Sonja
Langford

A Forgotten Emergency

In Progress Body of Work -

In my latest photographic fine art series, titled "A Forgotten Emergency," I delve into the haunting reality of unsafe abortions, an overlooked global issue. Using a scanner bed, I've captured documented objects such as pennyroyal, rose hips, crochet hooks, knitting needles, cut glass salt and pepper shakers, thorns, and wire coat hangers.

This series aims to shed light on the often-neglected aspect of maternal health, as unsafe abortion remains the only almost entirely preventable cause of maternal mortality that has not witnessed significant progress. Despite substantial advancements in addressing other causes, unsafe abortion still accounts for at least one in 12 maternal deaths worldwide, with little improvement in its impact since 1990 compared to other direct causes. Shockingly, every eight minutes, a woman succumbs to complications arising from an unsafe abortion, underscoring the urgent need to break the silence and bring this forgotten emergency to the forefront of our collective consciousness.