Honour Killing: Over 5,000 Women Killed Worldwide Every Year

Last updated: 2 October 2026

Photo: old women - Rewejder ~ Wiktoria Jaśniewska

The United Nations estimates that more than 5,000 women are killed worldwide every year in so-called "honour" murders. Most experts agree the real figure is much higher, perhaps four or five times higher. Many cases are never reported. Families pretend the death was a suicide, an accident, or simply hide the body. Police often look the other way. Honour killing worldwide remains one of the most serious forms of gender-based violence today.[1]

This article looks at the global picture. We explain what an honour killing is, list the countries where the problem is worst, and show how culture and law work together to protect killers. We also look at what international law says and what this means for women who flee and seek asylum. Our expert witnesses support cases of this type around the world.

What Is an Honour Killing?

An honour killing is the murder of a person, almost always a woman or girl, by family members or community members. They believe she has shamed the family. The "shame" is rarely a real crime. It is usually a social or moral act that breaks tradition. The killer thinks the murder will restore family "honour."[2]

The triggers are well known and shared across many countries. Common reasons given by killers include:

• Refusing an arranged marriage chosen by parents.
• Marrying for love, or with someone of a different religion, caste, or ethnic group.
• Asking for a divorce, even when the husband is violent.
• Reporting rape or sexual assault to the police.
• Identifying as LGBTQ+, or being seen with someone of the same sex.
• Wearing "wrong" clothes, using a phone, or being seen in public alone.
• Rumours or gossip about a woman's behaviour, even when false.

The key feature is family or community planning. An honour killing is not a normal crime of passion. It is often planned in advance, sometimes voted on by a family or tribal council. Brothers, fathers, uncles, and even mothers may take part. Sons are often chosen as the killer because, in some legal systems, a minor receives a shorter sentence.[3]

Top Countries Where Honour Killings Happen

Honour killings happen on every continent, including in some diaspora communities in Europe, North America, and Australia. But the highest numbers come from a clear group of countries in the Middle East, South Asia, and parts of Africa and the Balkans.[4]

Pakistan records around 1,000 honour killings every year, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. The real number is believed to be far higher, since many cases are never reported. India reports a similar figure, but the reality is also higher, especially in northern states. Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Yemen, Jordan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, and Albania all have hundreds of cases each year. Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and parts of Saudi Arabia also see significant numbers, although precise figures are hard to find.

Regional Distribution

The chart below shows estimated regional distribution of honour killings worldwide. South Asia leads, followed by the Middle East. Africa and the Balkans follow, with smaller but real numbers in diaspora communities.

Common Features Across Countries

Although cultures, languages, and laws differ, honour killings share a clear pattern around the world.[5]

Family and Clan Involvement

An honour killing is a group decision more often than a single act. Fathers, brothers, uncles, and male cousins meet to discuss what to do. Sometimes the wider clan is involved. In Pakistan and India, decisions can come from a jirga or khap panchayat — informal village or tribal councils. In parts of the Arab world, the council is a family meeting led by elders. In Albania, blood feuds tied to the Kanun tradition bring killings across generations.

Weak Prosecution

Police in many of these countries do not investigate seriously. Sometimes they share the same cultural views as the family. Sometimes they take bribes. Sometimes they fear local elites. Even when an investigation begins, prosecutors may drop cases. Witnesses are pressured to keep silent. Bodies are buried before forensic checks. In some countries, deaths are recorded as "suicides" or "accidents" without further inquiry.

"Honour" as Mitigation in Courts

Several legal systems treat "honour motive" as a reason to reduce a sentence. Iraq's Penal Code Article 409 allows reduced punishment when a man kills his wife or female relative for adultery. Jordan's Article 98 and the older Article 340 provided similar mitigation. Yemen's Article 232 reduces a husband's punishment to a fine or short prison sentence. Egypt's Article 17 gives judges wide discretion to lower sentences. Reform has happened in some places, but enforcement still favours the killer in many cases.[6]

Informal Bodies: Jirga, Khap Panchayat, Family Councils

Outside the official courts, informal bodies decide many family disputes. In rural Pakistan and Afghanistan, a jirga of male elders decides on marriage, divorce, land, and "honour." In northern India, khap panchayats have ordered killings of couples who marry across caste lines. In Bangladesh, salish councils issue rulings outside the law. In Iraq, tribal sheikhs settle disputes that include "honour" cases. These bodies are not legal courts, but their power is real.

