Women For Change: Re-classification of GBVF as a crisis a significant move in the right direction

Non-profit organisation Women For Change (WFC) is confident that key strides will be made to address gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) following a closed meeting with government officials on Thursday afternoon.

In the engagement, the organisation announced that the government had committed to reclassifying the scourge as a national crisis.

The commitment from ministers comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated the country’s strong stance on GBVF earlier on Thursday. During his closing remarks at the G20 Social Summit, the president highlighted that GBVF had already been classified as a national crisis.

Women For Change, which spearheaded the well-known Purple Movement, has mobilised thousands of people across the country to speak out against the abuse of women and children.

The organisation is scheduled to hold a nationwide demonstration on Friday, urging the government to take the fight against GBVF seriously and implement effective measures.

Organiser Merlize Jogiat stated that the re-classification was a significant move in the right direction.

"We just came out of a meeting with ministers who have confirmed what the president said. It has been very emotional and we are still crying because this was a long and hard fight. For those of us who are victims, this validates our cries."