South Africa Declares Gender-Based Violence A National Disaster After Nationwide Protests

South Africa has officially declared gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide a national disaster following widespread online campaigns and nationwide protests on Friday, according to BBC reports.

Women across 15 locations, including Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg, were urged to “withdraw from the economy for one day” and lie down for 15 minutes at 12:00 local time (10:00 GMT) to honour the 15 women killed daily in the country. Support also came from allies in Eswatini, Kenya, and Namibia.

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) had initially rejected calls for the designation, citing legal requirements. But Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa confirmed that after “a thorough reassessment of previous reports and updated submissions from organs of state as well as civil organisations,” GBV and femicide had been reclassified as a disaster. BBC reported that the decision followed evaluation of “the persistent and immediate life-safety risks posed by ongoing acts of violence.”

South Africa faces some of the world’s highest levels of gender-based violence, with women killed at five times the global average, according to UN Women. President Cyril Ramaphosa had told the G20 Social Summit on Thursday that South Africa had “declared gender-based violence and femicide a national crisis” in 2019. Mr Hlabisa later confirmed it had now been upgraded to a national disaster.

The G20 Women's Shutdown, organised by Women for Change, saw demonstrators dressed in black as a sign of “mourning and resistance,” BBC reported. The campaign also included social media activity where many people, including celebrities, changed their profile pictures to purple, a colour associated with GBV awareness. An online petition supporting the initiative has gathered over one million signatures.

Women for Change spokesperson Cameron Kasambala told BBC that despite several initiatives, “so many beautiful acts and legislations” had been undermined by “lack of implementation and transparency.” She added, “We've integrated violence… into our culture [and] into our social norms. Once the government truly reacts to this issue, I feel like we'll already be able to see a reaction on the ground. Because they set the precedent and the tone for how the country responds.”

Grammy-award winning singer Tyla is among those who have supported the movement, posting purple hearts, clothing, and nail polish in what has become known as the “purple movement.” Some participants travelled long distances to take part. A South African professor, who wished to remain anonymous, told BBC she had taken leave to join the Johannesburg protest and hoped it would “slow the scourge” of GBV.

The protests have also faced backlash. Some women were warned by employers against participating, reflecting ongoing tensions over activism.

In response to persistent violence, some women have taken personal measures. Lynette Oxeley founded Girls on Fire, a group training women in firearm use for self-defence. Prudence, a member who was raped in 2022 and experienced lost evidence, told BBC, “I said: 'No'. I screamed, I cried but he didn't take no for an answer…It isn't a 'police problem, it is a nation problem.'”

Ms Oxeley emphasised that firearms are a last resort, saying, “It's not about actually defending yourself with a firearm. I want ladies to change what they think about themselves. Stop being silent. Even if you do not win the fight, at least you are fighting back.”

The disaster classification allows government departments to use allocated budgets to implement measures aimed at reducing GBV. If these fail, the government may declare a national state of disaster, allowing even more urgent action, BBC reported.

(With inputs from BBC)