Monika Amunyela

Namibia is rising in solidarity with South African women ahead of the G20 Women’s Shutdown on 21 November, calling an end to Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

As South African women prepare to bring the country’s labour force to a halt, Namibians across all 14 regions are demanding justice, urging the country’s officials to respond with the same urgency and vigour. 

Organised collectively by the Slut Shame Movement and the Missing Persons Unit Namibia, and supported by advocacy groups such as Namibia Rainbow Power, the national shutdown aims to amplify the message of the Women for Change South Africa organisation: “without women, society stops.” 

Founder of the Slut Shame Movement, Nsonzi Mwazi, said the action is inspired by the shared struggles of femicide in the countries. 

“We are all demanding the same thing, we are all experiencing the same femicide in our respective countries. This call to action aligns with what we have been demanding since 2019,” she said.

Across the two countries, communities will gather for the 15-minute National Standstill at 12h00 pm, standing or lying in silence to honour the lives of women lost to femicide. 

For South Africa, the campaign calls on all women, girls, and members of the LGBTQI+ community to refrain from all paid and unpaid work on 21 November, to withdraw from the economy for the day. Meeting points have already been confirmed in several regions, including Rehoboth in Hardap, Otjiwarongo in Otjozondjupa, Swakopmund in Erongo, and Witvlei in Omaheke. 

Participants are requested to wear black in a gesture of mourning and resistance.

In Namibia, the call is underscored by recent horror, such as the three young girls, Ingrid Maasdorp, Roswinds Fabianu and Beyoncé Kharuxas, who were murdered earlier this year, and other women such as Juanita Karolus.

In South Africa, the campaign by Women for Change states that approximately 15 women are murdered every day in the country, averaging one woman every 2.5 hours.  -mamunyela@nepc.com.na