lynsey addario, photographer

Afghanistan: Afghanistan Self-Immoliation

Click Here to Play VideoFarzana is helped to stand up by her mother at home, as they prepare to go to a private clinic in Herat, Afghanistan, August 5, 2010. Farzana tried to commit suicide by self-immolation after being beaten by her in-laws. Farzana and her brother were engaged to two siblings, and when Farzana's brother took another woman, Farzana suffered the wrath of her in-laws as retalliation; she burned herself to escape the abuse. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Afghan women commit suicide by self-immolation each year to escape abusive marriages and in-laws; divorce is considered too shameful of an option for a woman who wants to leave a marriage, and thus suicide is a more viable option. As Afghanistan continues along the path of war and economic recession, the number grows.New York Times link here
   
Farzana winces in pain as she has her bandages changed in the private clinic of Fatima Mohammadi, a nurse at the hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 5, 2010. Farzana tried to commit suicide by self-immolation after being beaten by her in-laws. Farzana and her brother were engaged to two siblings, and when Farzana's brother took another woman, Farzana suffered the wrath of her in-laws as retalliation; she burned herself to escape the abuse.
  
Farzana winces in pain as she has her bandages changed after undergoing skin graft surgery in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Farzana tried to commit suicide by self-immolation after being beaten by her in-laws. Farzana and her brother were engaged to two siblings, and when Farzana's brother took another woman, Farzana suffered the wrath of her in-laws as retalliation; she burned herself to escape the abuse.
     
  
Juma Gul weeps as he visits his mother, Gul Zada, about an hour before her death in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Gulzada, who was about 45 years old, with five children, set herself on fire after being insulted by a relative for not bringing a gift for her son's fiance at a recent relative's wedding. Juma Gul explained that his mother was too poor to buy a gift for the future bride, as he described the hardships of Afghan families.
  
Marie Jose Brunel, a French nurse with the NGO Humaniterra, closes the eyes of Gul Zada at the time of her death as her mother, Zamarot, looks on in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Gulzada, who was about 45 years old, with five children, set herself on fire after being insulted by a relative for not bringing a gift for her son's fiance at a recent relative's wedding. Juma Gul explained that his mother was too poor to buy a gift for the future bride, as he described the hardships of Afghan families.
  
Female relatives of Gul Zada weep over her body moments after her body was brought home from the hospital after her death in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Gulzada, who was about 45 years old, with five children, set herself on fire after being insulted by a relative for not bringing a gift for her son's fiance at a recent relative's wedding. Juma Gul explained that his mother was too poor to buy a gift for the future bride, as he described the hardships of Afghan families.
     
  
Zahra, 21, poses for a portrait in the room she shares with her mother in Herat, Afghanistan, August 4, 2010. Zahra tried to commit suicide by self-immolation six years prior because she did not want to marry the man her family had arranged for her to marry; her father died when she was young, and she and her mother are poor. Since Zahra burned herself, her fiance has disappeared; in Afghan culture, an engagement is considered on par with marriage, and Zahra can not try to find another husband unless her fiance divorces her.
  
Hanife, 15, screams in pain as she has her bandages changes for the first time since undergoing skin graft surgery in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Hanife tried to commit suicide by self-immolation after being beaten by her mother-in-law about fifty days prior. Hanife has been married about six months, and her husband is working in Iran to try to earn money for the family, and left her alone with abusive in-laws.
   
Hanife, 15, is comforted by nurse Fatima Mohammadi as she has her bandages changed by nurse Zalmai Hashimi, 30, for the first time since undergoing skin graft surgery in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Hanife tried to commit suicide by self-immolation after being beaten by her mother-in-law about fifty days prior. Hanife has been married about six months, and her husband is working in Iran to try to earn money for the family, and left her alone with abusive in-laws.
     
  
Hanife, 15, is comforted by nurse Fatima Mohammadi before she has her bandages changed for the first time since undergoing skin graft surgery in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Hanife tried to commit suicide by self-immolation after being beaten by her mother-in-law about fifty days prior. Hanife has been married about six months, and her husband is working in Iran to try to earn money for the family, and left her alone with abusive in-laws.
   
Hanife, 15, is offered juice from her mother in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Hanife tried to commit suicide by self-immolation after being beaten by her mother-in-law about fifty days prior. Hanife has been married about six months, and her husband is working in Iran to try to earn money for the family, and left her alone with abusive in-laws.
   
Nargis, an Afghan woman from Kabul who burned herself because her husband beat her repeatedly, has her bandages changed in the burn unit of the Esteqlal Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 7, 2010. Nargis explained that her she and her husband fought repeatedly over their economic situation; she has five children, and sustained 60% burns on her body.
     
  
Hayatullah Fahim does physical therapy in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital with Feroukh, 21, to prevent contraction of her muscles, after she burned herself in a village outside of Herat, Afghanistan, August 4, 2010. Feroukh tried to commit suicide by self-immolation because she couldn't handle her family's povery any longer; her husband is working in Iran.
  
Nargis, an Afghan woman from Kabul who burned herself because her husband beat her repeatedly, lies in the burn unit of the Esteqlal Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 7, 2010. Nargis explained that her she and her husband fought repeatedly over their economic situation; she has five children, and sustained 60% burns on her body.
  
The toes of Gul Zada are tied together at her death in a Muslim tradition believed to send her to paradise as her family escorts her body home for burial from the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Gulzada, who was about 45 years old, with five children, set herself on fire after being insulted by a relative for not bringing a gift for her son's fiance at a recent relative's wedding. Juma Gul explained that his mother was too poor to buy a gift for the future bride, as he described the hardships of Afghan families.
     
  
Mariam weeps as she stands over her daughter, Najiba, 13, in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Najiba, who had been married six months, claimed that her mother-in-law doused her with gasoline and set her on fire, though her mother, and other nurses in the hospital, were skeptical of her story, and suspected she might have burned herself in an attempted suicide. Najiba's body was 85% burned, and died at 2am on the 5th August.
   
Mariam, left, the mother of Najiba, 13, looks on as nurse Zaidullah Zia, 27, changes najiba's bandages in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Najiba, who has been married six months, claimed her mother-in-law doused her with gasoline and set her on fire, though her mother, and other nurses in the hospital, were skeptical of her story, and suspected she might have burned herself in an attempted suicide. Najiba's body was 85% burned, and died at 2am on the 5th August.
   
Najiba, 13, who has been married 6 months, screams in pain as nurse Zaidullah Zia, 27, changes her bandages in the burn center of the Herat Regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 3, 2010. Najiba claimed her mother-in-law doused her with gasoline and set her on fire, though her mother, and other nurses in the hospital, were skeptical of her story, and suspected she might have burned herself in an attempted suicide. Najiba's body was 85% burned, and died at 2am on the 5th August.
     
  
The empty bed of Najiba the morning after she died in the burn unit of the herat regional Hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, August 5, 2010. Najiba, 13, who had been married 6 months, claimed her mother-in-law doused her with gasoline and set her on fire, though her mother, and other nurses in the hospital, were skeptical of her story, and suspected she might have burned herself in an attempted suicide. Najiba's body was 85% burned, and died at 2am on the 5th August.