THE UNDERGROUND GIRLS OF KABUL: IN SEARCH OF A HIDDEN RESISTANCE IN AFGHANISTAN BY JENNY NORDBERG

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From School Library Journal The girls portrayed in this book are not resisting with weapons or spying: they are simply living their lives as boys. The reasons are varied. The family needs help in a store. Women need a "male" relative to walk them on errands. Many girls call their status as a "boy" a type of magic—by showing that the family is ready for a boy, a real male child may arrive. Often, members of the community know the child is really a girl, but accept this gender switch and go along with the ruse. Nordberg focuses her narrative on the adult Azita. Her father educated her, but once she reached her prime childbearing years, she was married off to a rural, illiterate cousin. Somehow, Azita manages to win a government seat in her new district. Western readers will root for Azita to find a way out of this fiercely patriarchal arrangement, but Nordberg is astounding in her ability to elicit sympathy and rage for the women portrayed, while also attempting to explain why more elaborate female resistance may not yet be possible. Teenagers will find a great deal to think about in this well-researched and readable piece of reporting.—Jamie Watson, Baltimore County Public Library, MD Review Winner of the 2015 J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize A Salon 2014 Authors' Favorite Book One of Buzzfeed's Best Nonfiction Books of 2014 A Business Insider Best Book of 2014 A Columbus Dispatch Best Book of 2014 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2014

A PopMatters Best Book of 2014 An FP Interrupted Best Book of 2014 An IPI Global Observatory Recommended Book for 2015 A TruthDig Book of the Year, 2014 Finalist for the Goodreads Choice Award, Nonfiction “Through extensive interviews with former bacha posh, observation of present ones and conversations with doctors and teachers, Nordberg unearths details of a dynamic that one suspects will be news to the armies of aid workers and gender experts in post-invasion Afghanistan.”–New York Times Book Review “Jenny Nordberg has produced a striking and nuanced work that explores the current status of Afghan women through one of their subcultures...[A] finely written book.”–Washington Post “Five years of intensive reporting have yielded this gritty, poignant, and provocative collage of intimate portraits…Nordberg conveys captivating nuance and complexity; just when you feel some kind of judgment or conclusive opinion is within reach, she deftly turns the tables, leaving us to reexamine our own prejudices and societal norms as we struggle with questions that are perhaps unanswerable.”–Elle “Nordberg’s immersive reporting reveals an astonishingly clear picture of this resourceful, if imperfect, solution to the problem of girlhood in a society where women have few rights and overwhelming restrictions.”–The Boston Globe “Nordberg’s book is riveting, bringing a practice previously unknown to the West to light, and continuing to elucidate the plight of Afghan women, whose supposed inferiority is so ingrained in their culture that Western feminism can make few inroads.”–Minneapolis Star Tribune “Nordberg's intimate exploration leaves us rooting for her brave subjects.”–Mother Jones “Nordberg creates a moving intimacy with these stories, weaving them into the bigger picture of contemporary Afghanistan. Diving deep into the lives and hearts of people who are usually ignored, she reveals the enormity of a localized struggle even while grounding it in broader human experience, never allowing the reader to reduce her subjects to curiosities.”–DallasMorningNews.com “In clear, simple prose, Nordberg describes her encounters with several current or former bacha posh, including a nurse who kept the role until a month before her wedding, a tae kwon do instructor who now guides younger “underground girls,” and an adolescent still resisting being turned into a woman… The book raises provocative questions about gender roles in Afghanistan and beyond.”–The Columbus Dispatch “Fascinating… Nordberg manages to capture the strength of these women, as well as their vulnerabilities, to show the psychological toll bacha posh has on those who endure it, and the ability of women to adapt to the constricts society places on them.” –ForeignPolicy.com “In fluid narrative style, Nordberg explores the [bacha posh] phenomenon through compelling individual portraits… In addition to presenting a rare glimpse of Afghan life, The Underground Girls of Kabul explores the ways that gender identity is shaped and policed. Extending well beyond Afghanistan, this book compels

the reader to rethink gender differences.”—Straight.com “The Underground Girls of Kabul is an outstanding work of journalism that uncovers new information about an important subject. It’s also an extraordinarily well-written book, full of riveting stories about the real lives of girls and women in Afghanistan today.” –PopMatters.com “Five years of research, and an almost novelistic approach to her findings, has produced a book full of fresh stories.” —Razia Iqbal, Independent “Nordberg's hopeful yet heart-breaking account offers a dazzling picture of Afghan life . . . She is refreshingly non-judgmental . . . Thanks to this book, a little more light has been shone on a country and society so often misunderstood” —Independent on Sunday “Partly a reflection on the politics of sex and gender . . . but it is also a tale of discovery.” —Sunday Telegraph “This fascinating study sheds new light on what it's like to be female in the country declared the worst in the world to be a woman . . . This powerful account of powerlessness resonates with the most silenced voices in society.” —The Observer “[A] searing exposé…Nordberg's subtle, sympathetic reportage makes this one of the most convincing portraits of Afghan culture in print.” –Publishers Weekly [starred] “A stunning book… Nordberg has done some staggering work in this unique, important, and compelling chronicle. Book clubs will be riveted, and will talk for hours.” –Booklist [starred] “As affecting as the stories of these women are, Nordberg’s conclusion—that women’s rights are essential to ‘building peaceful civilizations’—is the most powerful message of this compelling book. An intelligent and timely exploration into contemporary Afghanistan.” – Kirkus Reviews “The Underground Girls of Kabul is a groundbreaking feat of reportage, a kaleidoscopic investigation into gender, resistance, and the limits of cross-cultural understanding. Jenny Nordberg is a riveting storyteller and she has an astonishing tale to tell.” –Michelle Goldberg, author of The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power, and the Future of the World “Jenny Nordberg has given us a fascinating look into a hidden phenomenon of extreme patriarchal societies: a form of gender-bending far riskier and more rewarding than Western academia's trendy, abstract gender categories. Nordberg's reporting is thorough and sensitive, her writing vivid and insightful. You will not forget this book; it will haunt you.” – Robin Morgan “The Underground Girls of Kabul is a brilliant, urgent, groundbreaking work. It is a call to action, and a reminder that even under the greatest abuses of power women have found ways to fight and flourish. The inspiring story of the bacha posh is not just a tale of ingenuity and survival in Afghanistan. It is an excavation of the deep and insidious roots of global misogyny, and an offering of hope.” —Cara Hoffman, author of Be Safe I Love You “The Underground Girls of Kabul draws back the curtain on the world of bacha posh, young Afghan girls whose families disguise them as boys and raise them, until adolescence intervenes, as sons. Jenny Nordberg's book is a tremendous feat of reporting and storytelling: until her work on the custom of bacha posh was

