The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, women are deprived of basic rights and live in constant danger. They are not allowed to decide the fate of their own bodies; their value is determined by their ability to bear sons. Some women who have no sons are forced to pretend that they do, in order to gain at least some freedom. Impersonating sons is accepted in society, because it’s better to have a surrogate son than to have none at all. Journalist Yennie Nordberg studied this problem and received many awards for her work, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Robert Kennedy Award.