World · 2026-10-27 · Morning briefing

Female share of civilian war deaths doubles, says UN

The proportion of women and girls among civilians killed in armed conflict has doubled since 2021, according to a new UN report. They accounted for one in four of the more than 37,000 civilians killed last year, an average of at least 25 deaths per day. An estimated 750 million women and girls now live within 50 kilometres of an active conflict zone.

The report also documents a surge in conflict-related sexual violence, with the UN verifying 9,788 cases in 2025—more than double the previous year and four times the 2022 figure. In Gaza, the collapse of healthcare has contributed to a 41% decrease in live births and a 300% increase in miscarriages. A woman giving birth in a conflict zone is five times more likely to die from maternal causes than one in a stable country.

Despite the rising toll, women remain excluded from peace efforts, comprising just 5% of negotiators across 57 peace processes last year. None of the 13 ceasefire agreements signed in 2025 explicitly prohibited sexual violence, as global military spending hit a record $2.9 trillion while 40% of women's aid organisations in crisis zones face closure from funding shortages.

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• Women and girls’ share of civilian war deaths doubles since 2021
• Conflict-related sexual violence more than doubles as women's share of civilian deaths rises: UN

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