{{A TV distribution company in Europe is in touch with the producers of the Pakistani animation show for children \u201cBurqa Avenger\u201d to arrange its screening in 60 countries, including French-speaking nations, according to a press interview with the series\u2019 creator.}}<\/p>\n
The plan to take this Urdu-language cartoon series on the global stage highlights the international appeal of Jiya, aka \u201cBurqa Avenger\u201d, a mild-mannered teacher at day who turns into a superhero at night to fight local gangsters who are trying to shut down the girls\u2019 school where she works. <\/p>\n
Armed with mere books and pens, the ‘caped crusader’ takes on Baba Bandook, a misogynist Taliban-like villain, and Vadero Pajero, a corrupt politician trying to pocket NGO money meant to fund the local girls\u2019 school.<\/p>\n
Jiya\u2019s adventures touched a sensitive chord in Pakistan, where almost three quarters of young girls are not enrolled in primary school, according to UN and government statistics published last year.<\/p>\n
The issue of girls’ education in northwest Pakistan exploded across world headlines last October when Taliban gunmen shot Malala Yousafzai, a teenaged female activist for women’s rights and education.<\/p>\n
{{Batman & burka}}<\/p>\n
The flowing black burqa, the super-dress of choice for the Pakistani TV series ninja-like heroine, has also caught the world’s attention because the outfit is traditionally seen as an instrument of oppression of women, especially in the West.<\/p>\n
The show\u2019s artistic director, Yousaf Ejaz, told AFP that his inspiration came from his childhood: “I was a big fan of Batman, and my grandmother, she had a burqa (\u2026) So back in the childhood when she was away, we would steal her burqa and act like Batman, wearing that burqa: ‘I am Batman, look at me!’\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite its overwhelmingly positive message, the show triggered a lively debate in Pakistan\u2019s English language press about whether Jiya’s choice of disguise was a sign of empowerment or a means of promoting something used to oppress women.<\/p>\n
Slamming what she called a “ridiculous Burqa Avenger backlash”, Pakistani columnist Faiza S. Khan wrote that the show was not glorifying the burqa, but merely using it as part of a typical superhero creation myth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we ignore the character\u2019s intentions behind willingly adopting a burka (as a disguise), it brings us back to good old-fashioned patriarchy, whereby a woman\u2019s decisions are dwarfed by whatever message her clothing is putting out,\u201d wrote Khan in the Daily Beast.<\/p>\n
Plans are afoot to translate the show into at least 18 different languages.<\/p>\n
Source: {France24 } <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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