The World Photography Organisation has announced the overall winners of the Sony World Photography Awards 2024. French photographer Juliette Pavy claimed the coveted award for Photographer of the Year for her series Spiralkampagnen: Forced Contraception and Unintended Sterilisation of Greenlandic Women. The project explores a dark chapter in Greenlandic history where Inuit women were subjected to an involuntary birth control program. Pavy was selected from the 10 winners in the professional category; she receives a $25,000 prize, Sony equipment, and the opportunity to present a new body of work at the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 exhibition. Over 395,000 images from more than 220 countries and territories were submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2024, with the highest number of entries on record for the professional competition.
Photographer of the Year
- Juliette Pavy
This image shows Naja Lyberth, a psychologist in the capital, Nuuk.
Project: Spiralkampagnen: Forced Contraception and Unintended Sterilisation of Greenlandic Women
Description: Between 1966 and 1975, Greenlandic Inuit women were subjected to an involuntary birth control program led by Danish authorities. This program, known as the Spiralkampagnen (spiral campaign), involved the implantation of nearly 4,500 intrauterine devices (IUDs), or ‘coils,’ into Inuit women and girls, some as young as 12. Pavy’s documentary project uses various photographic formats, including cityscapes of Nuuk, X-rays, archival photos, and portraits to raise awareness about violence against Inuit women and the psychological repercussions of the horrific campaign.
Thank you very much for this award for my work on the forced sterilisation of Greenlandic women. I hope to give a voice to those who were silenced for almost half a century. By documenting this story, I also hope to raise awareness of the violence against Inuit women and the social and psychological repercussions of forced sterilisation. Juliette Pavy
Professional Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Project | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture & Design | Siobhán Doran | Sala Mayor (Living Room) | The series is part of the book project “Houses that Sugar Built: An Intimate Portrait of Philippine Ancestral Homes,” which granted Doran access to historic mansions in the Philippines. The main living room, known as the sala mayor, is a focal point, showcasing the architecture and lifestyle of the people living there. |
The Sony World Photography Awards 2024 exhibition at Somerset House, London runs until 6 May 2024, featuring over 200 prints and hundreds of images in digital displays from winning and shortlisted photographers.
