SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN UNITE

South Africans across social media turned their profile pictures purple to show support for a planned nationwide shutdown against gender-based violence and femicide, led by the Women for Change organisation.

The organization is organizing a march on November 21st and has called upon women and members of the LGBTQI+ community to "withdraw their power" by abstaining from all paid and unpaid work for a day, from offices to households, as a demonstration of their social and economic impact.

"Until South Africa stops burying a woman every 2.5 hours, the G20 cannot speak of growth and progress. We demand that gender-based violence and femicide be declared a national disaster. Not tomorrow. Not at another summit. Now!" said Women for Change in a statement.

The shutdown occurs while South Africa is hosting the G20 Leaders' Summit on November 22 and 23 at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, the first such event on the African continent to be presided over by an African country. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi today confirmed that preparations are under way.

"We are ready to offer the world a warm and exceptionally unique experience of our province. Gauteng is ready, zwakala. Let's make this an experience that we'll all love," said Lesufi.

The protest will also call for a 15-minute national standstill at 12pm, where all participants should lie down wherever they are- at work, school, malls, or parks-to honor the 15 women murdered daily in South Africa.
“At 12pm precisely, we call for a 15-minute silent lie-down across the country — one minute each for every woman murdered each day in South Africa,” said Women for Change.

The organization said the event will include a livestream reading of the names of women being remembered during the 15 minutes.

Participants are also encouraged to wear black as a sign of mourning and resistance and change their profile pictures to purple to make the shutdown visible online.

“Don’t work. No paid or unpaid labour. Don’t spend money and withdraw from the economy for one day. Join the 15-Minute Standstill by lying down for 15 minutes at 12pm to honour the 15 women murdered every day and bring South Africa to a complete standstill,” the group said.
According to Women for Change supporters can take part by:
1. Out of work: this includes those unemployed, unable to work (sickness, disability or pregnancy), cares for dependant relatives, cannot work and are seeking employment but could not start within two weeks, on maternity or paternity leave or have to travel more than one hour to get to work.
2. Not spending any money and withdrawing from the economy for a day.
3. Joining the 15-minute national standstill at noon.

4. Wearing black to mourn and resist.
5. Changing profile pictures to purple in a show of online solidarity.
6. Share the campaign posters and utilize #WomenShutdown.

The organization put it clearly, saying men could only join as allies. “Men can take part but as allies. The core action is led by girls, women, and LGBTQI+ people because we are the ones most affected by gender-based violence, femicide, and hate crimes in South Africa. Men can still support women in taking the day off, share and amplify the message, and use their voice to challenge other men,” it said.