Unwanted

They are there, sometimes right in front of our eyes.

They are there, sometimes right in front of our eyes. For some, the growing belly is today pulling away the bruised flesh of yesterday. For others, « being a mother » is a mission guided by faith or traded by the state. Some have to brave fear and shame, others, hunted down, risk prison for having chosen to have an abortion. Teenager or adult, same fight.
From Brussels to Manila, from San Salvador to Soubré, « Unwanted » follows the journey of women in a dozen countries, their right to dispose of their bodies as they wish, sometimes at the risk of their lives. It is up to us to look at them, to hear them, to carry their voices with our hearts.

« Universal access to sexual and reproductive rights is the primary condition for women’s emancipation », Catherine Giboin, Vice President of Médecins du Monde.

« All women are equal in the face of unwanted pregnancies », Caroline Watillon, project manager for the Secular Federation of Family Planning Centres, who is in charge of abortion and contraception.

« Reduced to their function as procreators, women have become an object of exchange between men so that they can guarantee themselves the possibility of having children. A whole other series of measures then established « male domination »: deprivation of liberties, deprivation of access to knowledge and deprivation of access to any function of authority ». Françoise Héritier, anthropologist.

« It is because I am in favour of respect for life and the human person that I am in favour of abortion », Willy Peers, imprisoned for having aborted women in the 1970s, launched the debate on the voluntary interruption of pregnancy in Belgium.

close
photo

The story of Jacqueline, who became pregnant at the age of 17, is common here in Soubré, Ivory Coast. She was only in ninth grade and she did not want a child. Her only dream was to continue her schooling to become a teacher. However, she saw her dreams shattered when she had consensual but unprotected sex with a classmate. She knew nothing about contraceptive methods. She had never used a condom or heard of pills. Disowned and thrown out on the street by her parents, she found refuge with her grandmother. With the help of Médecins du Monde France, she will benefit from medical and psycho-social follow-up throughout her pregnancy. Since then she has had her little Julien and has been able to go back to school. Ivory Coast, September, 25 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Bérénice, 15 years old, is pregnant.She was in secondary school when she had to stop school. She will give birth in a few hours. The nurse, Mireille, is examining her. Kitokomoi Health Centre, Kinshasa, DRC, September, 12 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Saint Kizito Health Centre, at the pre-school consultation, many mothers are waiting their turn. DRC, September, 12 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Patience, 22 years old, became pregnant as a result of incest, her 31-year-old uncle. She had an abortion at the medical centre at the hand of God. She was given the medicine, misoprostol. DRC, September, 11 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Myriam, 24 years old, terminated her second pregnancy because she already had a baby at a young age. "He was in poor health, I couldn't take care of him, he was weakened. I chose to save the life of the child who was sick". "I had no information about abortion, my cousin recommended me to see Dr. Sylvain who gave me a product, misoprostol". She also wanted to have an abortion during her first pregnancy, but her partner advised her not to do so because many women lost their lives as a result. DRC, September, 11 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

At the age of 24, Déborah is already the mother of a little Marcel. Pregnant again, she came to one of the five health centres supported by Médecins du Monde in the Kingabwa district of Kinshasa. "I was in pain and in psychological distress. So I wanted to have an abortion because at my age, I want to build my future first. "DRC, September, 11 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

At the age of 24, Déborah is already the mother of a little Marcel. Pregnant again, she came to one of the five health centres supported by Médecins du Monde in the Kingabwa district of Kinshasa. "I was in pain and in psychological distress. So I wanted to have an abortion because at my age, I want to build my future first. "DRC, September, 11 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

At the age of 24, Déborah is already the mother of a little Marcel. Pregnant again, she came to one of the five health centres supported by Médecins du Monde in the Kingabwa district of Kinshasa. "I was in pain and in psychological distress. So I wanted to have an abortion because at my age, I want to build my future first. "DRC, September, 11 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Maternity ward in one of Kinshasa's health centres. DRC, Septembre, 10 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

