Why are South Africans changing their profile pictures to purple?
More and more people are changing their profile pictures to purple, but why?
If you've been scrolling through social media since the weekend, you might have noticed an increasing number of purple profile pictures appearing across platforms.
On Instagram, many users have even added purple hearts to their profile notes.
But what is the meaning behind all of this?
According to the non-profit organisation Women for Change (WFC), a woman is buried every 2.5 hours in South Africa because of gender-based violence.
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Based on a Public Safety and Justice Survey from Stats SA, almost 50% of all assaults against women are committed by someone they know.
The fact is that gender-based violence is a massive issue in South Africa, and although the government and corporate world often run campaigns addressing it, real change still seems out of reach.
That's why WFC has decided to initiate a national shutdown on Friday, 21 November, just one day before South Africa's crucial 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg.
"We call on all women and members of the LGBTQI+ community across South Africa to refrain 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," said the WFC.
"Because until South Africa stops burying a woman every 2.5 hours, the G20 cannot speak of growth and progress."
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The non-profit organisation is demanding that the government declare gender-based violence and femicide a national disaster.
Many people are also using the hashtag #WomenShutdown to show their support for the cause.
Social media has already been flooded with purple as users change their profile pictures to raise awareness and show solidarity.
@womenforchange.sa We live in a country where every 2.5 hours, a woman is murdered. A country where every 12 minutes, a woman reports a rape to the police, and millions more endure harassment, domestic violence, and abuse in silence every day. Sign our Petition - Link in Bio. #UnburyTheTruth #WomenForChange #womenforchangesa #AmINext #gbvsouthafrica ♬ original sound
How you can participate in the national shutdown
- Don't work. No paid or unpaid labour.
- Don't spend money and withdraw from the economy for one day.
- Join the 15-Minute Standstill by lying down for 15 minutes at 12:00 to honour the 15 women murdered every day and bring South Africa to a complete standstill.
- Wear black to stand in mourning and resistance.
- Change your profile picture to purple to make the shutdown visible online. (Click here to download the purple background.)
- Share. Share. Share. Make the shutdown impossible to ignore. Talk about it, and share WFC’s posters using #WomenShutdown.
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Images: Women for Change