Yo no di a Luz by Nadia Shira Cohen

El Salvador's Abortion Ban in the age of Zika. The argument over when the human life begins is one of the most contentious in our world today. There are 66 countries that prohibit abortion under nearly all circumstances—though almost all of them exclude cases where the mother’s life is in danger.
San Luis Del Carmen, Chalatenango, El Salvador-May 2016: Milagro Castro, 24 years old and a few weeks shy of 5 months pregnant contracted Zika at 9 weeks and lives in fear the she will give birth to a deformed baby. But she puts her faith in god. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen

El Salvador’s Abortion Ban in the age of Zika

The argument over when the human life begins is one of the most contentious in our world today. There are 66 countries that prohibit abortion under nearly all circumstances—though almost all of them exclude cases where the mother’s life is in danger.

But in six of these nations, there are no exceptions. This dramatic repression of reproductive rights in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Chile, Malta, and the Vatican forbids the practice even in situations of rape, incest, unviable fetus, or risk to the mother’s life.

Earlier this year, during the height of the spread of the mosquito born illness, Zika, the Salvadoran Ministry of Health recommended that women abstain from pregnancy for almost 2 years. The statement was met with outrage at the idea that women in El Salvador are in fact in charge of their own reproductive lives. Pregnant women in today’s El Salvador face a number of challenges from Zika virus, which has been linked to the condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence. Many are victims of rape, often associated with gang initiations as well as high levels of incest, with many, alarmingly between the ages of 10 and 14. Over half of all reported suicides are of pregnant teens. However the most important threat to women’s reproductive rights is by far the State’s criminal ban on abortion. Since El Salvador’s absolute abortion ban came into law in 1998, some 150 women have been prosecuted under it. Doctors and nurses in public hospitals are required by the law to report any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most, as doctors in private hospitals are not required to give information. Some women are even sentenced to up to 50-year prison terms for what are essentially still births. They are known as the “Mata Niños,” roughly 25-30 women imprisoned and serving between 30 to 50 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Prosecutors argue against the nature of science, accusing women of willing themselves to expel their premature babies, creating an environment where women are persecuted for the mere natural failures of their own bodies. A woman who contracts Zika while pregnant not only worries for the well being of her unborn child but for the increased risk of miscarrying and then being suspected and possibly accused of intentionally aborting. But then again Zika is perhaps the last of many women’s worries in El Salvador. [Official Website]

San Luis Del Carmen, Chalatenango, El Salvador-May 2016: Milagro Castro, 24 years old and a few weeks shy of 5 months pregnant contracted Zika at 9 weeks and lives in fear the she will give birth to a deformed baby. But she puts her faith in god. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
San Luis Del Carmen, Chalatenango, El Salvador-May 2016: Milagro Castro, 24 years old and a few weeks shy of 5 months pregnant contracted Zika at 9 weeks and lives in fear the she will give birth to a deformed baby. But she puts her faith in god. Pregnant women in today’s El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women’s reproductive rights is by far the State’s criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women’s uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women’s stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen

San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: A pro life wall mural adorns the wall in a side street on the main highway from Chalatenango to San Salvador. The society has over time embraced the abortion ban for the most part. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: A pro life wall mural adorns the wall in a side street on the main highway from Chalatenango to San Salvador. The society has over time embraced the abortion ban for the most part.

Panchmalco, El Salvador-May 2016: Churchgoers pay tribut to the Virgin Mary at a mass as part of the annual Palms Festival features a procession of the Virgin Mary through the town's narrow streets and attracts people from all over the country as well as internationally who come to idolize her. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen as part of the annual Palms Festival features a procession of the Virgin Mary through the town's narrow streets and attracts people from all over the country as well as internationally who come to idolize her. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive righ
Panchmalco, El Salvador-May 2016: Churchgoers pay tribut to the Virgin Mary at a mass as part of the annual Palms Festival features a procession of the Virgin Mary through the town’s narrow streets and attracts people from all over the country as well as internationally who come to idolize her.

Planes de Renderos, El Salvador-May 2016: Abigail Sanches from San Luis Stalpa la Paz waiting to be examined at the maternal waiting house which especially helps women who come from areas without access to a nearby hospital wait out the end of the pregnancies in order to be close to a hospital and avoid complications. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
Planes de Renderos, El Salvador-May 2016: Abigail Sanches from San Luis Stalpa la Paz waiting to be examined at the maternal waiting house which especially helps women who come from areas without access to a nearby hospital wait out the end of the pregnancies in order to be close to a hospital and avoid complications.

