GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE & FEMICIDE: NATIONAL DISASTER DECLARATION GAZETTED

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE & FEMICIDE: NATIONAL DISASTER DECLARATION GAZETTED

• 24 November 2025
• General Interest
• SA Legal Academy

The Department of Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs has gazetted a notice declaring gender-based violence and femicide a national disaster.

This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on 20 November 2025 at the G20 social summit, when he told delegates that ‘here in South Africa, we have declared gender-based violence and femicide … a national crisis’ requiring ‘extraordinary and concerted action’ if it is to be ended. According to the official version of the President’s speech that day, this is noting that:

• ‘no society can thrive for as long as gender-based violence and femicide continues and the agency of women is denied’
• ‘the violence perpetrated by men against women erodes ... (a nation’s) social fabric’
• the crisis has imposed ‘a heavy burden that constrains development and weakens inclusive growth’
• ‘men and boys are critical partners in transforming harmful norms and advancing gender justice’, and that
• ‘they must be actively involved in challenging inherited attitudes, power imbalances and social structures that normalise violence and silence survivors’.

The President also referred to an agreement ‘among all social partners’ to use ‘every means at our disposal’ to stop the scourge.

• Government Gazette notice
• President’s speech

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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