Italy criminalises femicide with life term — Does India have such a law?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Italy criminalises femicide with life term — Does India have such a law?")
Italy PM Giorgia Meloni Photograph: (AFP)
Italy has passed a new law making femicide a distinct crime punishable by life imprisonment. The bill, approved unanimously, aims to combat rising violence against women. PM Giorgia Meloni hailed it as a step to protect women’s dignity, amid alarming global femicide figures.
In a major development, Italian lawmakers on Tuesday (Nov 25) unanimously backed a bill making femicide a crime punishable by life imprisonment. According to AFP, the new article in the penal code creates a category of homicide “based on the characteristics of the victim”. Italian law had previously only provided for aggravating circumstances in cases where the killer was married or related to the victim. Now, it mandates life imprisonment for acts intended to cause the death of a woman "out of discrimination, hatred or violence" among other reasons. With the passing of the bill, Italy will now join Cyprus, Malta and Croatia as EU member states that have introduced a legal definition of femicide in their criminal codes.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the vote and called the measure a tool to "defend the freedom and dignity of every woman". Meloni highlighted that Italy had already strengthened laws in recent years, increased penalties, expanded protection tools such as the "red code," and doubled funding for anti-violence centres and shelters. She also highlighted improvements in support systems, awareness campaigns, and education initiatives, stressing that these were meaningful steps but not the end of the effort. Meloni said that the country must continue working to protect women, prevent violence, and ensure they feel safe, supported, and believed. She said the freedom and dignity of women must remain both a state duty and a collective responsibility.
The government initiative, already approved by the Senate in July, passed with 237 votes in favour and none against. The new article mandates life imprisonment for acts intended to cause the death of a woman "out of discrimination, hatred or violence" among other reasons. The recent move was triggered by the killing of Giulia Cecchettin by her ex-boyfriend in 2022. Italy's national statistics institute (Istat) said that 116 of the 327 homicides recorded in the country in 2024 involved women and girls. In 92.2 percent of the cases, men were the killers.
Gino Cecchettin, father Giulia, while speaking to BBC said he wasn’t sure the law would have saved her, but believed openly naming and discussing femicide was progress. His focus is now on education, and he has created a foundation promoting early emotional and sexual education to prevent future violence. The BBC notes that the law has critics, including legal scholars like Professor Valeria Torre, who argue there is no legal gap to fill and that defining femicide may be difficult in court, especially when killers are former partners. Some fear the legislation is more symbolic than practical and stress that addressing gender inequality and funding prevention and support services is essential. Even supporters of the law agree that legislation alone is not enough and must be paired with wider societal and educational reforms.
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Does India have a law like this?
In India, while violence against women is addressed through multiple legal provisions, there is no dedicated law that defines or penalises femicide as a separate crime. Crimes such as domestic abuse are covered under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, and sexual offences, acid attacks, stalking and related crimes were strengthened under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013. Murder and culpable homicide are punishable under the Indian Penal Code, but they do not carry gender-specific categorisation. Research has noted that femicide remains a significant form of violence in India, yet it is not legally recognised as a distinct offence. Government initiatives on “Crime Against Women” focus on prevention measures, legal reforms, special courts, and institutional support rather than creating a separate femicide law.
