On 21 November 2025, South African women and members of the LGBTQI+ community will launch a symbolic national shutdown to demand urgent action against gender-based violence and femicide. Organised by the advocacy group Women For Change, the campaign coincides with the G20 Leaders’ Summit, spotlighting a crisis many say the government still treats as secondary.
What Are They Demanding?
The core demand: declare Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) a national disaster. Supporters argue that only this level of urgency can mobilise the resources and political commitment needed to address the daily violence against women. The timing is critical: by staging the shutdown just before the G20 Summit (22–23 November), campaigners hope to force global leaders to confront the deadly gender-violence crisis.
How to Take Part
Women For Change is calling on people to take part in several symbolic yet powerful ways:
- Don’t work for a day — no paid or unpaid labour.
- Withdraw economically — avoid spending money for the entire day.
- 15-minute standstill at 12 pm — lie down silently wherever you are (office, home, school, public space) as a gesture of mourning.
- Wear black to signify mourning and resistance.
- Change your profile picture to purple, the campaign’s colour, and use #WomenShutdown on social media to amplify the message.
Why Purple Matters
Purple has become the visual symbol of this movement, a colour associated with strength, justice, and remembrance. Across South Africa, people are turning their social media profiles purple, and landmarks are being illuminated in purple light to amplify the message.
Support and Opposition
- Support: The Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture is backing the shutdown, emphasizing the need to show how deeply GBVF affects individuals and the economy.
- Government Pushback: Notably, the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has rejected the call to classify GBVF as a national disaster, citing legal limitations.
- Political Voices: ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has said the issue “must be resolved by us,” recognising the shutdown’s message but emphasizing that social change must continue beyond summits.
Why This Shutdown Is Significant
- A political statement: The shutdown isn’t just a protest, it’s a demand that the state treat GBVF with the same urgency as other national emergencies.
- Economic leverage: By withdrawing labour and spending, the campaign highlights the real and often invisible contribution of women and LGBTQI+ people to the economy.
- A moment of unity: The 15-minute lie-down will be a visual and emotional reminder of the 15 women killed every day in South Africa, a shocking statistic that underscores how widespread and deadly the crisis is.
- Global spotlight: With the G20 summit happening at the same time, the movement aims to use the world’s eyes on South Africa to amplify its call for lasting policy change.
The G20 Women’s Shutdown is a powerful, coordinated act of civil disobedience. It’s not just a protest, it’s a plea for recognition, urgent reform, and accountability. Whether or not you participate physically, amplifying the message or wearing purple can help sustain the pressure for real change.
For more information, please visit: https://womenforchange.co.za/
