South African women call purple protest over gender violence
Summary
South African women's rights groups are organizing protests to demand that gender-based violence (GBV) be declared a national disaster. The protests include calls for women to stay home from work and school and to participate in a nationwide demonstration on Friday. Despite these calls, the National Disaster Management Centre has said GBV does not meet the criteria to be declared a national disaster.Key Facts
- Women's rights groups in South Africa are pushing for GBV to be declared a national disaster.
- The protest, named the G20 Women's Shutdown, is planned for Friday.
- South Africa has high levels of femicide, with the murder rate of women five times the global average.
- Between January and March 2023, 137 women were murdered and over 1,000 raped in South Africa.
- Participants are encouraged to wear black and lie down for 15 minutes at noon in remembrance of those killed.
- The protest follows an online campaign and a petition signed by over one million people.
- The National Disaster Management Centre rejected calls to declare GBV a national disaster.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that GBV was declared a national crisis in 2019, but activists believe more action is needed.
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