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.
The protest, dubbed the G20 Women’s Shutdown, has been organised by Women for Change, which has also been spearheading the online campaign.
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.
However, activists say that little has changed and they want the government to take more action. Women for Change spokesperson Cameron Kasambala lamented the enactment of so many beautiful acts and legislations over the years to tackle the issue, which are followed by lack of implementation and transparency on the government's part.
The protest reflects a growing movement of women advocating for their rights and safety in South Africa, demanding that effective measures be taken against gender-based violence and femicide.
