most recent UN data, nearly one in three women worldwide – around 840 million – has experienced physical or sexual violence, while 316 million women suffered intimate-partner violence in the past year alone. The latest femicide brief from United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women paints an equally stark picture: 50,000 women and girls were killed in 2024 by intimate partners or family members, amounting to one death every ten minutes. These figures have remained virtually unchanged despite decades of commitments to prevention and reform, prompting UN officials to underline that the home “remains a dangerous and sometimes lethal place” for millions of women.

The Council of Europe delivered a parallel warning. In his statement marking the day, Secretary General Alain Berset described gender-based violence as “the number one human rights violation of women in Europe”. Stressing the centrality of the Istanbul Convention, he argued that democracies cannot function if women continue to face violence in their daily lives. While the treaty has driven important legal and institutional reforms across member states, Berset emphasised that gaps remain substantial and the need for implementation is urgent.

A region behind the European averages

While Europe as a whole records an estimated 0.5 femicides per 100,000 women, the Balkans emerge as a particularly vulnerable region. Across Albania, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the patterns are similar: inadequate legal definitions, underfunded support services, lenient sentencing and chronic institutional inaction.

In Albania, the Istanbul Convention has been ratified, yet the Penal Code still does not recognise femicide as a separate offence. Ombudsman data show 32 murdered women and girls in 2021-2023 alone, with at least 24 cases classified as femicide. The country also registers one of Europe’s highest rates of sex-selective abortions, a stark indicator of gender-based discrimination beginning before birth.

The Istanbul Convention, opened for signature in Istanbul in 2011 and entering into force in 2014, obliges states to address gender-based violence through prevention, protection, prosecution, and coordinated policies. While most EU member states have signed and ratified it, several have resisted or reversed course due to domestic backlash from conservative, religious, and nationalist groups who argue the treaty promotes “gender ideology” and undermines traditional family structures.

In Bulgaria, the Constitutional Court ruled in 2018 that the convention’s definition of gender was incompatible with the country’s constitution, effectively blocking ratification.

Bulgaria: systemic neglect behind alarming numbers

Bulgaria mirrors many of these challenges. According to the Interior Ministry, nearly 3,000 women are victims of domestic violence each year, yet around 80% of signals are closed within 24 hours because victims do not proceed with formal complaints. A study by the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee identified at least 109 femicide convictions between 2018 and 2023, warning that authorities still do not document or analyse gender-related killings as a distinct phenomenon.

From the beginning of 2025, at least 22 women have been murdered, with intimate partners or former partners suspected in more than half the cases. Over 53,000 domestic-violence signals were lodged last year, according to Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev.

In North Macedonia, a series of high-profile cases – from daughters murdered by fathers to women killed by current or former partners, triggered mass protests under the slogan “Not one more”. Although femicide was introduced into legislation in 2023, court practice continues to rely on minimum sentences, and data indicate rising cases during the pandemic.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, at least 110 women were murdered between 2015 and 2024. The killing of Aldina Jahić in Mostar, despite repeated reports of threats, became emblematic of institutional failure. While the Federation moved in 2024 to recognise femicide explicitly, a parallel initiative in Republika Srpska stalled following conservative pressure.

A crisis demanding political and institutional courage

The UN’s latest findings highlight a grim reality: femicide rates remain effectively unchanged, and the risk is highest where prevention systems are weakest. In the Balkans, where patriarchal norms, under-resourced services and inconsistent implementation of legislation form a dangerous combination, women continue to pay the ultimate price.

The Council of Europe’s warning is unambiguous – democracies cannot claim to uphold human rights while half their population remains unsafe. Without recognising femicide, strengthening protection mechanisms and ensuring accountability within the justice system, the region will continue to hover far above Europe’s averages.

Ending violence against women is not merely a legal obligation under international standards. It is a test of political will and societal maturity – one that the Balkans, for now, continue to struggle to meet.

Sources: IBNA, Dnevnik.bg, UN, Council of Europe

Caption: On 25 November 2025 – the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – Bulgarian capital Sofia woke up to dozens of female statues draped with red ribbons bearing the message “Not one more”/Dnevnik