San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Families gather at the general cemetary to pay tribute to their mothers on Mother's Day. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Families gather at the general cemetary to pay tribute to their mothers on Mother’s Day.

Panchmalco, El Salvador-May 2016: Women of the community carry the Virgin Mary on their backs on a procession through the town of Panchimalco. The annual Palms Festival features a procession of the Virgin Mary through the town's narrow streets and attracts people from all over the country as well as internationally who come to idolize her. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
Panchmalco, El Salvador-May 2016: Women of the community carry the Virgin Mary on their backs on a procession through the town of Panchimalco. The annual Palms Festival features a procession of the Virgin Mary through the town’s narrow streets and attracts people from all over the country as well as internationally who come to idolize her.

Panchmalco, El Salvador-May 2016: The queen of the annual Palms Festival eating lunch with the whole town at her home. The festival features a procession of the Virgin Mary through the town's narrow streets and attracts people from all over the country as well as internationally who come to idolize her. Young women such as her who live in gang controlled neighborhoods are under increasing risk of being raped and forced to date gang members. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
Panchmalco, El Salvador-May 2016: The queen of the annual Palms Festival eating lunch with the whole town at her home. The festival features a procession of the Virgin Mary through the town’s narrow streets and attracts people from all over the country as well as internationally who come to idolize her. Young women such as her who live in gang controlled neighborhoods are under increasing risk of being raped and forced to date gang members.

Sonsonate, El Salvador-May 2016: María Tamayo examines Flor Marlene Morales at the maternal waiting house in Sonsonate. Flor, who is 15 and from the Juayua municipality arrived at the clinic 40 weeks pregnant, by herself. Her father was assasinated by gangs and she lives with an aunt and her grandmother. The maternal waiting houses especially help women who come from areas without access to a nearby hospital wait out the end of the pregnancies in order to be close to a hospital and avoid complications. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
Sonsonate, El Salvador-May 2016: María Tamayo examines Flor Marlene Morales at the maternal waiting house in Sonsonate. Flor, who is 15 and from the Juayua municipality arrived at the clinic 40 weeks pregnant, by herself. Her father was assasinated by gangs and she lives with an aunt and her grandmother. The maternal waiting houses especially help women who come from areas without access to a nearby hospital wait out the end of the pregnancies in order to be close to a hospital and avoid complications.

San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Dra. María Isabel Rodríguez, Director of the"Hospital Nacional de la Mujer" in San Salvador congratulates Brenda Molina, 34 years old on her newly born twins, the second to be born on Mother's Day in the city. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Dra. María Isabel Rodríguez, Director of the”Hospital Nacional de la Mujer” in San Salvador congratulates Brenda Molina, 34 years old on her newly born twins, the second to be born on Mother’s Day in the city.

Sonsonate, El Salvador-May 2016: Flor Marlene Morales in labor at the maternal waiting house in Sonsonate. who is 15 and from the Juayua municipality arrived at the clinic 40 weeks pregnant, by herself. Her father was assasinated by gangs and she lives with an aunt and her grandmother. The maternal waiting houses especially help women who come from areas without access to a nearby hospital wait out the end of the pregnancies in order to be close to a hospital and avoid complications. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
Sonsonate, El Salvador-May 2016: Flor Marlene Morales in labor at the maternal waiting house in Sonsonate. who is 15 and from the Juayua municipality arrived at the clinic 40 weeks pregnant, by herself. Her father was assasinated by gangs and she lives with an aunt and her grandmother. The maternal waiting houses especially help women who come from areas without access to a nearby hospital wait out the end of the pregnancies in order to be close to a hospital and avoid complications.

Planes de Renderos, El Salvador-May 2016: Pregnant women line up to receive mosquito repellent at the maternal waiting house in Planes de Renderos. The women were told they would receive repellent and mosquito nets at an event sponsored by the Canadian Embassy, WFP and the Ministry of Health however, after the press conference, the nets were reloaded into a truck and sent to a hospital. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
Planes de Renderos, El Salvador-May 2016: Pregnant women line up to receive mosquito repellent at the maternal waiting house in Planes de Renderos. The women were told they would receive repellent and mosquito nets at an event sponsored by the Canadian Embassy, WFP and the Ministry of Health however, after the press conference, the nets were reloaded into a truck and sent to a hospital.

