Web Desk: Sesame Street, Baghch-e-Simsim of Afhganistan introduced a new Muppet Zeerak, who favors gender equality and stresses on importance of women’s education. This character may inspire positive attitudes about women’s education in Afghanistan.

4-years-old Zeerak is a younger brother of 6-years-old Zari. She is an educated girl and focuses on girl’s empowerment, health and emotional well-being. The exciting part about Zari is that she is modeling for young girls that it is wonderful to go to school and that it’s ok to dream about having a career.

Zeerak adores and looks up to her sister. He views her sister as a role model and shows enthusiasm about going to school with her.

According to a report, the show is accessible to 80 percent of children and parents approximately. Afghanistan, a male dominated country where women are given very little right of formal education. It is suspected that this show will change the traditional mindset of folks and they may begin to invest equally on girl’s education in future.

The show airs from Tolo TV, the head of TV said that he hopes that this show indirectly teach the kids to love their sister.

The director of communication for Sesame Workshop, Philip Toscano, said the Muppet was based on research aiming to develop a character that would resonate with viewers.

The statistic published in the report of The National Risk and Vulnerability revealed that 66 percent of boys and 37 percent of girls, between the ages of 15-24 in Afghanistan could read and write. Afghanistan has a lowest rate of women education.

Baghche-e-Simsim is a Dari and Pashto language Children’s Television series based on American Sesame Street. It was first premiered in 2011.

Source: mashable