Photos: Beauty pageant for female inmates held in Brazil prison

Inside the Talavera Bruce prison in Rio De Janiero, Brazil women inmates traded jumpsuits for evening gowns in an annual beauty pageant meant to encourage self-esteem, fight idleness and promote integration.

Updated on: Nov 27, 2017 10:35 AM IST

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Inmate Mayana Rosa Alves, (C) celebrates after winning the annual beauty contest at Talavera Bruce penitentiary in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “Everyone is very happy to be with their family. I just wish I had also won freedom and would have taken my sash with me out of here,” said Alves who is serving time for robbery. The pageant has become a tradition, where inmates for the past 12 years have competed for the “Miss TB” title. (Silvia Izquierdo / AP)

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A female inmate competes in the beauty contest inside the Talavera Bruce penitentiary in Rio de Janeiro. Jail authorities said that they organize the contests to encourage self-esteem, fight idleness and promote integration among women prisoners. (Silvia Izquierdo / AP)

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A security inspector looks on at prisoners and participants of the "TB Girl" beauty contest in Brazil. The preparations began 5 months prior to the contest and involved a selection process before the pageant. (Pilar Olivares / REUTERS)

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Prisoners prepare themselves at the Talavera Bruce women prison in Rio de Janeiro, ahead of the contest. Around 150 of the prison’s 450 inmates participated in this year’s contest. (Pilar Olivares / REUTERS)

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Inmate Michelle Rangel, the "Miss Talavera Bruce" beauty queen title holder from last year, prepares to defend her title. “During this moment, I don’t feel like I am in jail,” said 28-year-old Rangel, who is serving time for drug trafficking. (Silvia Izquierdo / AP)

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Prisoners and participants in the "TB Girl" beauty contest line up at the penitentiary in Rio de Janeiro. An NGO and a Protestant church helped organize the event, providing clothing, make-up artists and hair stylists for the last day. (Pilar Olivares / REUTERS)

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Inmates and their relatives watch female prisoners compete in the annual beauty contest in Brazil. After getting their hair and makeup done, 10 inmates were judged on their beauty, appeal and attitude as other inmates and relatives applauded. (Silvia Izquierdo / AP)

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A participant of the ‘TB Girl’ beauty contest kisses her son at the Talavera Bruce women prison in Rio de Janeiro. (Pilar Olivares / REUTERS)

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Female inmates wear evening gowns on the morning of the annual beauty contest at the penitentiary in Brazil. (Silvia Izquierdo / AP)

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An inmate keeps still as an event volunteer applies her blush for the annual beauty contest. (Silvia Izquierdo / AP)

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Female inmate Rossana Goncalves cries with her children by her side, as they reunite on the sidelines of competing in the pageant at Talavera Bruce prison in Rio de Janeiro. The three finalists won an electric fan, an iron and a fan respectively. (Silvia Izquierdo / AP)