Libertad para Todas
El Inca a prison in Ecuador, women not only bear the burden of their sentence, but also the responsibility of raising their children behind bars. This space, designed for confinement, becomes an improvised home where motherhood is lived between walls, bars and the shadow of deprivation of liberty.
This photographic project, captured in 35mm black and white, portrays life inside the women's prison in Quito. The images reveal the daily life of mothers who, together with their children, face a reality marked by adversity. The children, imprisoned by their mothers' circumstances, live an atypical childhood: every morning, thanks to a volunteer program, they leave the prison to attend a school that welcomes them. There, for a few hours, they experience a world beyond the walls. At the end of their classes, however, they return to prison, where they remain with their mothers until they have served their sentences.
This video, which accompanies the photographs and text, delves into the daily life of the women and their children inside the Cárcel del Inca.
For these women, prison is not only a place of punishment, but also a stage where life goes on. Between cold cells and guarded corridors, they must face the challenge of being mothers in extreme conditions. Their children, innocent of any guilt, grow up in an environment that limits their rights and opportunities, learning to walk, talk and dream in a world reduced by bars.
Despite the adversities, these women struggle to maintain emotional bonds and provide their children with an environment of love and protection. Parenting in prison is marked by creativity and resilience: toys made from recycled materials, improvised school lessons and hugs that seek to compensate for the lack of freedom. However, the reality is harsh: lack of access to basic services, limited interaction with the outside world and social stigma are constant obstacles.
Libertart para todas is a reflection of a system that, by not offering adequate alternatives, condemns not only the mothers, but also their children, perpetuating cycles of exclusion and vulnerability. This photographic essay, with its intimate and raw look, invites us to reflect on the need for policies that prioritize social reintegration and the integral wellbeing of the affected families. Because, even behind bars, motherhood and childhood deserve dignity and hope.