In 2008 Nagorno Karabakh’s de facto government introduced the “birth encouragement program” which distributes cash payments to newlyweds for each baby born, with the aim of re-populating the region after the devastating 1991-1994 war.

The photographer, Anastasia Taylor-Lind is a member of the VII Photo agency. She is based in the Middle East where she works for clients such as GEO Germany and the Sunday Times Magazine. She has been exhibited internationally in such spaces as the Saatchi Gallery in London, the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam and Fovea Exhibitions in New York. She has received a number of photography awards from the likes of The Guardian, Deutsche Bank and Canon Italy, as well as being a 2011 FNAC Grant winner. More recently she has been awarded one of the 5 ‘Homelands’ commissions by Side Gallery which is ongoing.