At 12:00 PM, South Africa will pause.

Women, children, and allies will lie down in silence for 15 minutes to honour every sister who didn’t make it home, every survivor who was never believed, and every child growing up in the shadow of violence.

Today isn’t symbolic — it’s necessary.

Gender-Based Violence and Femicide has now been classified as a National Disaster.

This recognition, won through relentless pressure from Women For Change and over 1.1 million voices worldwide, finally names this crisis for what it is — an emergency that demands coordinated, measurable action.

Our Communications Officer, Lindy, who also serves as an A21 South Africa volunteer, is leading representatives from various anti-trafficking organisations from around the world in a 15-minute moment of solidarity. This matters to us because GBV and human trafficking are deeply connected.

For years, Bitou 10 Foundation and A21 have partnered locally to raise awareness in our schools about the link between GBV, vulnerability, and exploitation like trafficking.

And while our core work is in education, we understand something fundamental: education lifts people out of poverty, reduces vulnerability, and opens the door to safer, stronger futures. A child who learns has options. A family with options is less vulnerable. A community with knowledge becomes a shield.

So today, we honour the courage of survivors, the memory of those we have lost, and the tireless work of every organisation fighting on the frontlines of GBV and trafficking.