Young child mothers looking after their babies

Esmeralda, Angela and Maria all 12 year old "child mothers" look after their babies in "Casa Alianza" refuge for "?inas madres", child mothers as they are know. They are from the interior of Nicaragua. They, like all the other girls in the refuge suffered sexual abuse in the family home from fathers, step fathers and other family members. Girls as young as 12 live in this refuge run by the NGO "Casa Alianza" due to their family history of sexual abuse, domestic violence, premature pregnancy. A total of 12 girls and their babies can live in the refuge, generally up to a period of 24 months whilst the refuge's administration attempt to broker a return to their family environments. In the centre they get full medical and psycological attention, as well as all their food, living needs and they get religious guidence and general they have all their needs provided for them whilst they learn to cope with the sexual violence and abuse they have lived through as well as learning to cope with bringing into the world their new born baby. The girls range from 12- 18 years of age. This refuge is the only one of its kind in Nicaragua and addresses a truely urgent need in this ultra catholic country which has outlawed abortion under the present Sandinist run Daniel Ortega government. (Photo by Christopher Pillitz/Getty Images)