Planes de Renderos, El Salvador-May 2016: Idalia Alverado Sanchez and her husband Alex in an intimate moment awaiting the arrival of their first child together at the maternal waiting house which especially help women who come from areas without access to a nearby hospital wait out the end of the pregnancies in order to be close to a hospital and avoid complications. This is 21 year old Idalia's 3rd child, the first of which she had when she was 13. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
Planes de Renderos, El Salvador-May 2016: Idalia Alverado Sanchez and her husband Alex in an intimate moment awaiting the arrival of their first child together at the maternal waiting house which especially help women who come from areas without access to a nearby hospital wait out the end of the pregnancies in order to be close to a hospital and avoid complications. This is 21 year old Idalia’s 3rd child, the first of which she had when she was 13.

August 2016-Suchitoto, El Salvador: Pentacostals in a pick up truck outside of The Santa Lucia Cathedral in Suchitoto. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
August 2016-Suchitoto, El Salvador: Pentacostals in a pick up truck outside of The Santa Lucia Cathedral in Suchitoto. ©Nadia Shira Cohen

San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Pigeons storm the square in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador, where 44 people were killed at the funeral of Archbishop Óscar Romero who was assassinated while giving mass in another small chapel in 1980. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Pigeons storm the square in front of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador, where 44 people were killed at the funeral of Archbishop Óscar Romero who was assassinated while giving mass in another small chapel in 1980.

San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Maria Teresa Rivera reacts to her sentence annulement in Federal Court, chanting "Dios Existe" with a photo of her son, Oscar in her hand. The Supreme Court annulled María Teresa Rivera's 40 year sentence for aggravated homicide of her prematurely born infant after she had already served 4 years in jail, barely able to see her son who was being taken care of by her ill mother in a violent gang controlled neighborhood. After a careful review of the medical evidence and all the facts the judge stipulated that there was not enough proof of evidence that she intentially killed her child and ordered that reparations be made to her for her time served. Pregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Maria Teresa Rivera reacts to her sentence annulement in Federal Court, chanting “Dios Existe” with a photo of her son, Oscar in her hand. The Supreme Court annulled María Teresa Rivera’s 40 year sentence for aggravated homicide of her prematurely born infant after she had already served 4 years in jail, barely able to see her son who was being taken care of by her ill mother in a violent gang controlled neighborhood. After a careful review of the medical evidence and all the facts the judge stipulated that there was not enough proof of evidence that she intentially killed her child and ordered that reparations be made to her for her time served.

San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Sanitation workers of the community health clinic in the Santa Tecla are fumigate houses, streets, sewers, and schools against mosquitos, as part of a government program to fight mosquito born diseases Zika, Dengue, and ChicPregnant women in today's El Salvador face a whole host of challenges from the threat of the mosquito born illness, Zika which has been linked to the grave condition of microcephaly in newborns, to the constant threat of gang violence with one of the highest murder rates in the world, to an increasing rape epidemic. However the most important threat to women's reproductive rights is by far the State's criminal ban on abortion. Doctors and nurses are trained to spy on women's uteruses in public hospitals, reporting any suspicious alteration to the authorities and provoking criminal charges which can lead to between 6 months to 7 years in prison. It is the poorer class of women who suffer the most as doctors in private hospitals are not required to report. Roughly 25 women are serving 30 to 40 year sentences on homicide charges for allegedly killing their newborn children. Although the women's stories, most of which resemble premature births or late term miscarigaes are often dismissed in trials, laced with moral accusations, based little on the consitution and scientific facts. ©Nadia Shira Cohen
San Salvador, El Salvador-May 2016: Sanitation workers of the community health clinic in the Santa Tecla are fumigate houses, streets, sewers, and schools against mosquitos, as part of a government program to fight mosquito born diseases Zika, Dengue, and Chic.

