A Tribute To Women of Afghanistan
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The National Geographic Photo
The picture has appeared on the cover of National Geographic and was chosen one their 100 Best Pictures, an amazing accomplishment.
However, until 2002 she was unaware of that her face graced covers, posters, and many other surfaces. She did remember the photographer because it was such a rare occurrence. He remembered her because of her haunting eyes.
The original photo was taken in the Nasir Bagh refugee camp. A National Geographic team went back in 2002 to try to found her. Through a series of interviews located her brother and husband, who agreed to ask her about the interview.
She agreed, but as a traditional Muslim, would not meet alone with a man. That woman photographed her for the second time in her life. She eventually met with Steve McCurry. I think it is important to note that the brother and husband asked her. She is obviously an observant Muslim, but she is not ruled by the men in her family. She made the decision. It is the Taliban, not Islam that has enslaved these women.
Because of her status as a married woman, (she has three daughters, and one who died), she has done relatively well during the Taliban occupation, but had to go into obscurity again, as the Taliban might recognize her and try to punish her or her family.
Her haunting eyes in the portrait has come to represent the women of Afghanistan to the world.
The National Geographic Girl is Found!
- The Search for the Girl in the Picture
- The entire story of the search to find this woman is recorded on this link.
The Inspiration for This Lens
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Thanks to Everything Mouse for starting all of this! And thanks to Squidoo, Seth and the others for giving us this forum where we can cross pollinate our creativity to bring stories like this to more people.
Osama
This devastating movie, based on a true story, depicts the dire plight of the women in Afghanistan after the takeover by the Taliban. Things were never good for the women of this tribal country, but the restrictions brought by the Taliban literally killed many women, both actively an passively through slow starvation.
This grandmother and mother decided that they would survive! They cut off the daughter's hair so she could disguise herself as a boy and go out to work.
The movie isn't easy to watch, but it is important. Things got better for these women after the US invaded Afghanistan looking for Osama bin Laden, however, we know that recently the Taliban is making a resurgence there and women's lives again hang in the balance.
Osama
Amazon Price: $6.19 (as of 06/03/2012)![]()
The movie won the 2004 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Picture in addition to many other awards and nominations. It is an excellent movie and and of itself.
If it were the product of someone's imagination, it would have been thoroughly enjoyable. However, it is based on a true story. This makes it hard to watch, but worthwhile to watch, and a necessity to watch.
Osama
- Review of Osama
- With a title like Osama, many might expect the flick in question to present a biography of the infamous Al Qaeda leader. However, this flick - the first to come from Afghanistan after the defeat of the Taliban - offers nothing of the sort.
"Instead, Osama focuses on the plight of the average Afghani during the reign of the Taliban. At the start of the flick, women stage a rally to demand the right to work. This doesn't set well with the Taliban; they send troops to disrupt the protest with hoses and also arrest some of the women".
Please Go to These Links and Support These Brave Women
- Support the Women of Afghanistan
- "But despite this progress Afghan women are facing enormous obstacles."
* 85.1% of women have no formal education
* 74% of girls drop out of school by 5th grade
* Only 1% of girls in rural communities attends school
* Nearly 79% of women are illiterate
* The average salary is just 48 cents a day
* Maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world - Revolutionary Association of Women in Afghanistan
- RAWA is the oldest political/social organization of Afghan women struggling for peace, freedom, democracy and women's rights in fundamentalism-blighted Afghanistan since 1977.
"A Rising of the Women is a Rising of the Race"
I know that there are still many horrible things happening in the world, from Darfur to Tibet. I am not in any way trying to reduce the importance of those people or their plights.
However, I feel that Afghanistan and what the Taliban has done and is starting to do again to those women is a top issue. While the Taliban limits the freedoms of everyone, they are virtually saying that half the race is not really human. When we are able to stop that, it will be a beginning to bringing all of the human race up to where it belongs.
Helping the women of Afghanistan is a major blow to tyranny everywhere.
Women Helping Women

The Original National Geographic Cover
The Women of Afghanistan
The Horror of the Taliban
These videos are hard to watch. You do not have to watch them to care about these women, however, you can still hold them in your hearts, minds and prayers and of course give to those who work to help.
Women and Men Organize and Make Progress
Any Purchase Here Will Contribute to Heifer International: The Pay It Forward Entrepreneurial Charity.
Of course, you could also just give to one of these organizations.
Do Not Despair! Read These True Stories About the Women Who Resist
Comments or Information You Have About These Women is Appreciated
And comments about the lens and stars heartily welcome.
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Ladymermaid
Jan 18, 2012 @ 7:26 pm | delete
- There is so very much more that needs to be done in our world. Sometimes it almost seems that we are walking backwards in our attitudes rather than forward.
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TamaraKajari
Oct 19, 2011 @ 8:44 am | delete
- Lenses like this make me happy to be a squid angel. Blessed!!!
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sousababy
Sep 3, 2011 @ 1:37 pm | delete
- I remember that issue of National Geographic so well - her eyes. Thank you for sharing this very important lens with us. It is alarming that women still face this reality and a shame that more progress has not been made. Education is the key . . what you are doing needs to be recognized and shared. Thank you for writing this Margo. Take good care, Rose
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KimGiancaterino Jul 6, 2011 @ 7:43 pm | delete
- I was recently at a chalk art festival and two of the artists recreated the famous Sharbat Gula cover photograph. I'm sure it would have been interesting to admirers of their work if they had shown the "then and now" shot. It will be the women who change this part of the world, and it's unspeakable that they must risk their lives in the process.
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ChrisDay
May 28, 2011 @ 2:50 am | delete
- I don't know why I haven't explored this amazing lens earlier. You have really hit hard and rightly so. This is probably the deepest evil of such regimes.
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- Load More
The New Library
Swedish Women Soldiers in Afghanistan
There is also a homemade video, made by a family whose loved one, a woman is in Afghanistan.

Sharbat Gula Then and Now
Changing the Guard Blog
A Community for People Caring for Their Parents
Come Join My Salon...And Read About a Hero
About Margo Arrowsmith
Table of Contents
- The National Geographic Girl is Found!
- The Inspiration for This Lens
- .
- Osama
- Osama
- Please Go to These Links and Support These Brave Women
- "A Rising of the Women is a Rising of the Race"
- Women Helping Women
- The Original National Geographic Cover
- Important Blogs About Afghani Women
- The Women of Afghanistan
- The Horror of the Taliban
- Women and Men Organize and Make Progress
- Do Not Despair! Read These True Stories About the Women Who Resist
- Comments or Information You Have About These Women is Appreciated
- The New Library
- Swedish Women Soldiers in Afghanistan
- Sharbat Gula Then and Now
- Changing the Guard Blog
- Free Report on Hiring a Home Health Team
- Come Join My Salon...And Read About a Hero
- About Margo Arrowsmith
by Margo_Arrowsmith
Margo Arrowsmith received the "Lens of the Day" Twice
Arrowsmith Printing 9/22/08
Macular Degeneration: the Blindness You Can Prevent 4/5/11
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