X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Sesame street welcomes new muppet who will empower young girls

2 min read

Last April 7, 2016 marked the debut of Afghanistan’s first “Sesame Street” Muppet. And she’s not like just any other muppet.

Zari, whose name translates to “shimmering”, carries a powerful message for young girls.

She made her debut on “Baghch-e-Simsim,” the Afghanistan version of the beloved children’s show.

“She’s here to teach young kids about girls’ empowerment!” Sesame Street said on Twitter, adding later on that Zari is “an incredible role model for kids around the world.”

Meet Zari, our new friend from Afghanistan! She’s here to teach young kids about girls’ empowerment! #BaghcheSimsim pic.twitter.com/itS9kNZieV

— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) April 7, 2016

Donning a red-and-gold dress paired with a cream-colored hijab, the new empowering muppet will be tackling important topics such as “girls’ empowerment, national identity, physical health, and social and emotional well-being”.

Zari

photo: Reuters

This 6-year-old muppet dreams of becoming a doctor one day and so she’ll be interviewing pediatricians about health and how she can achieve her dream; this is making a powerful statement in a country like Afghanistan where women’s rights are still being fought for daily.

But even before she made her TV debut, Zari made her first public appearance in New York City at the Women in the World Summit. A well-attended event where she met the first lady of Afghanistan, Rula Ghani.

Zari (1)

photo: Reuters

Partner Stories
Great ideas for gifts for Chinese New Year 2023!
Great ideas for gifts for Chinese New Year 2023!
Learn Tech and Media Skills, Gain Industry Exposure and Build a Portfolio. Here’s How Your Child Can Benefit from an Infocomm or Media CCA!
Learn Tech and Media Skills, Gain Industry Exposure and Build a Portfolio. Here’s How Your Child Can Benefit from an Infocomm or Media CCA!
Korean Stars Take Center Stage at Disney Content Showcase in Singapore
Korean Stars Take Center Stage at Disney Content Showcase in Singapore
Health is Your Greatest Wealth. Learn How Your CPF Savings Can Safeguard Your Healthcare Needs and Provide Peace of Mind
Health is Your Greatest Wealth. Learn How Your CPF Savings Can Safeguard Your Healthcare Needs and Provide Peace of Mind

“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,” Sesame Workshop’s executive vice president of global impact and philanthropy, Sherrie Westin, told Reuters. “It’s so powerful that the first Afghan Muppet is a girl.”

READ: Sesame Street’s new muppet pal Julia to raise Autism awareness

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. 

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Bianchi Mendoza

  • Home
  • /
  • Lifestyle
  • /
  • Sesame street welcomes new muppet who will empower young girls
Share:
  • Sesame Street-themed pop-up cafe opens in Singapore, now til 29 December

    Sesame Street-themed pop-up cafe opens in Singapore, now til 29 December

  • Katy Perry - Too Sexy for 'Sesame Street'?

    Katy Perry - Too Sexy for 'Sesame Street'?

  • Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

    Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

  • Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

    Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

  • Sesame Street-themed pop-up cafe opens in Singapore, now til 29 December

    Sesame Street-themed pop-up cafe opens in Singapore, now til 29 December

  • Katy Perry - Too Sexy for 'Sesame Street'?

    Katy Perry - Too Sexy for 'Sesame Street'?

  • Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

    Study: Nagging Mothers with High Expectations Raise Successful Daughters

  • Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

    Melissa Faith Yeo Claims Andie Chen Accused Her of Cheating to Get Pity Votes for Star Awards

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.