South Africans are being called on to take a stand against the country’s escalating gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) crisis as the national campaign Women for Change launches a call for a one-day shutdown on Friday, 21 November.
The campaign led by the organisation encourages citizens to wear black, change their social-media profile pictures to purple and even refrain from paid and unpaid work, spending and economic activity for the day — a symbolic act to highlight what organisers describe as a national emergency.
The campaign, which has been denied official approval by the government, is a direct response to South Africa’s alarming GBVF statistics: a woman is killed every 2.5 hours, and survivors continue to face systemic neglect.
Women for Change issued a powerful statement: “Because until South Africa stops burying a woman every 2.5 hours, the G20 cannot speak of growth and progress. We demand that Gender-Based Violence and Femicide be declared a National Disaster. Not tomorrow. Not at another summit. Now.”
The organisation has also encouraged women to join a 15-minute standstill by lying down at 12pm on Friday, in honour of the statistic that 15 women are murdered every day.
Since the campaign’s launch, the movement has gone viral, with thousands of social-media users changing their profile pictures to purple. Major landmarks have been illuminated in purple, and hashtags such as #WomenShutdown have trended across platforms, signalling a groundswell of support. Women have also begun sharing their stories of GBV openly on social media in an effort to garner support for the cause, motivating more women to stand together in solidarity.
In response to the campaign, Chatsworth-based non-profit organisation SA Outreach, led by director Tootsie Francis, has stepped in to help translate awareness into practical support for communities in Chatsworth and surrounding areas. The organisation provides counselling, legal guidance, rehabilitation, and empowerment programmes for survivors, helping them navigate the justice system and rebuild their lives.
Francis said the campaign creates an important opportunity for communities to engage with GBVF issues, learn about their rights, and actively support survivors in attaining justice. She noted that many victims remain unaware of the protections and processes available to them — a gap SA Outreach aims to address through expanded outreach programmes.
Shante Govender, a survivor and volunteer at SA Outreach, said: “Every statistic represents a life disrupted, a family broken, and a community scarred. We cannot afford silence. Gender-based violence thrives in environments where victims feel unheard and perpetrators go unchallenged. It is the responsibility of every citizen, institution, and leader to create spaces of safety, accountability, and justice.”
Leisha Ramlall, Director of the Legal Wing, SA Outreach and Emergency Services, said: “We are calling for increased resources for victims, stronger and more efficient prosecution of perpetrators, and systemic reforms that ensure gender-based violence is no longer tolerated in our society. While legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act and the Sexual Offences Act represents progress, significant barriers remain — including prolonged court delays, inadequate support services, and a lack of specialised training for both law-enforcement and judicial officers tasked with handling GBV matters. We encourage all South Africans to support the National Shutdown on 21 November and raise their voices for meaningful change. As part of our efforts to highlight this national crisis, SA Outreach will be hosting a series of events, including a motorcade, and we invite the community to join us.”
National experts are backing the call for action. Dr Samantha Willan, a researcher at the Gender and Health Research Unit of the South African Medical Research Council, said that experiencing violence violates the basic human rights of women and children, threatens their wellbeing, and undermines their ability to pursue their goals and dreams.
She said: “Our research shows that one of the critical ways to prevent violence as a society is to transform harmful masculinities that support male domination over women. We also need to provide evidence-based support services for survivors of GBV. Additionally, we must speak up about abuse and neglect of children to end the inter-generational cycle of violence, where children are exposed to violence and then go on to perpetuate or experience violence later in life.”
Activists stress that the shutdown is a statement of national urgency: South Africa cannot progress while its women and children remain at risk.
