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A growing number of social media users have turned their profile pictures purple — a move linked to a global campaign highlighting gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.
The online movement was launched by South African organisation Women For Change (WFC), which called for a nationwide “shutdown” on November 21, just a day before the G20 Summit in Johannesburg.
The campaign urges women and LGBTQ+ people to abstain from paid and unpaid work, avoid spending money, and change their profile pictures to purple as a sign of solidarity with GBV victims.
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According to WFC, the colour purple was chosen because it represents dignity, resistance, and unity, themes central to the fight against gender-based violence. The campaign, shared widely under the hashtag #WomenShutdown, aims to make the online protest “impossible to ignore.”
“Change your profile picture to purple to make the shutdown visible online. Share, speak out, and stand together,” the organisation said in a statement.
Since the call to action was issued, purple profile pictures have flooded social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). While the movement originated in South Africa, it has quickly spread beyond the country’s borders, with people across the continent — including Kenya, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe — joining in solidarity.
The campaign also serves as a reminder of the alarming rates of GBV and femicide in South Africa, where activists say a woman is killed every three hours.
However, the trend has sparked debate online, with some critics dismissing it as “performative activism,” while supporters argue that it brings much-needed attention to the ongoing crisis.
“Even if it starts as symbolic, it creates awareness and sparks conversations that can lead to real change,” one social media user wrote.
As the November 21 shutdown approaches, campaign organisers are urging more people to participate both online and offline — using the colour purple not just as a symbol, but as a call for justice and accountability.
