Some protesters hope GBVF demonstration in SA inspires women across the world to take action

Some participants at a demonstration led by advocacy group Women for Change are hopeful that Friday’s activities will inspire women across the globe to take action.

Thousands of people clad in black and purple heeded the organisation’s call on Friday to shine a spotlight on the growing scourge of gender-based violence and femicide.  

While government has classified GBVF as a national crisis, many citizens lie in silence for 15 minutes at midday to honour the women and children who violently lost their lives.

IN PICS: Thousands of women across SA take a stand against GBV

Yeukai Munetsi is a Zimbabwean activist who joined Friday’s demonstration at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg.

"This is a woman issue. Whether you're in Botswana, whether you are in Angola, Kenya, we have a lot of cases of women who have been killed by their loved ones, by their relatives, with patriarchal barriers that are still limiting. Young women... they are still exploiting us. We are in marriages and we suffer abuse and we are told to be silent."

According to the latest statistics, at least 6,000 women fall victim to GBVF annually in South Africa.