The international Women´s Media Foundation helped support Nadia´s reporting in El Salvador

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Ex-Voto by Alys Tomlinson

A handwritten note neatly folded and hidden in the crevice of a rock, a passport photograph placed under a stone, ribbon carefully wrapped around piles of twigs. These are all offerings of religious devotion, known as ‘Ex-Votos’ and found at Christian pilgrimage sites worldwide.
Matteo Sigolo – Street Photography

Matteo Sigolo – Street Photography

Matteo was born in 1986. He lives and works in Ravenna (Italy). Starting from his first years of university, he slowly develops a deep love for photography, which soon becomes a big part of his life.
Marching the MacLehose by Ethan Lo

Marching the MacLehose by Ethan Lo

Ethan Lo is a Hong Kong based photographer. His photography focuses on land use and environment, he uses photography to document time and changes of the landscapes,
O-Young Kwon ; Documentary photographer

O-Young Kwon ; Documentary photographer

I met O-Young Kwon in Germany when he came back to Berlin, where he was born and grew up. He looks at his friends’ photos of their mutual residency in South Korea, home country of his parents.
Faubourg Treme by Alexis Pazoumian

Faubourg Treme by Alexis Pazoumian

There are many similarities between Louisiana and my country of origine, Armenia.That they are a victim of a natural disaster or a crime against humanity, a doggedness of the history

Featured Stories

Spirit of the Village by Oliver Klink

Spirit of the Village by Oliver Klink

Un-numbered homes are the norm, as everybody knows each other.Streets wind in un-orderly fashion over streams of running water, sometimes fresh often as open sewage.
Pilot by Mano Svanidze

Pilot by Mano Svanidze

We live in a boom of scripted TV series where watching TV shows take the face of addiction. It has brought many changes in people's behavior and their response to others.
Photo manipulation by Sulaiman Almawash

Photo manipulation by Sulaiman Almawash

Photo manipulation is a mix of photography and graphic design. Combining lot of elements and create an unique image. It requires lot of creative skills, is a great source for inspiration and its always great fun and joy when you work on particular concept.
The Nenets by Sara Bianchi

The Nenets by Sara Bianchi

The Nenets are an ethnic minority with fewer than 50.000 people dedicated to reindeer breeding. They live in Yamal peninsula, Siberia. Yamal in the language of the indigenous means "the end of the world"
New York City² by Rokas Jankus

New York City² by Rokas Jankus

A lot of the people seemed somehow lost to me, either geographically, mentally or even physically. It’s that second before they recognise you, taking the picture, somehow giving you an intimate moment with a person you never gonna see again in your life.
Ramnami Community by Sanghamitra Sarkar

Ramnami Community by Sanghamitra Sarkar

Low-caste Hindus in the eastern state of Chhattisgarh first began tattooing their bodies and faces more than 100 years ago as an act of devotion and defiance after being denied entry to temples and forced to use separate wells.
Lorca a Forgotten Girl in Art History by Peyman Naderi

Lorca a Forgotten Girl in Art History by Peyman Naderi

It is the story of a girl who lived through a period of history but was never seen, and though she was a very artist, she always hid herself from others until one day her identity was revealed.
South Sudan; Smoker women by Ana Maria Robles

South Sudan; Smoker women by Ana Maria Robles

These women smoke tobacco, an ancient custom that marks their ancestry, identity and tribal pride. Their attitude was strong. Fierce. They were active participants of every ceremony and the Leaders of the communities. 
Terri Gold ; Poetic infrared imagery

Terri Gold ; Poetic infrared imagery

Terri Gold is an award-winning photographer known for her poetic infrared imagery of people from the remote corners of the world. She is a storyteller who is happiest when she is in a world that is unknown to her.
Yamal by Marco Marcone

Yamal by Marco Marcone

Yamal, in the language of the indigenous Nenets who inhabit this land, means "the end of the world"; It is a remote, windswept place, characterized by permafrost, by lakes and rivers and is the land of reindeer breeders for over a thousand years.
The Land Where the Roots Grow Deep by Rebecca Moseman

The Land Where the Roots Grow Deep by Rebecca Moseman

This series of photographs is part of an ongoing project about the African American people living in the deep south.
My Name is Shahrukh by Debiprasad Mukherjee

My Name is Shahrukh by Debiprasad Mukherjee

These were the first few words uttered by a 7 year old, when he was rescued by the RPF from Platform No.4 of Sealdah Station, Kolkata, India. As the little child pushed his way through the crowd of thousands of people in the platform,
Three Chapters Of Illumination by Ann George

Three Chapters Of Illumination by Ann George

This series symbolizes a metaphorical journey towards liberated living.  The wolf within the work represents allegorically fear and the temptation to be driven by it allowing its control over our lives.
Curiouser and Curiouser by Vicky Martin

