Purple Protests: South African Women Unite Against Gender-Based Violence

Fri Nov 21 2025 09:49:36 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A nationwide protest is set to be held in South Africa demanding gender-based violence (GBV) be declared a national disaster, highlighting the alarming rates of violence against women in the country.

In the lead-up to the G20 Summit, South African women's rights activists are launching a significant protest movement advocating for gender-based violence (GBV) to be recognized as a national disaster. The initiative, which began online, encourages citizens to participate by wearing purple, symbolic of GBV awareness. Statistics reveal high rates of GBV in the nation, with women facing violence at alarming frequencies. The protest also coincides with a petition signed by over a million people urging the government to take stronger measures against this ongoing crisis.

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.

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 organized 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 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.

Grammy-award winning singer Tyla is among the thousands of celebrities and citizens who have rallied behind the call and changed their social media profiles. Some have gone further, posting pictures of purple hearts, nail polish, and even clothing in what has since been dubbed the purple movement.

However, some women have faced a backlash from employers for wanting to participate in the protest. One product designer who works for a major corporation said they were strongly advised against taking part.

Some women who feel the government is not doing enough have taken matters into their own hands. Lynette Oxeley founded Girls on Fire to help women protect themselves through gun ownership. It is legal to own a firearm in South Africa for self-defense if a person has a valid license.