published in the New York Times, the practice had never been systematically documented, and her narrative is so finely-observed that it often reads like fiction. Nordberg's curiosity, her humor, and her genuine warmth for her subjects come through on every page.” – Katherine Zoepf, fellow, the New America Foundation “The Underground Girls of Kabul is a riveting, firsthand account of what life as a girl is like in Afghanistan and how it often means becoming a boy. Jenny Nordberg has written a compelling and important work that exposes the profound gender prejudice that exists, in different forms, all over the world.” –Jennifer Clement, author of Prayers for the Stolen “Forget everything you thought you knew about gender and what it means to be a woman or man. Jenny Nordberg’s exquisitely reported look at why Afghans choose to raise their girls as boys is nothing less than heartbreaking, mind-bending, and mesmerizing—not to mention timely.”—Lauren Wolfe, director of Women’s Media Center’s Women Under Siege “Nordberg brings to light a world that no Afghan speaks of, but everyone knows: the world of girls raised as boys, usually until puberty. In a society where being a girl means living as chattel, and where families without boys are shamed, the bacha posh tradition arose, as it has in other highly patriarchal societies. Going deeper, Nordberg discovers that the bacha posh, once adults, become a subversive force: having tasted freedom and opportunity, these women can never go back. They stand up--for themselves, their daughters, and their country. The former bacha posh may yet change Afghanistan for the better . . . Nordberg’s book is a pioneering effort to understand this hidden world.” –Valerie M. Hudson, professor and George H.W. Bush Chair, The Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University “The investigation into bacha posh gives a new and unique perspective on the women’s situation, gender and resistance in Afghanistan. The author tells the story with empathy and respect for the women who have let her into their lives. This book will interest both those who want to learn about Afghanistan and those wanting to understand how gender works, and it is a must-read for both Afghanistan and gender specialists.” –Sari Kouvo, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network “The Underground Girls of Kabul is an amazing book. The fact that Nordberg brings this to light is eyeopening to everyone—even to Afghans. It is the truth that many Afghans live with it as part of their life.”–Naheed Bahram, program director of Women for Afghan Women About the Author JENNY NORDBERG is an award-winning journalist based in New York. A correspondent and columnist for Swedish national newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, she has a long record of investigative reports for, among others, The New York Times, where she also contributed to a series that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. In 2010, she was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Journalism for a television documentary on Afghan women. She is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).

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THE UNDERGROUND GIRLS OF KABUL: IN SEARCH OF A HIDDEN RESISTANCE IN AFGHANISTAN BY JENNY NORDBERG PDF

An investigative journalist uncovers a hidden custom that will transform your understanding of what it means to grow up as a girl In Afghanistan, a culture ruled almost entirely by men, the birth of a son is cause for celebration and the arrival of a daughter is often mourned as misfortune. A bacha posh (literally translated from Dari as “dressed up like a boy”) is a third kind of child – a girl temporarily raised as a boy and presented as such to the outside world. Jenny Nordberg, the reporter who broke the story of this phenomenon for the New York Times, constructs a powerful and moving account of those secretly living on the other side of a deeply segregated society where women have almost no rights and little freedom. The Underground Girls of Kabul is anchored by vivid characters who bring this remarkable story to life: Azita, a female parliamentarian who sees no other choice but to turn her fourth daughter Mehran into a boy; Zahra, the tomboy teenager who struggles with puberty and refuses her parents’ attempts to turn her back into a girl; Shukria, now a married mother of three after living for twenty years as a man; and Nader, who prays with Shahed, the undercover female police officer, as they both remain in male disguise as adults. At the heart of this emotional narrative is a new perspective on the extreme sacrifices of Afghan women and girls against the violent backdrop of America’s longest war. Divided into four parts, the book follows those born as the unwanted sex in Afghanistan, but who live as the socially favored gender through childhood and puberty, only to later be forced into marriage and childbirth. The Underground Girls of Kabul charts their dramatic life cycles, while examining our own history and the parallels to subversive actions of people who live under oppression everywhere.

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Sales Rank: #59990 in Books Brand: Broadway Books Published on: 2015-07-14 Released on: 2015-07-14 Original language: English Number of items: 1 Dimensions: 8.00" h x 1.00" w x 5.20" l, .0 pounds Binding: Paperback 384 pages

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Broadway Books

From School Library Journal

The girls portrayed in this book are not resisting with weapons or spying: they are simply living their lives as boys. The reasons are varied. The family needs help in a store. Women need a "male" relative to walk them on errands. Many girls call their status as a "boy" a type of magic—by showing that the family is ready for a boy, a real male child may arrive. Often, members of the community know the child is really a girl, but accept this gender switch and go along with the ruse. Nordberg focuses her narrative on the adult Azita. Her father educated her, but once she reached her prime childbearing years, she was married off to a rural, illiterate cousin. Somehow, Azita manages to win a government seat in her new district. Western readers will root for Azita to find a way out of this fiercely patriarchal arrangement, but Nordberg is astounding in her ability to elicit sympathy and rage for the women portrayed, while also attempting to explain why more elaborate female resistance may not yet be possible. Teenagers will find a great deal to think about in this well-researched and readable piece of reporting.—Jamie Watson, Baltimore County Public Library, MD Review Winner of the 2015 J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize A Salon 2014 Authors' Favorite Book One of Buzzfeed's Best Nonfiction Books of 2014 A Business Insider Best Book of 2014 A Columbus Dispatch Best Book of 2014 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2014 A PopMatters Best Book of 2014 An FP Interrupted Best Book of 2014 An IPI Global Observatory Recommended Book for 2015 A TruthDig Book of the Year, 2014 Finalist for the Goodreads Choice Award, Nonfiction “Through extensive interviews with former bacha posh, observation of present ones and conversations with doctors and teachers, Nordberg unearths details of a dynamic that one suspects will be news to the armies of aid workers and gender experts in post-invasion Afghanistan.”–New York Times Book Review “Jenny Nordberg has produced a striking and nuanced work that explores the current status of Afghan women through one of their subcultures...[A] finely written book.”–Washington Post “Five years of intensive reporting have yielded this gritty, poignant, and provocative collage of intimate portraits…Nordberg conveys captivating nuance and complexity; just when you feel some kind of judgment or conclusive opinion is within reach, she deftly turns the tables, leaving us to reexamine our own prejudices and societal norms as we struggle with questions that are perhaps unanswerable.”–Elle “Nordberg’s immersive reporting reveals an astonishingly clear picture of this resourceful, if imperfect, solution to the problem of girlhood in a society where women have few rights and overwhelming

