Hundreds of women in South Africa took to the streets across the country on Friday, protesting against gender-based violence amidst the G20 summit in Johannesburg. The peaceful demonstration, dubbed the G20 Women's Shutdown, saw women gather at 15 locations, donning black clothing as a symbol of mourning and resistance.
The protesters staged a 15-minute silent lie-down protest to draw attention to the 15 lives lost daily to gender-based violence in South Africa. The country is home to one of the world's highest femicide rates, with UN Women estimating that it stands at five times the global average.
Organised by the NGO Women For Change, the protest aimed to raise awareness about the issue and pressure the government to take action. The group had launched a month-long campaign, lobbying for the South African government to declare gender-based violence a national disaster. An online petition garnered over a million signatures, while social media influencers like Grammy-winning singer Tyla joined in by changing their profile pictures to purple, a colour often associated with women's rights.
In response to the growing pressure, the head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) announced on Friday that it would indeed classify gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster. The decision comes after the NDMC previously stated that categorisation did not meet legal requirements but eventually concluded that it now met the threshold.
The move has been welcomed by government officials, including Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa, who noted that the classification would allow authorities to dedicate resources and strengthen their support for combating gender-based violence.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also weighed in on the issue during a G20 sideline summit, stating that the government will classify gender-based violence as a "crisis." Women For Change celebrated the announcement, posting on Instagram that they had "won" and would soon convene a meeting to discuss a detailed action plan and timeline.
The protesters staged a 15-minute silent lie-down protest to draw attention to the 15 lives lost daily to gender-based violence in South Africa. The country is home to one of the world's highest femicide rates, with UN Women estimating that it stands at five times the global average.
Organised by the NGO Women For Change, the protest aimed to raise awareness about the issue and pressure the government to take action. The group had launched a month-long campaign, lobbying for the South African government to declare gender-based violence a national disaster. An online petition garnered over a million signatures, while social media influencers like Grammy-winning singer Tyla joined in by changing their profile pictures to purple, a colour often associated with women's rights.
In response to the growing pressure, the head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) announced on Friday that it would indeed classify gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster. The decision comes after the NDMC previously stated that categorisation did not meet legal requirements but eventually concluded that it now met the threshold.
The move has been welcomed by government officials, including Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa, who noted that the classification would allow authorities to dedicate resources and strengthen their support for combating gender-based violence.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also weighed in on the issue during a G20 sideline summit, stating that the government will classify gender-based violence as a "crisis." Women For Change celebrated the announcement, posting on Instagram that they had "won" and would soon convene a meeting to discuss a detailed action plan and timeline.
!!! like, women taking control of their own lives and demanding change is everything and more 
! the fact that they got so many signatures on that petition is insane 
it's crazy to think that 1 in 15 women will get killed every day in south africa 
. i'm glad the gov is finally stepping up and acknowledging this crisis 
, now let's see them follow through on their promises 
! the purple pics from tyla and other influencers was a sick move btw 
. South Africa's femicide rate is just heartbreaking - 15 lives lost daily? That's insane! 
It took all those women taking to the streets for them to listen. Anyway, I hope this national disaster classification actually leads to some real change 
. We need to start seeing more resources being dedicated to addressing gender-based violence - it's time we take action! 
.
. i know there's still so much work to be done but at least now the government is acknowledging it as a crisis and taking steps to address it 
I'm so hyped for this one! It's about time South Africa takes serious action against GBV 
. Those women taking to the streets, lying down in silence, it's like they're channeling the spirits of all those lives lost daily 
. The fact that an online petition got a million signatures and social media influencers joined in by changing their profile pics to purple is just 
proof that people are ready for change! And the NDMC finally deciding to classify GBV as a national disaster? 
. It's not like they've had a million petitions and social media campaigns... er, over a million signatures 
.
, but it's still about time, right? 
Minister Hlabisa saying it'll allow them to dedicate resources and support is all well and good, but we need actual action, not just empty words 
.
- sounds like he's finally taking this seriously. And Women For Change is celebrating? That's awesome 
.
... it's crazy how much impact we can have when we come together and use our voices 
. I mean, 15 lives lost every day is just... *sigh*... it's like, what can we do? but then you look at all these women out there fighting for change and it gives me hope 
. But I'm still thinking about what we can do next to make sure this doesn't just go away 
. Maybe it's just about supporting each other more, you know? 
. Five times the global average? That's just crazy! 
I mean, how can one country have such a massive problem with women being killed or hurt just because they're female? 
It's just not right and needs to be addressed ASAP.
. Now that the government has finally acknowledged it and declared it a national disaster, I hope we can start seeing some real changes happen 
Tyla's purple profile pic was EVERYTHING! 
This announcement by NDMC is HUGE and I'm so grateful that the gov is finally taking notice. 
can't wait to see what Women For Change has planned next! 
. I'm actually super proud of them for standing up for what's right, even if it means going through that hard stuff 
and over a million signatures on an online petition? that's incredible 
.
I'm literally still shaking thinking about those women who took a stand on Friday... 15 lives lost daily to gender-based violence is just too much 
And that online petition, over a million signatures! That's crazy 
. And lets be real, the real issue is poverty & lack of opportunities for women, cuz thats what creates a society where people feel they have to settle for crap relationships 
. We cant just blame men or women as a whole, we gotta get at the root of the problem 
.
. The fact that it took an entire G20 summit for them to get their voices heard is just heartbreaking