This is a Cambodian woman cutting out baby bootie patterns. She is part of a women’s sewing cooperative formed by non-profits to help vulnerable women: specific to Cambodia, women and girls rescued from sex trade.

In 2012 the Gendercide Awareness Project commissioned this cooperative as well as others from around the world to send handcrafted baby booties for an art installation and exhibit.  Each pair represented 10,000 “missing” (dead) women and girls. United Nations demographers estimate the total number at 126 million “missing” women and girls. Gendercide or female genocide is the result of severe discrimination that is exemplified by selective abortion, female infanticide, gross neglect and lack of food, shelter, access to healthcare, and other. Today, Gendap.org combines exhibit awareness with educational support for at-risk girls in developing countries to help eradicate this atrocity.