During his childhood Pascal Villeneuve lived in France as well as in Senegal, in the Congo and in New Caledonia.

Raised in different cultures, biotopes and socio- economic environments, he came of age mindful of the diversity of human development dynamics, shaped by history, ethnicity and geography, and their impact on the environment.

Having trained in medicine and human nutrition, he then worked for three decades for UNICEF, the United Nations’ Children Fund, in Africa and Asia, as well as in New York and Geneva.

His first photography book is on Bangladesh, where he served as UNICEF Representative between 2012 and 1014. Pascal Villeneuve’s images speak to the effects of our rapidly changing ecosystem on the lives of normal people, the growing inequities, the resilience and successful adaptation of a few contrasting with the growing vulnerability and desperation of far too many.

Politics and society mutually shape each other. In the field of human development, human rights principles and adherence to internationally-agreed development goals should form the basis of sound policy practice. In practice though, conservatism, self-serving interests and support for populist views often prevail. In such cases, the soft power of photography, because of the emotional charge it carries, can be a powerful tool to rally public opinions against human rights violations and injustice.

Take Nick Ut’s world famous photo of Phan Thi Kim Phuc, the little girl running naked after being burnt by a napalm bomb. This photo alone strengthened anti-war movements in the U.S. and eventually accelerated the end of the Vietnam war.

Photography can also capture pure moments of cheerfulness in children, moments which hold the promise that, though not always following a straight line, the path to a better world is possible.