In a recent article from The Guardian, the government of South Africa officially declared gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide a national disaster after widespread protests across 15 cities, held on November 21, 2025. Hundreds of women wearing black staged a 15-minute “lie-down” protest to symbolize the estimated 15 women murdered daily in the country. The protest was organised by the NGO Women For Change and backed by a petition with over one million signatures. In response, the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) concluded that the “persistent and immediate life-safety risks posed by ongoing acts of violence” meet the threshold of a disaster—enabling greater resource mobilization.
Compiled From: Jessie Williams, “South Africa declares gender-based violence a national disaster amid G20 protests,” The Guardian, Nov. 22, 2025.