You can say it’s just a picture; a picture of a young woman stationed at a refugee camp in the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. But ever since it was published in the cover of National Geographic in 1985, Afghan Girl became a lot more than just a picture.
The photo’s release generated a series of events that have forever shaped the Westerner’s approach to the Middle East and, quite particularly, the life of an otherwise regular Pashtun woman. There’s a lot to take in from this moving story, so let’s get started.
The First World's Third World Mona Lisa
With the Cold War memories still inspiring some echoes of terror, the Russians backed the American-supported Afghan Army during what would become a major diplomatic conundrum. In one of the world’s most troubled and recurrent war zones, Sharbat Gula was a child living in the Nasir Bagh refugee camp.
It was in this scenario of horror and destruction that Steve McCurry found the girl that became known as the "First World's Third World Mona Lisa." Amidst the chaos that ruled in an ever-troubled Middle East territory, a glimpse of hope was forever captured by the lenses of a professional photographer named Steve McCurry.
A Photography Classic Sewn Into Clothing For Safe Keeping
In order to keep the Afghan Girl picture safe, Steve McCurry sew his film roll to his own clothes, as he usually did when working in troubled areas. When he presented it to his contractors at National Geographic, they knew immediately they were looking at cover material.
However, we're not entirely sure if they were prepared for the photo's astounding success; it became an immediate hit. And after a couple of years since its first publication in 1985, it was already known as a classic in the world of photography. Today, it is recognized as one of the most distinguishable images in the world.
McCurry Convinced the Girl to Show Her Face
Sometimes, history is made in the most discreet way possible. That was certainly what happened with the Afghan Girl. As soon as Steve McCurry saw a green-eyed teenage girl running around in an Afghan refugee camp, he knew he needed to get his camera and photograph her.
McCurry was able to make two shots that day: the first shows the girl with her face covered, while the second took some convincing. McCurry was able to persuade the girl to fully reveal her face, even though it clearly went against traditional Pashtun beliefs. As soon as McCurry was over with it, the little girl immediately went back to playing with the other kids.
Was Afghan Girl a Lucky Shot?
We cannot deny that McCurry’s catalog is brilliant since it includes a lot of important photos, but there’s a chance that his most famous picture was actually a lucky shot. Imagine, he was running around with his camera getting as many angles as possible, in the middle of a conflict zone. That was McCurry’s specialized line of work.
But this meant that McCurry didn’t actually take the time to compose the image the same way a photographer would do nowadays. The Afghan Girl is a brilliant picture, but the reasons that make it great are more emotional than technical, being directly related to the pure impact of the girl’s expression.
The Afghan Girl Almost Didn't Make The Cover of National Geographic
When Steve McCurry went back to National Geographic, he was working closely with the magazine’s photo editor in order to select the next edition’s cover shot. McCurry was happily surprised after seeing the Afghan Girl and loved everything about the way it truly depicted the girl’s expression.
The photo editor was convinced the picture was too intense to make the cover and suggested that going with the alternative take could be a safer measure. But as soon as the general editor saw both pictures, he knew immediately that the power contained in the Afghan Girl made it the right cover choice. That was how history was made!
Controversy Surrounding the Picture
Some controversy surrounding the Afghan Girl reflects on the fact that the picture didn’t actually do anything good for the photographed girl or the refugee crisis in Afghanistan. While we now know that the shot actually drew important attention to some Third World social issues, some aspects should be taken into account.
The Afghan Girl is a pretty image to look at, but some people have displayed some concerns regarding the girl's well-being. It was because Steve McCurry was never interested in knowing the girl’s name back then and that he also insisted on photographing the girl with her full face showing, something that went against her cultural values.
Steve McCurry: The Man Behind the Lens
The Afghan girl is the definite star of this article, but we wouldn’t even know her if it wasn’t for Steve McCurry. The man responsible for taking the picture should get the credit he deserves, and for that reason, it’s important to get to know him a little better.
Born in Philadelphia, he studied arts at the Pennsylvania State University before traveling to India and starting to make a living as a photojournalist. He was especially skilled in working in war zones and won multiple photography prizes. His work is featured in some of the world's most notable magazines and inspires photographers and adventurers from all over the world.
An Imaginary Line Used To Separate Afghanistan & Pakistan
In order to understand the complicated diplomatic relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan, we need to know more about the Durand Line. It was established in 1893 by the British Empire, back when Pakistan was still a colonized country and consisted of an imaginary line marking the border between the Afghan and British controlled territories.
Once Pakistan became an independent country in 1947, the Afghan authorities and the powers that be rejected the Durand Line deal. They tried to take advantage of the Pakistani post-war political instability. Needless to say, the conflict ultimately spiraled out of control.
The Consequences of War
The Durand Line issue took root in the very complicated Afghan-Pakistani relationship that helped to create a general state of unsafety, poverty, and mistrust. Prejudice against one another was present in the populace, with Afghan immigrants and refugees being very often discriminated against in Pakistan, and vice-versa.
While the two states are now trying to reach a deal and improve their diplomatic relationship, it's clear that the conflict has weighed heavily on the people of the Middle East, especially the Pashtun (like the Afghan Girl) that lived in the towns closer to the border.
What Does it Mean to Be a Pashtun?
