Deputies in the Italian parliament voted unanimously, on November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to introduce the crime of femicide as a distinct law.
The new bill, now in Italy’s criminal code, designates femicide as the deliberate killing of women and girls due to their gender, and punishes perpetrators with life imprisonment. Italy will now join Cyprus, Malta and Croatia as other EU member states that have introduced a legal definition of femicide in their criminal codes.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the unanimous approval of the bill as a sign of political cohesion against the barbaric nature of violence against women, and pledged to continue doing more to protect women.
Compiled From: Erin Hale, “Italy adds femicide to the criminal code to curb violence against women”, Al Jazeera, Nov. 26, 2025.