In pictures: Sesame Street's new female Afghan puppet

• 11 April 2016
 
• From the sectionAsia

There’s a new face on Sesame Street - a sassy Afghan puppet girl called Zari and she has an important message for the country's little girls.

Zari, whose name means “shimmering”, has made her television debut in Afghanistan, on a local production of Sesame Street called Baghch-e-Simsim

"Zari is female because we thought it was really important to emphasise the fact that a little girl could do as much as everybody else. So that's why a girl was a key factor in promoting empowerment and girls' education in Afghanistan," program manager Clemence Quint told AP.

The sassy, six-year-old puppet will wear a traditional headscarf. Her costumes will also incorporate fabrics and designs from all of Afghanistan's ethnic groups.

Zari is brought to life by Afghan puppeteer Mansoora Shirzad. She wished young viewers a happy World Peace Day and happy International Children's Day for an upcoming episode.

Afghanistan is still an impoverished country. Formal education is limited for many children, including prejudices against education for girls.

Two production houses worked together with Afghanistan's education ministry to develop the special Muppet
.