restrictions.”–The Boston Globe “Nordberg’s book is riveting, bringing a practice previously unknown to the West to light, and continuing to elucidate the plight of Afghan women, whose supposed inferiority is so ingrained in their culture that Western feminism can make few inroads.”–Minneapolis Star Tribune “Nordberg's intimate exploration leaves us rooting for her brave subjects.”–Mother Jones “Nordberg creates a moving intimacy with these stories, weaving them into the bigger picture of contemporary Afghanistan. Diving deep into the lives and hearts of people who are usually ignored, she reveals the enormity of a localized struggle even while grounding it in broader human experience, never allowing the reader to reduce her subjects to curiosities.”–DallasMorningNews.com “In clear, simple prose, Nordberg describes her encounters with several current or former bacha posh, including a nurse who kept the role until a month before her wedding, a tae kwon do instructor who now guides younger “underground girls,” and an adolescent still resisting being turned into a woman… The book raises provocative questions about gender roles in Afghanistan and beyond.”–The Columbus Dispatch “Fascinating… Nordberg manages to capture the strength of these women, as well as their vulnerabilities, to show the psychological toll bacha posh has on those who endure it, and the ability of women to adapt to the constricts society places on them.” –ForeignPolicy.com “In fluid narrative style, Nordberg explores the [bacha posh] phenomenon through compelling individual portraits… In addition to presenting a rare glimpse of Afghan life, The Underground Girls of Kabul explores the ways that gender identity is shaped and policed. Extending well beyond Afghanistan, this book compels the reader to rethink gender differences.”—Straight.com “The Underground Girls of Kabul is an outstanding work of journalism that uncovers new information about an important subject. It’s also an extraordinarily well-written book, full of riveting stories about the real lives of girls and women in Afghanistan today.” –PopMatters.com “Five years of research, and an almost novelistic approach to her findings, has produced a book full of fresh stories.” —Razia Iqbal, Independent “Nordberg's hopeful yet heart-breaking account offers a dazzling picture of Afghan life . . . She is refreshingly non-judgmental . . . Thanks to this book, a little more light has been shone on a country and society so often misunderstood” —Independent on Sunday “Partly a reflection on the politics of sex and gender . . . but it is also a tale of discovery.” —Sunday Telegraph “This fascinating study sheds new light on what it's like to be female in the country declared the worst in the world to be a woman . . . This powerful account of powerlessness resonates with the most silenced voices in society.” —The Observer “[A] searing exposé…Nordberg's subtle, sympathetic reportage makes this one of the most convincing portraits of Afghan culture in print.” –Publishers Weekly [starred] “A stunning book… Nordberg has done some staggering work in this unique, important, and compelling

chronicle. Book clubs will be riveted, and will talk for hours.” –Booklist [starred] “As affecting as the stories of these women are, Nordberg’s conclusion—that women’s rights are essential to ‘building peaceful civilizations’—is the most powerful message of this compelling book. An intelligent and timely exploration into contemporary Afghanistan.” – Kirkus Reviews “The Underground Girls of Kabul is a groundbreaking feat of reportage, a kaleidoscopic investigation into gender, resistance, and the limits of cross-cultural understanding. Jenny Nordberg is a riveting storyteller and she has an astonishing tale to tell.” –Michelle Goldberg, author of The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power, and the Future of the World “Jenny Nordberg has given us a fascinating look into a hidden phenomenon of extreme patriarchal societies: a form of gender-bending far riskier and more rewarding than Western academia's trendy, abstract gender categories. Nordberg's reporting is thorough and sensitive, her writing vivid and insightful. You will not forget this book; it will haunt you.” – Robin Morgan “The Underground Girls of Kabul is a brilliant, urgent, groundbreaking work. It is a call to action, and a reminder that even under the greatest abuses of power women have found ways to fight and flourish. The inspiring story of the bacha posh is not just a tale of ingenuity and survival in Afghanistan. It is an excavation of the deep and insidious roots of global misogyny, and an offering of hope.” —Cara Hoffman, author of Be Safe I Love You “The Underground Girls of Kabul draws back the curtain on the world of bacha posh, young Afghan girls whose families disguise them as boys and raise them, until adolescence intervenes, as sons. Jenny Nordberg's book is a tremendous feat of reporting and storytelling: until her work on the custom of bacha posh was published in the New York Times, the practice had never been systematically documented, and her narrative is so finely-observed that it often reads like fiction. Nordberg's curiosity, her humor, and her genuine warmth for her subjects come through on every page.” – Katherine Zoepf, fellow, the New America Foundation “The Underground Girls of Kabul is a riveting, firsthand account of what life as a girl is like in Afghanistan and how it often means becoming a boy. Jenny Nordberg has written a compelling and important work that exposes the profound gender prejudice that exists, in different forms, all over the world.” –Jennifer Clement, author of Prayers for the Stolen “Forget everything you thought you knew about gender and what it means to be a woman or man. Jenny Nordberg’s exquisitely reported look at why Afghans choose to raise their girls as boys is nothing less than heartbreaking, mind-bending, and mesmerizing—not to mention timely.”—Lauren Wolfe, director of Women’s Media Center’s Women Under Siege “Nordberg brings to light a world that no Afghan speaks of, but everyone knows: the world of girls raised as boys, usually until puberty. In a society where being a girl means living as chattel, and where families without boys are shamed, the bacha posh tradition arose, as it has in other highly patriarchal societies. Going deeper, Nordberg discovers that the bacha posh, once adults, become a subversive force: having tasted freedom and opportunity, these women can never go back. They stand up--for themselves, their daughters, and their country. The former bacha posh may yet change Afghanistan for the better . . . Nordberg’s book is a pioneering effort to understand this hidden world.” –Valerie M. Hudson, professor and George H.W. Bush Chair, The Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University “The investigation into bacha posh gives a new and unique perspective on the women’s situation, gender and