The only pharmacy in Kinshasa to have PEP kits (post-contact prophylaxis) and the morning-after pill. DRC, September, 10 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Gemtales, 17 years old, gave birth to a little boy Kouakou three weeks ago (6/9/18). She had to stop her schooling. But that didn't stop her. Living opposite her high school in Soubré, her friends come to bring her homework so that she can study. She will start classes again next October in 3rd grade. Ivory Coast, Septembre, 27 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

A young girl who came to give birth in the maternity ward of the Soubré General Hospital. Ivory Coast, September, 27 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Zenab, 19 years old, gives birth to a little boy whom she will call Issouf. She is second in the secondary school to La nouvelle vision of Soubré. Ivory Coast, Septembre, 27 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Zenab, 19 years old, gives birth to a little boy whom she will call Issouf. She is second in the secondary school to La nouvelle vision of Soubré. Ivory Coast, Septembre, 27 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Two teenagers with their child in the Soubré district. Ivory Coast, September, 26 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

World Contraception Day: On World Contraception Day, every 26 September, events are organised, particularly by young people, to put sexual and reproductive health at the heart of public debate. Ivory Coast, September, 26 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

The story of Jacqueline, who became pregnant at the age of 17, is common here in Soubré, Ivory Coast. She was only in ninth grade and she did not want a child. Her only dream was to continue her schooling to become a teacher. However, she saw her dreams shattered when she had consensual but unprotected sex with a classmate. She knew nothing about contraceptive methods. She had never used a condom or heard of pills. Disowned and thrown out on the street by her parents, she found refuge with her grandmother. With the help of Médecins du Monde France, she will benefit from medical and psycho-social follow-up throughout her pregnancy. Since then she has had her little Julien and has been able to go back to school. Ivory Coast, September, 25 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

The story of Jacqueline, who became pregnant at the age of 17, is common here in Soubré, Ivory Coast. She was only in ninth grade and she did not want a child. Her only dream was to continue her schooling to become a teacher. However, she saw her dreams shattered when she had consensual but unprotected sex with a classmate. She knew nothing about contraceptive methods. She had never used a condom or heard of pills. Disowned and thrown out on the street by her parents, she found refuge with her grandmother. With the help of Médecins du Monde France, she will benefit from medical and psycho-social follow-up throughout her pregnancy. Since then she has had her little Julien and has been able to go back to school. Ivory Coast, September, 25 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

The story of Jacqueline, who became pregnant at the age of 17, is common here in Soubré, Ivory Coast. She was only in ninth grade and she did not want a child. Her only dream was to continue her schooling to become a teacher. However, she saw her dreams shattered when she had consensual but unprotected sex with a classmate. She knew nothing about contraceptive methods. She had never used a condom or heard of pills. Disowned and thrown out on the street by her parents, she found refuge with her grandmother. With the help of Médecins du Monde France, she will benefit from medical and psycho-social follow-up throughout her pregnancy. Since then she has had her little Julien and has been able to go back to school. Ivory Coast, September, 25 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Saint Kizito Health Centre, at the pre-school consultation, many mothers are waiting their turn. DRC, September, 12 2019. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

Due to the lack of awareness campaigns on sexual and reproductive health, too many girls, like Fatou, become pregnant at an early age. Ivory Coast, September, 25 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

photo

The story of Jacqueline, who became pregnant at the age of 17, is common here in Soubré, Ivory Coast. She was only in ninth grade and she did not want a child. Her only dream was to continue her schooling to become a teacher. However, she saw her dreams shattered when she had consensual but unprotected sex with a classmate. She knew nothing about contraceptive methods. She had never used a condom or heard of pills. Disowned and thrown out on the street by her parents, she found refuge with her grandmother. With the help of Médecins du Monde France, she will benefit from medical and psycho-social follow-up throughout her pregnancy. Since then she has had her little Julien and has been able to go back to school. Ivory Coast, September, 25 2018. PHOTO OLIVIER PAPEGNIES

1/23