This photo taken by The Malta Independent photographer Jonathan Borg was last week awarded second prize in a photographic competition organised to raise awareness about the plight of women refugees.  A European Parliament photographic exhibition 'Women Refugees and Asylum Seekers' was held at Parliament until Friday.

Speaker of the House of Representatives said at the inauguration: "I always believe that a simple smile and a helping hand can go a long way to help these people that are facing huge difficulties. Let us all understand, how desperate a person can be, to use up all of life's savings to take a journey which might, or not, lead you to safety."

Referring to the photos which show refugees coming to Malta and in camps abroad, the Speaker said that these only show a glimpse of what these women had to go through.

The photo exhibition was organised by the Office of the European Parliament in Malta.