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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the issue of femicide, including rates of femicide around the world and how femicide data is collected and used. The paper also seeks to explain the development of national femicide laws as a response to an increase in states’ desires to establish international legitimacy in the name of human rights. An analysis of the national responses to femicide and international and regional human rights treaties was conducted, as well as an evaluation of soft law on the topic. Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Cyprus, Malta, and Croatia serve as case studies for national responses to femicide, with a focus on the transnational advocacy networks that helped create the laws. The strengths and weaknesses of the national, regional, and international responses were evaluated and recommendations for future femicide law developments were made.