A solemn call for change as Jess Phillips highlights the urgent need for women’s safety

In a poignant moment that captured the nation’s attention, the House of Commons was brought to a respectful silence as Jess Phillips, a Labour MP, delivered a powerful tribute to 101 women whose lives were tragically ended by male violence in the last year. This annual remembrance, coinciding with the debate on International Women’s Day, served as a sombre reflection on the ongoing crisis and a call to action for both the public and policymakers.

Phillips, fighting back tears, voiced the heart-wrenching reality that many of these deaths might have been preventable. She criticised the current state of affairs where women’s safety seems to be deprioritised, stating, “It’s high time we move beyond mere lip service to take concrete steps towards safeguarding women.” Her emotional reading of the names was not just a tribute but a stark reminder of the collective failure to protect the most vulnerable in society.

The message from Phillips was clear: the time for real change is now. She urged the government to develop and implement a robust strategy to significantly reduce incidents of femicide, stressing that the lives lost should serve as a catalyst for action rather than just another statistic in a growing epidemic.

Supporting Phillips’ call to action, Karen Ingala Smith, responsible for the Femicide Census, emphasised the importance of acknowledging these women as individuals, each with a story untold. She highlighted the critical need for the government to take decisive steps to eradicate men’s violence against women and address the underlying issues of gender inequality that fuel such acts.

The reading of the names in Parliament, now permanently etched into the records, is a sombre reminder of the urgent need for systemic change. It brings into focus the reality that behind each name is a life cut short, a family shattered, and a community left to mourn. As the nation reflects on this tragic acknowledgement, the call for action has never been louder or clearer: we must do more to ensure the safety of women and girls across the country, transforming sorrow into a force for positive change.