Afghanistan is considered one of the most cruel and dangerous places on the planet for women. Afghan women have almost no rights, don’t control their own bodies, and their value is often reduced to their ability to bear a son. The birth of a daughter often turns into endless accusations and humiliation from the family. In a situation with no way out, without protection and hope, some women take desperate steps: they declare their daughters to be boys, dress them accordingly, and raise them as future men. Until the start of puberty, this is sometimes the only period when girls can feel freedom and a relative independence. Many in Afghanistan know about these “substitute sons,” but they prefer not to notice—because for the family, a son “for show” is better than having no son at all.
Jennifer Nordberg is a Swedish journalist living in New York, recipient of a number of professional awards. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for a series of articles in The New York Times and the Robert Kennedy Award for a television documentary film dedicated to Afghan women.