Why Women Cannot Escape

People often ask: "Why doesn't she just run away?" The honest answer is: in most of these countries, escape is almost impossible. Family networks reach across cities, regions, and even borders. A woman who flees from a village to a big city can be tracked through relatives, religious leaders, or community contacts. Phones are watched. Identity cards link her to her family.[7]

In countries like Pakistan, India, Iraq, and Afghanistan, women who try to escape often say the same thing: "The family will find me." Shelters are few. Many shelters cannot keep a woman for long, and some require a male relative's permission to enter or to leave. Workplaces, hospitals, and schools may share information with families. The state offers no real witness protection. Even when a woman moves to a new city, neighbours and gossip quickly reveal her background.

Cultural impunity makes the problem worse. Killers are often praised by some community members. Funerals can become public events that celebrate the killer's "courage." Boys who kill their sisters are sometimes treated as heroes by adults around them. This pressure makes prosecution unlikely, and it makes long-term safety almost impossible inside the country.

Honour killings are not crimes of passion. They are planned executions carried out by family members who believe they are restoring social status. Until states treat these murders like any other premeditated killing, women will continue to die.
UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, statement to the Human Rights Council

International Law and Honour Killings

International law is clear that honour killings are gender-based violence and a serious human rights violation. Several treaties and standards apply.[8]

The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979, requires states to take all measures to end discrimination and gender-based violence. The CEDAW Committee, in General Recommendation No. 35 (2017), said clearly that honour-based violence is a form of gender-based violence and that states have a duty to prevent and prosecute it. Failure to do so is a state responsibility under international law.

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention), adopted in 2011, also covers honour-based violence. Article 42 says clearly that "culture, custom, religion, tradition or so-called 'honour'" cannot be used as a justification for violence. Several European countries that have signed this convention now prosecute honour-based crimes more seriously, including in diaspora communities.[9]

UN General Assembly resolutions since 2000 have repeatedly called on states to investigate and prosecute honour killings. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UN Women publish guidance. But in practice, many states still fail to act. Where they fail, the international community can offer protection through asylum.

Implications for Asylum

For women who flee honour-based violence, the 1951 Refugee Convention provides a clear basis for protection. The relevant grounds are most often "membership of a particular social group" (PSG) and political opinion, depending on the case.

UNHCR Guidelines on International Protection No. 1 (gender-related persecution, 2002) and No. 2 (membership of a particular social group, 2002) confirm this approach. Many domestic courts in the UK, Canada, the US, Germany, France, and other countries have applied these guidelines to grant protection to women fleeing honour-based violence. Strong country evidence and expert reports are essential. See our country reports for current information.[10]

For asylum lawyers and decision makers, the medical and psychological impact of honour-based threats is also important. Many women who flee suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, severe anxiety, and depression. Country expert reports should describe both the cultural setting and the legal failures. Together they show that return would put the woman at real risk of serious harm. The human rights section of our site offers more detail on linked topics like forced marriage and gender persecution.

Conclusion

The UN figure of 5,000 honour killings each year is shocking, but it almost certainly underestimates the truth. Honour killing worldwide is a widespread human rights crisis. It happens in many countries, with many cultural names, but always with the same purpose: to control women and to punish those who break family or community rules. Pakistan, India, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Yemen, Jordan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, Albania, and Egypt are among the worst affected, but no region is fully safe.

International law is clear. CEDAW and the Istanbul Convention require states to act. Yet enforcement is still weak in too many places. Until governments change laws, train police, and break the link between "honour" and lighter sentences, women will continue to die. Until then, asylum is one of the few real escapes available. For those who reach a safe country, fair decision-making, strong country evidence, and expert support can save lives.

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