Claiming Orange in Spaces: Community Activation Against GBV

Claiming Orange in Spaces launched on Friday, 5 December at the entrance of the Tshwane University of Technology’s Arts Campus.

This activation falls under the Research Niche Area: Artivism as a Tool to Combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and forms part of a series of activations that will continue into 2026. This community-engaged initiative invited communities to “claim orange” in shared spaces as a collective stance against GBV.

The first iteration took place on the Arts Campus and centred on the invaluable work of maintenance staff, bringing visibility to their role in sustaining the campus environment. The activation included a short, performed dialogue, a brief movement performance and a moment where all participants stood together in a minute of silence in solidarity for the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV, an international campaign that calls for prevention and collective responsibility.

“By taking up space through embodied action, Claiming Orange in Spaces supports national GBV-prevention efforts and aligns with current research showing that creative, participatory interventions strengthen community cohesion and contribute to shifts in social norms around violence,” says Dr Nicola Haskins, Dance lecturer in the Department of Performing Arts and Research Niche Area Co-Chair.

PHOTOS: Didintle Morudu