resistance in Afghanistan. The author tells the story with empathy and respect for the women who have let her into their lives. This book will interest both those who want to learn about Afghanistan and those wanting to understand how gender works, and it is a must-read for both Afghanistan and gender specialists.” –Sari Kouvo, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network “The Underground Girls of Kabul is an amazing book. The fact that Nordberg brings this to light is eyeopening to everyone—even to Afghans. It is the truth that many Afghans live with it as part of their life.”–Naheed Bahram, program director of Women for Afghan Women About the Author JENNY NORDBERG is an award-winning journalist based in New York. A correspondent and columnist for Swedish national newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, she has a long record of investigative reports for, among others, The New York Times, where she also contributed to a series that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. In 2010, she was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Journalism for a television documentary on Afghan women. She is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). Most helpful customer reviews 9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating, Informative But With Very Questionable Conclusions About Gender Formation By Tigerlily64 I found this book fascinating in many respects. It is full of information about Afghanistan, the traditional culture, and the changes to women’s lives that occurred with the various foreign powers that exerted control over the country. Afghanistan is a very strict patriarchal society. The importance of a male offspring is paramount. A pregnant woman is said to dream the sex of her unborn child. She is at fault if she does not have a boy. The community looks down upon families that do not have a male child. Sometimes a family that has had no male offspring will announce the birth of a boy and dress a girl baby as a boy. At times, the community knows this is a girl pretending to be a boy, but even a fake boy is better than a girl. This practice called “Bacha Posh” is not officially acknowledged but is not uncommon in the society. Sometimes a family will justify the need for a fake boy because a male child can go out and work in the community and bring in money for the family. A female cannot get a job or play outside; girls are kept inside, and in some cases, forbidden to even look out the window. When the “bacha posh” reaches puberty, she is expected to revert back to being female and is expected to marry. In some cases, “bacha posh” resist the change back to a female role, since the relative freedom and power is in sharp contrast to an Afghan woman’s existence. Boys have more fun. Girls’ lives are severely restricted. If the bacha posh stays as a male pretender past puberty, the transition back to a female can be a problem, and the girl may never feel her place as a woman. The author came to Afghanistan to investigate the practice of “Bacha Posh”. She interviews many women in the communities, including Azita. Azita is a politician who is a member of Parliament, but she has very little power as a woman. Azita’s father, a Kabul University Professor, had admired her intellect and wanted a great future for his daughter. During the period when the Russians had exerted control over Afghanistan, female equality, including equal rights to an education, was emphasized. Azita received a quality education. However, when the Taliban came to power, her worried father forced her to marry a cousin, an illiterate son of a farmer who beat her and expected her to live with his first wife and children and still provide for the extended family. Azita had twin girls and no male offspring. Desperate to save face with the community and

keep her standing as a politician, she pretended one of the twins was a boy. Her female child Mehran, was made a basha posh. The book is primarily the author’s research, her observations in Afghanistan through her eyes. Some artistic license came into play. One character in the book was really a fusion of a few different people. Decidedly the book has historical significance and is worth reading. There is a good deal to learn here. Bravo for most of the book. Too bad the author ruined the ending. Unfortunately, the book is tainted with faulty science. The last part of the book was disappointing and in sharp contrast to most of the writing. Once the author gets away from her detailed observations and starts to draw conclusions that she is not qualified to make, there is a problem. At the end of the book, her conclusions are even more elucidated. The author insists evidence shows that there are almost no real differences in male and female brains from birth. They are essentially the same. The environment is the determining factor. A child is raised a certain way and expected to act a certain way. A child forms habits associated with the male or female sex. These learned behaviors are ingrained and feel natural to the child. This kind of faulty science is harmful and goes against the research and thorough conclusions of the professionals in the American Psychiatric Association. Children are born with different masculine and feminine tendencies from their birth. However, in the author’s view, a gay child can be changed to the “correct” sexual orientation by therapy. This is the view proclaimed by certain conservative groups in this country, groups that do not believe in science. I find this very disturbing. I would have given this book a five-star rating if the author had kept her writing to observations about Afghan society. In fact, I was raving about this book to several friends before the author changed course. Despite the excellent quality of most of the book, I can only give her 3 stars due to the false “scientific” conclusions she insists upon delivering to her readers. 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A must read, if you want to understand the power of Education, read this Book By RusticTraveller This book is a must read. Let me tell you why. In the developed world, we tend to take it for granted that everyone gets an equal opportunity at a good education. However, in many parts of the developing world, this is not the case at all. It is a particular problem with girls; far more countries in the world do not consider educating girls a priority than those that do. As a result, we are raising a generation of girls across the world who are not being given access to the tools they need to reach their full potentials, and the world is a poorer place for it. The lack of access to education for girls is a serious worldwide problem that must be addressed if we are to progress as a global society. Culture, Religion, and Economics All Play a Role in the Lack of Education for Girls There are several key reasons why so many girls in developing countries are not getting the access to education they need and deserve. Culture, religion, and economics all play important roles. It will take a serious international intervention to even begin to change these things, and the change will likely be slow in turning things around. That is why it is so important to begin a global effort to improve access to education for girls now. Culture often devalues the role of girls in many societies. Females are looked at as homemakers and the ones

