Women for Change Calls for Nationwide Shutdown in Stand Against Gender-Based Violence
- Women of Change organisation has called for a GBV national shutdown on Friday, November 21, 2025
- The organisation calls for every woman to join the nationwide economic shutdown where women refrain from economic activity for the day
- South Africans have supported the movement, with many changing their social media profiles to raise awareness and show solidarity against gender-based violence
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Source: UGC
Women of Change call for National Shutdown
Johannesburg- As South Africa continues to grapple with a high rate of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, non-profit organisation Women for Change has asked women to stay away from work and avoid spending money on November 21, 2025, to promote awareness around GBV and femicide.
Leading up to the G20 summit, the organization encouraged South Africans not only to join the shutdown but also to turn their profile pictures purple in solidarity
The organisers have requested that women refrain from going to work and refrain from spending during the day. Those who are unable to participate in the shutdown are encouraged to join in a 15-minute lie-in to honour the 15 women murdered daily in South Africa. Additionally, the movement urges South Africans to wear black clothing to symbolize mourning and resistance against the suffering and pain caused by GBV.
Alarming statistics highlight the need for urgent action
Women of Change says the scourge of GBV is a national crisis that deserves crucial and immediate action. Statistics reveal that an average of 15 women are murdered every day in South Africa by their partners. Reports from organisations such as the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) indicate that about 33.1% of women over the age of 18 have experienced physical violence, while nearly 10% have experienced sexual violence during their lifetimes.
Despite the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide being passed in Parliament in 2020, Women of Change argues that there has been a lack of urgency in implementing and funding its commitments.
To date, the Women of Change organisation's petition to declare GBV a National Disaster has gathered over 1 million signatures, demanding accountability and urging the government to prioritize GBV and femicide with proactive measures and real action.
Source: Twitter
The G20 summit provides a platform for the group to raise awareness globally
According to the organisers, holding the GBV shutdown in conjunction with the G20 summit was a strategic decision to demonstrate collective strength in front of influential leaders, including presidents, prime ministers, business leaders, and decision-makers.
"The G20 Women's Shutdown sends a direct message to the world: you cannot speak of progress while women are dying. In the same country hosting these conversations, a woman is murdered every 2.5 hours," stated Women of Change.
Responses on social media regarding the shutdown vary:
yifen91013 stated:
absolutely support!!!!!!!oppose to any forms of gender discrimination
@stoephel said:
In the context of the #MadlangaCommission we should not forget the corrupt and toxic patriarchal role #SAPS and #ipid play in the femicide pandemic the country is experiencing! Can the lawmakers, male and female, pls @Unite4ChangeZA and trigger a stop to this across society!
@jabari_ww commented:
Silence isn’t safety. Silence protects perpetrators, isolates survivors, and normalises harm. Safety is built when we speak, protect, and act. In homes, workplaces, campuses, and policy. On Fri, 21 Nov, we join the Women’s Shutdown @womenforchange5
@PilaneWilies added:
As men of this country, we should support this shutdown. GBV is a serious issue in our country, and the scary part is that it can happen to anyone - your sister, mother, cousin... anyone can be a victim of GBV, even our loved ones.
@Sir_Him_KEM argued:
With due respect, I find this campaign to be misguided. The thing that needs to change is individual attitude towards life & behaviour in this country. No State authority can change outcomes of bad behaviour and bad attitude if there's no inculcation of good in these two things.
Durban residents took to the street in protest against GBV
In related articles, Briefly News reported that Durban residents marched in purple for the GBV shutdown, highlighting the South African call for accountability and real action from the government regarding this persistent issue, thereby inspiring much-needed conversations among South Africans.
Source: Briefly News
