Vienna, Nov 23 (IANS): Nearly 89,000 women and girls were killed in 2022 across the globe, the highest annual figure recorded in the past two decades, according to a fresh research brief released by the UN.

The research brief published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women on Wednesday suggested that the increase in femicides occurred "despite a drop in the overall number of homicides".

Fifty-five per cent of the femicides last year were committed by family members or intimate partners, while 12 per cent of homicides against males were perpetrated in the home, Xinhua news agency reported.

The contrast underscores the "disturbing reality that home is far from a safe haven for women and girls," the brief said.

"The alarming number of femicides is a stark reminder that humanity is still grappling with deep-rooted inequalities and violence against women and girls," UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Governments must invest in institutions that are more inclusive and well-equipped to end impunity, strengthen prevention, and help victims, from frontline responders to the judiciary, to end the violence before it is too late," Waly added.