who will bear and raise children. As a result of this firmly entrenched outlook toward women, there is little value seen in educating them. After all, what need is there to educate a woman to read, write, do math, or understand science when she will never use those skills in her adult life? The value of women in these societies needs to be changed at a very fundamental level, and the potential roles they could play in society to help make it a better place needs to be ingrained into the male patriarchy, in order for there to be a greater openness to educating them. This will take an international effort over a period of time to accomplish. It's not just culture that keeps women from getting the educations they deserve. In many cases, it is religion. Religion and culture are closely intertwined in many places. Even when they are not, some religions, or interpretations of religions, actually prohibit the education of women. This is no more apparent (and a very big human rights issue) in areas of the Middle East that are controlled by the Taliban. This radical offshoot of Islam does not believe in educating women, and interprets the education of women as against the will of God. In Taliban-controlled areas, schools for girls have been forcibly closed down, forcing those who want to teach and those who want to be educated to do it at home, in secret, behind closed doors. Doing so is a highly dangerous prospect, as women and girls have been beaten and killed for participating in schooling in these places. Economics plays a role in some places, as well. School is not always free in every country. In fact, many nations require school fees to be paid and uniforms purchased. Many poor families cannot afford to send any of their children to school. The ones who can often can only afford to send one child. If it is a choice between a son and a daughter, the son will always win out in the quest to get an education, because the son is seen as the one who has the highest future earning power, and is therefore the one who will benefit the most by being educated. The girl must then stay home and help her parents with chores while her brother goes to school. If she gets any education at all, it is done by her mother at home, and is of the most rudimentary nature. War is Impacting the Access Girls Have to Education in Africa and the Middle East One other reason that girls are not getting the access to education they should in some places of the world is war. Africa and the Middle East are the two most stark examples of this type of situation. When there is war, there is little opportunity or priority for school. Simply surviving is the main goal of most families in wartorn regions. Because of this, we are losing a generation of bright and capable women who could make a huge impact on the world and bring about positive change in many ways. While foreign countries are stepping in to help with some of these wars on a limited basis, they are not doing all they could. When foreign countries do help, their goal is to get rid of the enemy and restore a democratic government, not to restore an infrastructure that would allow for girls to get an education. While much of the world ignores what is going on in Africa and the Middle East, the few who are paying attention are not looking at the plight of the girls. Instead, they are standing by and watching while this generation of girls gets left behind and forgotten, kept from reaching their true potentials and following their dreams because of the violent conditions in their countries. While we can only hope they will help create a new environment where their daughters can get the education they were denied, it doesn't help the girls of today. It is not fair to them, as many of them would love to go to school and be a part of making a positive change in the world. Ignoring their plight is negating their importance as human beings, and shortchanging the world by denying it the many things these girls could offer if they had the opportunity to go to school and be educated A good example of the dangers faced by girls attempting to get an education in war-torn areas is Malala

Yousafzai, a Pakistani teenager who was shot in the head by the Taliban as she was taking a bus to school with two of her friends. Already a passionate advocate for girls' education, the then 15-year-old was targeted by the Taliban for her outspoken views, as the Taliban do not believe in educating girls and forbid it in areas they control. While she survived the shooting, which was done at close range and damaged her left eye (which she has since regained sight in), she has had to leave Pakistan and move to the United Kingdom due to ongoing threats by the Taliban against her. (1) She hopes to go back one day and assist in getting girls educated in her homeland, but right now, has to contend with telling her story from the sidelines. She has written a book and was considered for the Nobel prize. But her experience shows just how dangerous it is for girls to try to get educated in areas where wars and regional control by religious extremists are the realities of everyday life. Only when the wars are stopped and the extremists dealt with can girls like Malala safely get the educations they deserve. Technology and Science Suffer All Over the World for Lack of Women Practitioners Even in areas where women have some access to education, they are falling behind men in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). This is not only the case for third world nations, but all over the world. Even in the United States, 85 percent of jobs in these fields are held by men. Science is a field that particularly needs more women. The UN estimates that only 27 percent of scientific research positions worldwide are filled by women. That number is not nearly what it should be. The STEM fields are among the highest paying in the world. Getting more women into these fields would lower the international poverty rates, bring new perspectives to these fields, and improve the infrastructure and development of emerging nations all over the planet. Women who want to get into the STEM fields often face discrimination, even in developed countries. There is a kind of worldwide idea that they are not as suited to these fields as men, and many women who enter these fields report sexual harassment and lack of opportunities for promotion. They are frequently placed into areas where they are working on lower tiers of research than those for which they are qualified. Their desire to have children and start families also hinders their career opportunities in these fields due to institutional discrimination all over the world. Men need to be educated on the benefits of having women in the STEM fields and really brought in on any national or international plan to improve the representation of women in these fields for it to become a reality. It is a necessity if we wish to improve the quality of life for everyone on the planet, but culturally ingrained prejudices against women in these fields must be overcome first, and this will take a global effort to change. It can be done, but we must be committed as a global society to making it happen for the world and its women. (2) The Health Care Field Will Need More Educated Female Workers Soon, and We Must Prepare Them to Enter the Profession Women have traditionally been the healers in many third world societies. However, the healing techniques they learn, while useful and admirable, are low-tech and handed down from mother to daughter, or from an older woman to a younger mentor. Many of the methods they use to heal only pertain to other women, as well, such as midwifery. While the good news is that there is an openness to women as healers in many emerging countries, there is still a resistance to educating them to learn modern, 21st century healing techniques. It is conceivable that women would be accepted as doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in these places. However, they will need to be educated to take charge of the healthcare structures of their countries before they can come into their own in this regard.