Pashtuns are an Indo-Iranian ethnic group in which most women still have to deal with tons of restrictions: they’re not allowed to show their face (Steve McCurry’s picture was perfectly timed), they're expected to follow the traditional housewife path, and they simply don’t have the same rights as their male peers.
Afghan Girl made Sharbat Gula into one of the most famous Pashtun women out there and has helped to raise awareness regarding the way Pashtun females are generally treated; human rights organizations such as the Aurat Foundation started working hard to implement better and fairer conditions for the overall well-being of Pashtun women.
It Took 17-Long-Years Before She Was Once Again Found
It was 2002, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks had just been in the eye of a new wave of public interest towards the Middle East. So, 17 years after taking one of the most iconic pictures ever, Steve McCurry decided to return to the refugee camp with the goal of finding the Afghan Girl.
The search for Sharbat Gula (the Afghan Girl's real name) included a lot of false positives, with many women claiming to be the girl in the picture (perhaps expecting money as a reward). But McCurry and his team were in better luck after finding Sharbat’s brother. They were finally going to meet the one and only Afghan Girl.
Sharbat Gula: A Name Unknown To The World For So Long
When Steve McCurry found his photo's subject in 2002, their conversation was surprisingly short and unemotional. She remembered the moment the photo was taken since she hadn’t been photographed ever since, but she knew nothing about how famous and recognized it would become in Western society.
Living a normal life in Afghanistan, Sharbat Gula had no clue that her face was now among the most globally recognizable faces in the world. After years of anonymity, Sharbat was finally ready to get the recognition that she deserved. Her life was about to be altered forever.
Confirming the True Identity of the Woman Behind the Afghan Girl
Steve McCurry didn’t require any proof to confirm that he found the right woman, but National Geographic needed to be absolutely sure of the girl’s identity. For that reason, the ophthalmologist, Mustafa Iqbal, entered the scene in order to examine and confirm Sharbat Gula’s identity.
Mustafa Iqbal claimed to be 100% sure that Sharbat Gula was the Afghan Girl after exanimating the woman’s iris pattern and eye freckles and making sure that they matched the ones seen on the National Geographic photo. A scar on Sharbat’s nose was also a way of helping to verify her identity.
All The Suffering She Grew Into
Sharbat Gula’s fate was one of suffering and tragedy. Her mother and father were killed during the Soviet’s bombing of Afghanistan when she was about six years old. Along with her brothers and grandmother, she walked across the mountains to Pakistan in order to reach the Nasir Bagh refugee camp (the place where she was spotted by Steve McCurry).
In the camp, she married a man named Rhamat Gula, with whom she had three daughters. She was not older than 16 at the time of the wedding. Sharbat and her family went back to Afghanistan in 1992, where her husband would later die of Hepatitis C.
The Afghan Girl Was Arrested
Sharbat Gula's life in Afghanistan turned for the better when they found out she was the Afghan Girl. But because of it, she would never be seen as a friendly figure in Pakistan, the place she called home. In 2016, the Afghan Girl had faced arrest for using a forged Pakistani card.
While using a forged ID was a common practice in Pakistan, Gula's political status in Afghanistan made her into a desirable target for the Pakistani; she was then facing up to 14 years in prison along with a $5K fine. And it was all because she was the Afghan Girl.
The Positive Thing The Came With Being The Afghan Girl
The finding of Sharbat Gula inspired a general wave of solidarity towards the woman whose face was seen in one of the most famous pictures ever taken. National Geographic helped her by paying her family’s medical expenses, and the Afghan government also stepped up to help.
As a symbol of endurance and resistance, Sharbat Gula was granted a brand-new house and a government-paid monthly salary of $700. After years of struggling, 2017 marked the seemingly unlikely recognition of the Afghan Girl in her own country, and it's safe to say it's better late than never.
A Figure For Women’s Rights
The history of the Afghan Girl inspired a series of charity causes tackling the issues related to the way some Islamic cultures treat their female citizens. Sharbat Gula’s story motivated National Geographic to start the Afghan Girls Fund (providing free education to young women in the Middle East) and inspired President George W. Bush to promote Afghan women’s rights, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
If you’re interested in helping the women of Afghanistan, there are lots of dedicated NGOs and charity plans out there. Organizations such as Womankind, WAW (Women for Afghan Women), and ActionAid, are working for the cause and certainly need all the help they can possibly get.
Viewed As An Afghanistan Hero
Sharbat Gula's arrest in Pakistan was yet another moment of suffering in her life; but, once again, this was a battle she was meant to win. After two weeks in prison, she was released and returned home to Afghanistan.
The case made Sharbat into a definite Afghan hero; while she was liked in her native country, her imprisonment in Pakistan increased her status and political influence furthermore. Her bravery was finally recognized by the Afghan administration. While Sharbat was born in Afghanistan, she always considered Pakistan as her home. Now, she will likely never go back to that country.
Inspiration For Humanitarian Causes Across the Middle East
The Afghan Girl’s story touched a lot of hearts and inspired a wave of solidarity towards Islamic women. But just like Sharbat Gula, there are millions of girls who are in desperate need in countries all across the Middle East right now.
Stories and symbols are sometimes what compels us to act in favor of the general good, but it’s time we are also able to find that inspiration within ourselves. That's the only way we’re going to be able to help the anonymous women that, just like the Afghan Girl, could benefit from all the help we could possibly extend.