2002 Photo Contest, People in the News, 2nd prize
Photographer

Erik Refner

for Berlingske Tidende

09 June, 2001

Original caption from World Press Photo (2005)

A child is being weighed in a Médecins sans Frontières clinic.

Decades of political instability and drought in Afghanistan had driven tens of thousands of people into neighboring Pakistan, even before the US invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. Jalozai was one of the largest refugee camps, with up to 80,000 people living in appalling conditions, many dying of dehydration and disease. It was closed in February 2002. Viewers told the photographer that the sensitive images, giving a clue to conditions rather than being brutally graphic, had a powerful impact.

 

As part of a review of our online archive, some images have limited access to protect the privacy of the individuals photographed. This image is only available on request for research purposes. Please request access by emailing our team. Read more about our work on our online archive. 

More information
Through a Glass Darkly, by Robert Godden, published on Witness in September 2017
How should vulnerable children be represented in the media? Are we guilty of applying different ethical standards dependent on the race, ethnicity, nationality, location, gender or class of the child? Robert Godden explores these questions and provides guidelines for photojournalists and organizations. 

About the photographer

Erik Refner

After 20 years behind the camera, Erik Refner has now devoted his career to helping photographers. He is the CEO of IDIP.Agency, an organization that finds and protects photograp...

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