Thousands expected to gather at Sea Point Promenade for G20 women’s shutdown

Thousands of women and anti-gender-based violence supporters are expected to gather at Sea Point Promenade in Cape Town to take part in the G20 women's shutdown.

The shutdown is a call by non-governmental organisation (NGO) Women for Change to highlight the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in South Africa.

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

On 11 April 2025, Women for Change handed over a petition to the government asking for GBVF to be declared a national disaster - a similar petition recently garnered more than one million signatures.

Crime statistics show 15 women are killed in South Africa every day. Moreover, 115 rape cases are reported in the country daily.

As part of Friday's call to action, Women for Change has called on all women and the LGBTQI+ community to refrain from paid or unpaid work and not participate in the economy.

The NGO will also be hosting "lie downs" across the country from 12 pm to 12:15 pm on Friday to mourn the 15 women murdered in the country every day.

Supporters of the campaign are encouraged to wear black.

The organisation is reiterating its call for the government to declare GBVF a national disaster and provide more resources to tackle the scourge.

Women for Change is also hoping the shutdown will spark broader conversations about GBV and deal with the deep-rooted cultural issues the country has around GBVF.

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