In the Western Balkans, femicide, defined as the gender-related killing of women and girls, continues to be a significant issue, with over 100 women killed in 2020 and 2021. Femicide is most prevalent among women between the ages of 46 and 55, with half of the victims being killed by their husbands or ex-husbands. The region’s patriarchal gender norms and significant gender pay gap contribute to the high rates of femicide, with women facing various forms of gender-based violence as a result.
The Western Balkans’ history of war, economic insecurity, and conflict-related sexual violence against women has created an environment where domestic violence is widely accepted. This, combined with women’s lower socioeconomic status compared to men, has led to a rise in femicide and domestic violence in the region. Countries such as Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina have significant gender gaps in pay and labor market participation rates, which further exacerbate the issue.
Despite national strategies to combat domestic violence, there is a lack of institutional protection for victims in the Western Balkans, with few domestic violence shelters and underdeveloped public services for survivors. Laws to combat domestic violence are poorly implemented, leading to issues of underreporting and a lack of justice for victims. Femicide cases are often left undocumented, with only a fraction making national or international headlines.
To combat femicide in the Western Balkans, policymakers must take immediate action to address this growing public health crisis. Femicide must be recognized as a serious criminal offense, and gender-sensitive training should be provided to judges and prosecutors. Civil society organizations play a crucial role in providing legal support for victims of gender-based violence, but stronger national-level protections are needed.
Domestic violence shelters, helplines, psychosocial care, and job training programs should be established or expanded in each country, and data collection efforts should be improved to gain a more accurate assessment of gender-based violence prevalence in the region. Parliaments in the Western Balkans must draft legislation that supports a victim-centered approach to accessing justice, while ministries of justice should adopt gender-sensitive measures to protect victims of gender-based violence.
International development agencies should assist Western Balkan governments and NGOs in funding necessary programs and training, while global organizations should support public awareness campaigns about femicide and domestic violence. By taking these measures, Western Balkan institutions and policymakers can potentially save the lives of women at risk of femicide. It is crucial that immediate steps are taken to interdict the cycle of domestic violence to prevent more deaths and tragedy in the region.
