President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially declared gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) a national crisis in South Africa.
Ramaphosa said the government has agreed, among all its social partners, that it needs to take extraordinary and concerted action – using every means at its disposal – to end this crisis.
“The women in our country are crying out that they need much more focus on the issue of gender-based violence. They need protection. They need support, and they need assistance, largely from their government but also from the men of South Africa,” he said.
Ramaphosa calls GBVF a national crisis
“It is for this reason that we’ve said we, in recognising the plight of our women, are now going to classify GBVF as a national crisis.”
The president’s declaration comes on the eve of the G20 Women’s Shutdown by the non-profit organisation Women for Change.
Women and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, quee, intersex, and other identities (LGBTQI+) community across South Africa are to stay away from all paid and unpaid work in workplaces, universities and homes and to spend no money for the entire day to demonstrate the economic and social impact of their absence.
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“Because until South Africa stops burying a woman every 2.5 hours, the G20 cannot speak of growth and progress,” Women for Change said.
“We demand that gender-based violence and femicide be declared a national disaster. Not tomorrow. Not at another summit. No!”
A billboard was also unveiled in Johannesburg as leaders arrived for the G20 Summit.
Women for Change billboard
“Welcome to the country where women are only safe in a casket,” the billboard reads.
Ramaphosa made the declaration during his closing remarks at the G20 Social Summit in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni.
He said we cannot build societies rooted in equality unless those societies uphold the rights of women and girls.
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“Sustainable societies are those that recognise, value and compensate the labour and economic contribution of women,” the president said.
“No society can thrive for as long as GBVF continues and the agency of women is denied.”
Ramaphosa said that the violence perpetrated by men against women erodes the social fabric of the nation and imposes a heavy burden that constrains development and weakens inclusive growth.
Men and boys role
The president added that men and boys are critical partners in transforming harmful norms and advancing gender justice.
“They must be actively involved in challenging inherited attitudes, power imbalances and social structures that normalise violence and silence survivors,” he said.
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