Brazil reached a record number of 1,518 victims of femicide in 2025, the year in which the Femicide Law celebrated its 10th anniversary. The figures were released from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

In the previous year, 2024, the country had reached a record high with 1,458 victims.

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When it first came into force, the law added the crime of homicide against women to Brazil’s Penal Code under domestic violence and discrimination.

“If [the increase in cases] is happening, it is due to the state’s failure to act, because this is a preventable crime,” said Samira Bueno, executive director of the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety (FBSP), during the launch of the Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) annual report on Wednesday (Feb. 4).

The document, which looks at the human rights situation in over 100 countries, highlights domestic and gender-based violence as one of the most frequent violations in Brazil.

According to Bueno, this omission affects all spheres of power.

“In Brazil today, we are experiencing the de-funding of these policies at the municipal and state levels, which are the actors involved in the protection network, covering social work, health care, and the police at its disposal to really make a difference in the lives of these girls and women,” she noted.

Samira Bueno further pointed out that public policies to protect the lives of girls and women cannot be implemented without human as well as financial resources.

“This is a cause that many politicians like to champion – the defense of the lives of girls and women – but when they have the power to make decisions, when they sit in their chairs and have the ability to make a difference, the budget is not there,” she argued.

A pact against femicide

On Wednesday (4), in a joint initiative, the Brazilian government, the National Congress, and the Judiciary launched the National Pact: Brazil Against Femicide.

The plan outlines coordinated and permanent action between the three branches of government with the aim of preventing violence against girls and women in Brazil.

The strategy also includes the website TodosPorTodas.br, which should gather information about the pact, publicize planned actions, present reporting channels and public policies for the protection of women, and encourage the engagement of public institutions, private companies, and society.