A growing movement under the hashtag ‘Womens Shutdown’ is gaining momentum across South Africa as women and members of the LGBTQI+ community call for a nationwide shutdown to protest gender-based violence and femicide.
According to TimesLIVE, the campaign, led by the advocacy group Women for Change, urges participants to “withdraw their power” on Friday, 21 November 2025, by refraining from all forms of paid and unpaid labour, from offices to homes, as a symbolic act to demonstrate women’s social and economic contribution.
The shutdown comes as South Africa prepares to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit on 22 and 23 November 2025 at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, the first time the global economic forum will be chaired by an African nation.
Organisers say the timing is deliberate, intended to draw international attention to South Africa’s ongoing gender-based violence crisis.
“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!” the organisation said in a statement.
As part of the protest, a 15-minute national standstill is planned for midday on 21 November 2025, where participants will lie down wherever they are, in workplaces, schools, shopping centres or public parks, to honour the estimated 15 women murdered every day in South Africa.
“At [12:00 SAST] exactly, we are calling for a 15-minute silent lie-down across the country, one minute for every woman murdered each day in South Africa,” Women for Change stated.
Participants are encouraged to wear black to signify mourning and resistance, and to turn their profile pictures purple on social media to show solidarity.
The campaign also includes a live-streamed reading of the names of victims during the 15-minute standstill.
Women for Change outlined several ways to participate: abstaining from work and spending money for the day, joining the national standstill, and using the hashtag “WomenShutdown” to amplify the message online.
The organisation has also welcomed male allies to show support by allowing women to take the day off, sharing the campaign message, and using their voices to challenge gender-based violence.
“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,” the group said.
The ‘Womens Shutdown’ movement has quickly spread online, with thousands changing their social media avatars to purple in support of the call for action.
The campaign aims to create a nationwide moment of reflection and disruption, urging the government and the public to confront the scale of South Africa’s gender-based violence crisis.
