Purple Protest Movement: South African Women Stand Against Gender Violence

Fri Nov 21 2025 19:25:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A nationwide movement is calling for gender-based violence in South Africa to be declared a national disaster, culminating in a major protest ahead of the G20 Summit.

South African women's rights activists are mobilizing for a significant protest demanding that gender-based violence (GBV) be recognized as a national disaster. This movement, now known as the 'G20 Women's Shutdown,' is gaining traction online, with participants urged to wear purple and refrain from work or school to honor the women lost to violence. Activists criticize government inaction despite previous declarations and seek tougher measures to combat GBV, evident in the alarming crime statistics highlighting the severity of the issue.

South African women's rights groups are calling for nationwide protests to demand that gender-based violence (GBV) be declared a national disaster in a country where attacks on women have become commonplace.

The campaign began with a viral social media movement and will culminate in a nationwide shutdown on Friday, ahead of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg.

Celebrities, citizens, and nations have shown their solidarity by changing their social media profile pictures to purple – a colour often linked to GBV awareness.

South Africa experiences some of the world's highest levels of GBV, with the rate at which women are killed five times higher than the global average, according to UN Women.

Between January and March this year, 137 women were murdered and more than 1,000 raped, according to South African crime statistics.

On Friday, women are being urged to refrain from going to work or school, withdraw from the economy for one day, and lie down for 15 minutes at 12:00 local time (10:00 GMT) in honour of the 15 women who are murdered in the country every day. The lie downs are happening in 15 locations across South Africa, including major cities such as Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg.

Allies in Eswatini, Kenya, and Namibia have also expressed their support for the protest and say they will join in. They are also being urged to wear black as a sign of mourning and resistance.

The protest, dubbed the G20 Women's Shutdown, has been organised by Women for Change, which has also been spearheading the online campaign. There has also been an online petition, signed by over one million people, calling for the government to take an even tougher stance against the scourge.

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has rejected the calls to declare GBV a national disaster, saying it doesn't fall within the legal requirements.

On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa told the G20 Social Summit that South Africa had declared gender-based violence and femicide a national crisis in 2019. However, activists say that little has changed, and they want the government to take more action.

Women for Change spokesperson Cameron Kasambala criticized the lack of implementation and transparency from the government regarding previous legislations aimed at tackling GBV.

Stressing the need for a true reaction from the government, she highlighted that society must respond accordingly to address GBV effectively.

The movement has garnered significant support, including endorsements from celebrities who have shared their solidarity on social media, promoting the importance of awareness and action against gender-based violence.

Women across the nation hope that the protests will not only raise awareness but also drive change in legislation and societal attitudes towards GBV in South Africa.