Africa is a good example of a place where more female healthcare leaders will be needed in coming years. Women tend to outlive men in Africa. This may lead to a shortage of male doctors and other healthcare personnel one day. Women will need to be educated and ready to take over this role when the time comes. As the older generation of women age and as the men of Africa grow diseased and frail before their time due to wars and harsh living conditions, women will be forced into the roles of caregivers. They will be much more equipped to provide excellent, modern care and keep their countrymen and women alive much longer and in better health if they are educated to do so. Educating women in the healthcare field is key to a better quality of life for everyone in many places of the world, but particularly Africa, which currently suffers from a distinctive lack of trained female medical personnel. It cannot continue this way if Africa is going to have a positive healthcare future independent of the aid of foreign volunteer workers like Doctors Without Borders. Fortunately, there is a great interest in many areas of the world in bringing more women into the medical profession, both in Africa and internationally, and work is being done behind the scenes in this area (3). The goal is to make sure there are enough female doctors in place to take on the job of caring for the other people of the world when the time comes when they are needed the most. So Many Countries Are Falling Behind the Curve in Educating Girls There are 20 nations in the world where access to education is still not a basic right for girls. According to the UN, there are currently 110 million children in developing nations who are not attending school, and 60 percent of these are girls. Some countries among these have worse records than others. The countries with the worst record when it comes to giving girls access to education are (4): India Cambodia Pakistan Nepal Afghanistan Chad Papua New Guinea Haiti Egypt Guatemala These countries have appalling rates of education for women. Some girls never complete elementary school, or even go to school at all, and illiteracy rates among girls and women are embarrassingly high. The reasons for the lack of access to education for girls in these countries are many, including such things as cultural beliefs about educating girls alongside boys, believing girls are more suited to domestic work, high rates of child bride marriages, wars, and poverty. If we want girls to get the education they need, we must start by putting international focus on the countries where they are the least likely to get it. Education efforts must be made in the world of the adults, to get them to understand the importance of educating girls, and to show them the benefits educating the female population in their borders will bring them. Once a clear benefit to educating girls is shown, many of these countries, where current social conditions allow for education, are likely to be more willing to provide educational opportunities to females. It all starts with showing the establishment what the benefits can be, and then the opportunities to educate girls can begin to be put into place.

A New Emphasis on the Importance of Educating Women is Taking Place in Some Progressive Countries Of course, some emerging countries are doing an excellent job when it comes to promoting education for women. These are the countries that can act a models for other nations. If we can get the nations that are falling behind in education for women to do what these progressive nations are doing, it will benefit women everywhere. Plus, the very real benefits being seen in the more progressive countries by educating their women can be shown to other countries, so their leaders will see that letting women get an education really does benefit the entire country. Some of the countries that are ahead of the curve when it comes to getting women the educational opportunities they need and deserve include: UAE Qatar Oman Jordan Saudi Arabia These are the Gulf States. While Saudi Arabia is still woefully behind when it comes to giving freedom to women, it is at least making a strong effort to educate them. the other Gulf States are more progressive in both freedom for women and education. The education of girls in these countries has come about largely due to the technology booms there that followed the development of their oil fields. This development led to closer ties with western nations, and those nations wanted to see a greater priority put on education for girls. The Gulf States knew what their western partners wanted to see and hear from them in this area, and so made educating girls such a priority that there is now a gender gap forming in those nations, with more girls becoming highly educated than boys, and getting better grades (5). While something will need to be done to equalize this divide to make things fair for everyone, the fact that girls now have such wonderful access to high levels of education in these nations is significant, and shows it can be done in other places, as well, if the proper efforts are made to create the necessary desire in those nations where girls don't have good access to education. The example of the Gulf States shows how prioritizing education for girls can make a difference even in the most sexist of societies. Lack of Equal Pay for Equal Work is Still a Problem, Even for Educated Women in First World Countries Equal pay for equal work is still an issue for women in most parts of the world, even for educated women, and even in places like the USA and the UK. First world countries now have the luxury to do something about it, as their female populations are being educated equally with the males. In fact, President Obama's first bill that he signed into law when he took office in 2009 was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was meant to ensure women got paid equally to men for equal jobs, and to allow women to recoup lost wages when they should have been paid the same as men in a job but weren't (6). This is an excellent avenue to pursue in emerging countries in the future. However, it is first necessary to get women educated equally to men all over the world before equal pay can be pursued. This is how it worked in first world nations, so it can be expected to go the same way elsewhere. Eventually, with a concentrated world effort and global prioritization, women can gain access to equal education. Once they do, they can begin pursuing equal pay, and then and only then will we live in a truly equal society.

Beacons of Hope for the Future of Education for Women Around the World Educating females has many rewards. The rewards are not only for the women themselves, but for the nations they serve. Women have many wonderful gift just waiting to be shared with society. When they are educated and given the same opportunities as males, there is no limit to what they can do and accomplish, and their contributions will only benefit us all. People like Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Argentinian President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner and other prominent female leaders around the world serve as beacons of hope to women everywhere that they, too, can one day rise to the heights of power and influence through the magic of education. these are all highly educated women who are making significant contributions to the betterment of the planet. Even in emerging nations, there are some female leaders, though they are so far few and far between. Pakistan once had a female Prime Minister, as did India. Africa has had three female heads of state so far, with the most recent being Central African Republic interim president Catherine Samba-Panza (7). These were all women who had access to education, even higher education, and they serve as inspirational figures to young women everywhere as to what they can achieve if given the right educational opportunities. The world is ripe for the picking for the girls of today, and they have so much to give and to offer toward the betterment of our planet. We must do everything within our power to make sure they get the opportunities they need to shine as brightly as possible. Sources 1. http://nypost.com/2013/10/07/new-taliban-threat-against-girl-they-shot-in-head/ 2. http://trimunc.org/committeestopics/united-nations-childrens-fund/educating-girls-in-science-technology-eng ineering-and-math-stem/ 3. http://mwia.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/congress_report_2010.pdf 4. http://elitedaily.com/women/separate-unequal-countries-worst-gender-inequality-education/ 5. https://books.google.com/books?id=ltRgAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT97&lpg=PT97&dq=education+for+girls+in+ %22the+gulf+states%22&source=bl&ots=rJv0ygNq0V&sig=bDPkXBF4kgHA60YmxWAQ4Ln55Nw&hl= en&sa=X&ei=PJvqVK7ELIOZNtDxg5gM&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=education%20for%20girl s%20in%20%22the%20gulf%20states%22&f=false 6. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/08/fact-sheet-expanding-opportunity-all-ensuring-equal -pay-women-and-promot 7. http://www.economist.com/blogs/baobab/2014/01/central-african-republic-under-new-management 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Heart-breaking and eye-opening immersion in a culture that is brutal to women By Sarah's Book Shelves

