South African Women Launch “Purple Shutdown” Against Gender Violence

South African women have launched a nationwide “Purple Shutdown” protest to demand urgent action against the country’s worsening gender-based violence crisis. Led by the advocacy group Women for Change, the campaign calls on women and LGBTQ+ individuals to withdraw their labour, avoid spending for the day, and dress in black while turning their online profiles purple to honour victims and highlight the scale of femicide. Supporters, including prominent public figures, are using the movement to pressure the government to declare GBV a national disaster as South Africa prepares to host the G20 Summit. With an estimated 15 women killed daily, protesters say the time for symbolic gestures has passed and are demanding decisive, well-resourced action to protect women’s lives.