South Africa on Friday officially declared the country’s rampant violence against women a national disaster, as thousands of protesters staged demonstrations to draw attention to the crisis ahead of this weekend’s G20 summit.

The country has one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), with deaths from such violence estimated to be five times higher than the global average, according to UN Women.

In Johannesburg, thousands dressed in black participated in a “lie-in” protest, lying on the ground for 15 minutes near the city centre, just kilometres from the venue hosting G20 leaders. The demonstration was held to honor the 15 women killed every day in South Africa.

A 2022 government survey found that one in three South African women had experienced physical violence, while nearly 10 percent had suffered sexual violence. Police received over 10,700 reports of rape in the first three months of 2025 alone, though experts say the actual figures are likely much higher.

“I’m here standing for not only myself but my younger sisters, my siblings and every woman in South Africa,” said 23-year-old protester Lefika Jonathan.

The government’s disaster management agency said it had concluded that the persistent threat to women’s lives from ongoing violence met the “threshold of a potential disaster,” making GBVF a national priority for all branches of government.

“All we want is justice,” said 19-year-old student Nomhle Porogo, who participated in the protest. She expressed hope that the timing of the demonstration would ensure that government officials take notice. However, she criticized the decision to classify GBVF as a disaster only as the country prepares to host international visitors.

“For them to declare it a national disaster when it suits them and in front of our visitors because they want to make our house look clean…is an injustice,” Porogo told AFP.

The move marks a historic acknowledgment of the severity of gender-based violence in South Africa, but activists argue that urgent, sustained action is needed beyond symbolic gestures.