Headline: The Underground Girls of Kabul is an extremely readable, yet heart-breaking and eye-opening immersion in a culture that is brutal to women. It would also make a great choice for book clubs. Major Themes: Women’s rights, patriarchal societies, the Middle East, Islam, the Taliban, marital dynamics, war, gender identity What I Liked: - This is one of those books where you learn a ton, but don’t realize it. I felt like I was just reading a story, but I might as well have been taking a course on life in Afghanistan (particularly for women), Islam, the Taliban, and the affects of war on regular Afghans. - The book goes way beyond the Afghan (actually, this custom can also be found in many other countries) custom of girls living as boys. It paints a vivid picture of what it means to be an Afghan woman, the importance Afghans place on every family having a son, gender and sexuality issues, marital dynamics, and patriarchal societies. - Nordberg clearly explained why Afghan families sometimes raise their daughters as sons and emphasized that there are a variety of reasons a family might choose this path. Though some of these reasons are inexplicable to a Westerner (i.e. having a bacha posh ensures that, via “magic”, the next child will be a son), Nordberg helped me understand how these people, given their history, customs, and surroundings, could resort to such beliefs. Nordberg focused on a rare female member of Parliament, Azita, to illustrate the broader bacha posh custom. Using Azita as the focal point gave me a specific person to root for. - This book was chock full of “did you know” tidbits, which I love in my nonfiction. For example, Afghans idolize Jack Bauer from the TV show 24, Afghan women’s rights actually improved during the Soviet occupation (because the Soviets de-emphasized religion), Thursday nights in Afghanistan are for “conjugal traditions”, and Saudi Arabia first allowed women to participate in the Olympics in 2012. What I Didn’t Like: - Nordberg touched on the Afghan population’s general impressions of its various occupiers over the years, but I was particularly curious about this and wished she’d gone a bit deeper. It was fascinating that the Afghans actually viewed the Soviets as liberators from “mujahideen infighting”, but I couldn’t quite get a handle on what they think of the Americans (although, this could probably comprise an entirely separate book). A Defining Quote: "Regardless of who they are, whether they are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, Afghan women often describe the difference between men and women in just one word: freedom. As in: men have it, women do not." Good for People Who Like: Investigative journalism, books about marriage, books that make you think, women’s issues Check out my blog, Sarah's Book Shelves, for more reviews. See all 288 customer reviews...

THE UNDERGROUND GIRLS OF KABUL: IN SEARCH OF A HIDDEN RESISTANCE IN AFGHANISTAN BY JENNY NORDBERG PDF

This is likewise among the reasons by obtaining the soft file of this The Underground Girls Of Kabul: In Search Of A Hidden Resistance In Afghanistan By Jenny Nordberg by online. You might not require more times to spend to go to guide store as well as look for them. Sometimes, you additionally don't locate the publication The Underground Girls Of Kabul: In Search Of A Hidden Resistance In Afghanistan By Jenny Nordberg that you are browsing for. It will certainly waste the moment. However below, when you visit this page, it will certainly be so simple to obtain and also download and install guide The Underground Girls Of Kabul: In Search Of A Hidden Resistance In Afghanistan By Jenny Nordberg It will not take sometimes as we mention before. You could do it while doing another thing at home or perhaps in your workplace. So very easy! So, are you question? Just practice exactly what we provide below and read The Underground Girls Of Kabul: In Search Of A Hidden Resistance In Afghanistan By Jenny Nordberg what you like to read! From School Library Journal The girls portrayed in this book are not resisting with weapons or spying: they are simply living their lives as boys. The reasons are varied. The family needs help in a store. Women need a "male" relative to walk them on errands. Many girls call their status as a "boy" a type of magic—by showing that the family is ready for a boy, a real male child may arrive. Often, members of the community know the child is really a girl, but accept this gender switch and go along with the ruse. Nordberg focuses her narrative on the adult Azita. Her father educated her, but once she reached her prime childbearing years, she was married off to a rural, illiterate cousin. Somehow, Azita manages to win a government seat in her new district. Western readers will root for Azita to find a way out of this fiercely patriarchal arrangement, but Nordberg is astounding in her ability to elicit sympathy and rage for the women portrayed, while also attempting to explain why more elaborate female resistance may not yet be possible. Teenagers will find a great deal to think about in this well-researched and readable piece of reporting.—Jamie Watson, Baltimore County Public Library, MD Review Winner of the 2015 J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize A Salon 2014 Authors' Favorite Book One of Buzzfeed's Best Nonfiction Books of 2014 A Business Insider Best Book of 2014 A Columbus Dispatch Best Book of 2014 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2014 A PopMatters Best Book of 2014 An FP Interrupted Best Book of 2014

An IPI Global Observatory Recommended Book for 2015 A TruthDig Book of the Year, 2014 Finalist for the Goodreads Choice Award, Nonfiction “Through extensive interviews with former bacha posh, observation of present ones and conversations with doctors and teachers, Nordberg unearths details of a dynamic that one suspects will be news to the armies of aid workers and gender experts in post-invasion Afghanistan.”–New York Times Book Review “Jenny Nordberg has produced a striking and nuanced work that explores the current status of Afghan women through one of their subcultures...[A] finely written book.”–Washington Post “Five years of intensive reporting have yielded this gritty, poignant, and provocative collage of intimate portraits…Nordberg conveys captivating nuance and complexity; just when you feel some kind of judgment or conclusive opinion is within reach, she deftly turns the tables, leaving us to reexamine our own prejudices and societal norms as we struggle with questions that are perhaps unanswerable.”–Elle “Nordberg’s immersive reporting reveals an astonishingly clear picture of this resourceful, if imperfect, solution to the problem of girlhood in a society where women have few rights and overwhelming restrictions.”–The Boston Globe “Nordberg’s book is riveting, bringing a practice previously unknown to the West to light, and continuing to elucidate the plight of Afghan women, whose supposed inferiority is so ingrained in their culture that Western feminism can make few inroads.”–Minneapolis Star Tribune “Nordberg's intimate exploration leaves us rooting for her brave subjects.”–Mother Jones “Nordberg creates a moving intimacy with these stories, weaving them into the bigger picture of contemporary Afghanistan. Diving deep into the lives and hearts of people who are usually ignored, she reveals the enormity of a localized struggle even while grounding it in broader human experience, never allowing the reader to reduce her subjects to curiosities.”–DallasMorningNews.com “In clear, simple prose, Nordberg describes her encounters with several current or former bacha posh, including a nurse who kept the role until a month before her wedding, a tae kwon do instructor who now guides younger “underground girls,” and an adolescent still resisting being turned into a woman… The book raises provocative questions about gender roles in Afghanistan and beyond.”–The Columbus Dispatch “Fascinating… Nordberg manages to capture the strength of these women, as well as their vulnerabilities, to show the psychological toll bacha posh has on those who endure it, and the ability of women to adapt to the constricts society places on them.” –ForeignPolicy.com “In fluid narrative style, Nordberg explores the [bacha posh] phenomenon through compelling individual portraits… In addition to presenting a rare glimpse of Afghan life, The Underground Girls of Kabul explores the ways that gender identity is shaped and policed. Extending well beyond Afghanistan, this book compels the reader to rethink gender differences.”—Straight.com “The Underground Girls of Kabul is an outstanding work of journalism that uncovers new information about an important subject. It’s also an extraordinarily well-written book, full of riveting stories about the real lives