Curiouser and Curiouser by Vicky Martin

Curiouser and Curiouser is a conceptual series of photographs influenced by the story Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I was inspired to create this series from personally identifying with the theme of not belonging that features prominently in Alice’s narrative.
Animeyed by Flora Borsi

Animeyed by Flora Borsi

Flora Borsi is a young fine art photographer from Hungary. She uses exquisite photo manipulation to create surreal images that are thematically focused on identity, relationships, emotions and dreams.
Bin Uthup ; City-Monochrome

Bin Uthup ; City-Monochrome

Binoy Uthup is a City, Architecture, Interior, Landscape and Wildlife photographer who uses techniques such as Digital Blending, HDR, multiple exposures, vertical panorama, etc., to create unique looking images.

Trending Stories

Anatomy of a photograph by Patty Maher

Anatomy of a photograph by Patty Maher

The image is part of a series called "The Infinite Universe" and this particular photo is the first in the series and is also named "The Infinite Universe". 
Counterweight, traffic light and palm tree by Angela Sequeira

Counterweight, traffic light and palm tree by Angela Sequeira

Counterweight, traffic light and palm tree is the result of a conceptual approach to the environment that surrounds us as an extension of the inner issues of existence.
Renaissance Man by Marc Boily

Renaissance Man by Marc Boily

Man is the measure of all things.” New thinking is emerging in Art and Science to form a cultural rebirth of our ‘Renaissance Man,’ shifting paradigm to ignite the feminine power of the goddess manifesting new thinking and divine revelation.
The Secret Question by Nicoletta Cerasomma

The Secret Question by Nicoletta Cerasomma

A public address. The backroom of a grocery store, the locker room of a barber. A secret bar. Another story: hidden, intimate, romantic, alcoholic, illegal, forbidden.
Mood of the Market by Christine Norton

Mood of the Market by Christine Norton

Trinidad and Tobago is known as an oil rich twin island state in the Caribbean with a diverse population. Today, composed of largely Indo- and Afro-Trinidadians, we have been rated among the happiest countries in the world. 
Susanna Patras ; Pacifica – The stone pyramids of time

Susanna Patras ; Pacifica – The stone pyramids of time

The rocky structures that dot the US Pacific coast, called monoliths, stretch from the US border with Mexico to Canada. These strange and dramatic formations grow from sandy beaches. or raise like mountains from the ocean.
Amsterdam Story by Werner Mansholt

Amsterdam Story by Werner Mansholt

Amsterdam is world-famous for the historic Canal Ring, Amsterdam's 'Centrum’ (Unesco-World heritage), but also host of renowned museums and charming areas.
The Playground Series by by Francisco Diaz & Deb Young

The Playground Series by by Francisco Diaz & Deb Young

For most of us growing up, playgrounds were more than a place for fun and games- they also provided a fast and hard lesson in how social structure works; they taught us how to be patient while we waited for our turn on the swing, while boys would chase and torment the new girl
Wake Me Up by Suvobroto Ray Chaudhuri

Wake Me Up by Suvobroto Ray Chaudhuri

Some people wake up in the morning full of energy and some find themselves fumbling for the snooze button. How you begin a day goes a long way towards how your day would end. So it is important to find ways to get off to a good start.
Life: Born in A Slum by Saikat Mojumder

Life: Born in A Slum by Saikat Mojumder

Sajila is a working mother living in wretched conditions at the Korail slum, the largest and most populated urban slum located in the capital city of Dhaka. She resides there with her husband, mother-in-law and three children.
In Goat We Trust by Mohd Azlan Mam Mohd Latib

In Goat We Trust by Mohd Azlan Mam Mohd Latib

Art completes what nature cannot elaborate , and in part, it imitates nature and mocking it humankind in such a  mysterious satirical way. An artist adapt this situation to paint the souls of men .
Interview with Anne Mason-Hoerter; Published in our print edition #12

Interview with Anne Mason-Hoerter; Published in our print edition #12

I think this project was a combination of many thoughts and ideas. Both conscious and unconscious. The initial feeling was my frustration/ fear with the experience at the supermarket and also the unknown.

Other Stories

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Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted.
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Submission
Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted. This is the information you need to start preparing your project for its presentation.
To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
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How can we help? Got an idea or something you'd like share? Please use the adjacent form, or contact contact@dodho.com
Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.