Women For Change has called for a nationwide shutdown on Friday, November 21, ahead of the G20 Leaders' summit. Image: Women For Change shared via X @womenforchange5.
(The Post News)– Activist group Women For Change has urged women and members of the LGBTQ+ community in South Africa to stage a national shutdown to fight against gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.
The shutdown is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 21, a day ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, which will take place on Saturday, November 22. In a statement released on X, Women For Change urged “all women and members of the LGBTQI+ community” nationwide to stay away from “all paid and unpaid work in workplaces, universities, homes, and communities” in an effort to prove the “economic and social impact of their absence.”
According to Women For Change, the G20 cannot speak on “growth and progress” while the country buries a woman every 2.5 hours. The activist group has demanded immediate action against GBV and femicide, calling for femicide and GBV to be regarded as national disasters.
Meanwhile, in another statement on X, the organization stated that men can also partake in the protest “but as allies.” Women For Change explained that girls, women, and LGBTQI+ members are at the forefront of the shutdown, as they are most impacted by the hate crimes, femicide, and GBV in the country.
Furthermore, the organization said that these groups are the ones being “raped, murdered, abused, and silenced” most frequently, at times by males they “know, trust, or live with.”
Women For Change has also encouraged corporations, businesses, and civil society organization to support women—requesting that companies give women paid time off on the day of the shutdown.
In observance of the 15 women who are killed every day in SA, Women For Change has asked those who will participate in the shutdown to partake in a symbolic 15-minute standstill at 12:00 p.m. by lying down for 15 minutes. Additionally, to make the shutdown noticeable online, participants have been urged to change their social media profile pictures to purple and wear black as a symbol of resistance and grief.
Public Support
Some social media users have expressed support for Women For Change’s national shutdown. @justMakhura noted on X that silence does not help anyone—most women and girls “continue to live with their abusers, trapped by fear and circumstances.” Additionally, @justMakhura affirmed her support for the Women For Change Movement’s call as a revolutionary who understands that a revolution cannot occur without women.
“It’s actually crazy that it’s 2025 and we still have to protest around GBV for our government to take the issue of femicide seriously,” @zalikiwoee wrote on X. She further commended Women For Change, saying that it is “such a powerful organization” for South African women. Meanwhile, @__thaby said, “We demand that gender-based violence and femicide be declared a national disaster now!”
On the other hand, a blank purple image—a color commonly used by Women For Change on most of their social media posts—has been making rounds on Instagram, X, Facebook, and even WhatsApp statuses.
Government Response
Panyaza Lesufi, the premier of Gauteng, has, however, confirmed the preparedness and readiness of the province to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit. According to the premier, necessary precautions to address some areas of concern will guarantee a safer and crime-free Gauteng for foreign visitors to return to the country even after the G20 summit.
Moreover, Lesufi said that Gauteng has made investments in cutting-edge security to guarantee the safety of international visitors and world leaders at all times.
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