of girls and women in Afghanistan today.” –PopMatters.com “Five years of research, and an almost novelistic approach to her findings, has produced a book full of fresh stories.” —Razia Iqbal, Independent “Nordberg's hopeful yet heart-breaking account offers a dazzling picture of Afghan life . . . She is refreshingly non-judgmental . . . Thanks to this book, a little more light has been shone on a country and society so often misunderstood” —Independent on Sunday “Partly a reflection on the politics of sex and gender . . . but it is also a tale of discovery.” —Sunday Telegraph “This fascinating study sheds new light on what it's like to be female in the country declared the worst in the world to be a woman . . . This powerful account of powerlessness resonates with the most silenced voices in society.” —The Observer “[A] searing exposé…Nordberg's subtle, sympathetic reportage makes this one of the most convincing portraits of Afghan culture in print.” –Publishers Weekly [starred] “A stunning book… Nordberg has done some staggering work in this unique, important, and compelling chronicle. Book clubs will be riveted, and will talk for hours.” –Booklist [starred] “As affecting as the stories of these women are, Nordberg’s conclusion—that women’s rights are essential to ‘building peaceful civilizations’—is the most powerful message of this compelling book. An intelligent and timely exploration into contemporary Afghanistan.” – Kirkus Reviews “The Underground Girls of Kabul is a groundbreaking feat of reportage, a kaleidoscopic investigation into gender, resistance, and the limits of cross-cultural understanding. Jenny Nordberg is a riveting storyteller and she has an astonishing tale to tell.” –Michelle Goldberg, author of The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power, and the Future of the World “Jenny Nordberg has given us a fascinating look into a hidden phenomenon of extreme patriarchal societies: a form of gender-bending far riskier and more rewarding than Western academia's trendy, abstract gender categories. Nordberg's reporting is thorough and sensitive, her writing vivid and insightful. You will not forget this book; it will haunt you.” – Robin Morgan “The Underground Girls of Kabul is a brilliant, urgent, groundbreaking work. It is a call to action, and a reminder that even under the greatest abuses of power women have found ways to fight and flourish. The inspiring story of the bacha posh is not just a tale of ingenuity and survival in Afghanistan. It is an excavation of the deep and insidious roots of global misogyny, and an offering of hope.” —Cara Hoffman, author of Be Safe I Love You “The Underground Girls of Kabul draws back the curtain on the world of bacha posh, young Afghan girls whose families disguise them as boys and raise them, until adolescence intervenes, as sons. Jenny Nordberg's book is a tremendous feat of reporting and storytelling: until her work on the custom of bacha posh was published in the New York Times, the practice had never been systematically documented, and her narrative is so finely-observed that it often reads like fiction. Nordberg's curiosity, her humor, and her genuine warmth for her subjects come through on every page.” – Katherine Zoepf, fellow, the New America Foundation

“The Underground Girls of Kabul is a riveting, firsthand account of what life as a girl is like in Afghanistan and how it often means becoming a boy. Jenny Nordberg has written a compelling and important work that exposes the profound gender prejudice that exists, in different forms, all over the world.” –Jennifer Clement, author of Prayers for the Stolen “Forget everything you thought you knew about gender and what it means to be a woman or man. Jenny Nordberg’s exquisitely reported look at why Afghans choose to raise their girls as boys is nothing less than heartbreaking, mind-bending, and mesmerizing—not to mention timely.”—Lauren Wolfe, director of Women’s Media Center’s Women Under Siege “Nordberg brings to light a world that no Afghan speaks of, but everyone knows: the world of girls raised as boys, usually until puberty. In a society where being a girl means living as chattel, and where families without boys are shamed, the bacha posh tradition arose, as it has in other highly patriarchal societies. Going deeper, Nordberg discovers that the bacha posh, once adults, become a subversive force: having tasted freedom and opportunity, these women can never go back. They stand up--for themselves, their daughters, and their country. The former bacha posh may yet change Afghanistan for the better . . . Nordberg’s book is a pioneering effort to understand this hidden world.” –Valerie M. Hudson, professor and George H.W. Bush Chair, The Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University “The investigation into bacha posh gives a new and unique perspective on the women’s situation, gender and resistance in Afghanistan. The author tells the story with empathy and respect for the women who have let her into their lives. This book will interest both those who want to learn about Afghanistan and those wanting to understand how gender works, and it is a must-read for both Afghanistan and gender specialists.” –Sari Kouvo, co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network “The Underground Girls of Kabul is an amazing book. The fact that Nordberg brings this to light is eyeopening to everyone—even to Afghans. It is the truth that many Afghans live with it as part of their life.”–Naheed Bahram, program director of Women for Afghan Women About the Author JENNY NORDBERG is an award-winning journalist based in New York. A correspondent and columnist for Swedish national newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, she has a long record of investigative reports for, among others, The New York Times, where she also contributed to a series that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. In 2010, she was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Journalism for a television documentary on Afghan women. She is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).

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