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 color 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 honor of the women murdered in the country.
The protest, dubbed the G20 Women's Shutdown, has been organized 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.
Activists say that little has changed and they want the government to take more action. Women's rights activist Cameron Kasambala lamented the enactment of so many beautiful acts and legislations over the years to try and tackle the issue, which are followed by lack of implementation and transparency on the government's part.
Many participants, including women who have faced violence, are taking a stand, showcasing a formidable solidarity to urge the government to act decisively against gender-based violence.
