REFRAME at Constitution Hill: A Touching Tribute to GBV Changemakers in Africa

In a region where almost one in three women will experience gender-based violence (GBV) in their lifetime, REFRAME is a timely call to rethink the way we see and speak about prevention. Opening to the public from 7–15 August 2025 at Constitution Hill, Prison 4, Johannesburg, This powerful photography exhibition opens from from 7 to 15 August 2025 at Constitution Hill and captures the stories, strategies, and lived experiences behind GBV prevention efforts in Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the SADC Secretariat.

The exhibition is hosted by the Partnerships for Prevention of GBV in Southern Africa (PfP) and implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in collaboration with the German Embassy in Pretoria. REFRAME invites audiences to look again, listen deeper, and join the growing movement to end GBV. Here’s what you need to know.

REFRAME art exhibition in Johannesburg | What's on in Joburg

The focus of REFRAME

Curated by renowned Johannesburg-based photographer Yaseen Khan, REFRAME brings together striking imagery and first-hand narratives to illustrate the breadth of GBV prevention work in Southern Africa. The exhibition is arranged into thematic “re-” sections — redefine, reimagine, recognise, rethink, reshape, reclaim — each capturing a unique strand of transformation.

Visitors are able to witness the faces and places behind initiatives that work with religious and traditional leaders to challenge harmful by-laws, programmes that engage men and boys in rethinking masculinities, and digital safe spaces empowering women to speak out.

These stories are not only artistic expressions, but blueprints for change, rooted in the PfP programme’s partnerships with governments, civil society, and the SADC Secretariat. In a region where GBV rates remain among the highest in the world, REFRAME offers hope and a call to action, demonstrating how collective creativity and courage can reshape the future for generations to come.