POV · Of the total 412 rural and urban districts in the country, there are only 151 districts with at least one upper secondary girls’ school. The Zabuli school started with 109

What Tomorrow Brings

A Film by Beth Murphy

Community Engagement & Education

DISCUSSION GUIDE

www.pbs.org/pov

POV

My last two feature films—Beyond Belief and The List—grappled with the human

consequences of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While filming in Afghanistan for

Beyond Belief (Tribeca Film Festival, SundanceTV), I witnessed the terrible isola-

tion, desperation and poverty that often accompany a life without education. Since

then, I’ve made a personal commitment to return to Afghanistan and share with the

world my conviction that education is the number one way to empower women

and strengthen families and communities.

It’s true that in a society as conservative as the one in Deh’Subz (the setting for

What Tomorrow Brings) the lives of girls are not going to change unless the peo-

ple around them—their mothers and fathers and husbands—also change. But the

changes in these girls that education brings—the confidence and independence—

are changing the people around them in profound ways.

I started filming in 2009—shortly after the Zabuli girls’ school opened. My final

shoot was in December 2015 at the school’s very first graduation. What I witnessed

during the years of filming has been remarkable, and the transition made by this

community has been dramatic. It has transformed from a village that did not sup-

port girls’ education to one in which fathers and elders are excited to send their

daughters to college.

During this time, I learned that meaningful, lasting change occurs only when it is

created in ways that respect the local culture. Everything about Zabuli fits within

conservative Muslim village life. The girls’ education helps them contribute in a

meaningful way to their families and lift up the community as a whole, while still al-

lowing them to be observant Muslim women.

According to the Afghan Ministry of Education, there are currently about 14,000 schools in Afghanistan, of which only 15 per-

cent are for girls. Of the total 412 rural and urban districts in the country, there are only 151 districts with at least one upper

secondary girls’ school. The Zabuli school started with 109 students. Today there are more than 500 girls going to school in

kindergarten through 12th grade. In the years I have been filming there, the number of students in kindergarten through fifth

grade has doubled. Slowly, parents and elders are chipping away at attitudes that keep girls out of the classroom across

Afghanistan, and I want to share a story that shows what’s possible.

It’s not easy, but it is possible.

The residents of this village have not only embraced the school—they have become its protectors. Village elders meet with

administrators each month for state-of-the-school briefings. At these meetings, they are always asked if they have any con-

cerns and worries about the school before they are asked, again, to pledge to protect it.

I believe there is an urgency to this story. Nearly 15 years after the fall of the Taliban, an increase in girls’ education is touted

is one of the great success stories in Afghanistan. But the gains in girls’ education and women’s rights are at risk of being

traded away as the security climate declines, humanitarian organizations leave the country because of safety issues and the

Afghan government searches for a settlement with the Taliban. In areas where Taliban influence is on the rise, women’s rights

are under attack. Taliban forces have attacked girls’ schools and murdered women in leadership positions.

According to “Education and Healthcare at Risk,” a report from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan

(UNAMA), in 2015 there were 132 cases in which schools or school personnel were attacked or threatened—an 86 percent in-

crease from 2014, and a 110 percent increase from 2013. This led to the closing or partial closing of more than 369 schools,

affecting at least 139,048 students and 600 teachers.

|2DISCUSSION GUIDE


LETTER FROM THE FILMMAKER

Filmmaker Beth Murphy.

Photo courtesy of Peggy Foley

LETTER FROM THE FILMMAKER

|3

Girls are particularly vulnerable. According to the report, 213 girls’ schools were shut down last year, denying nearly 51,000

girls access to education. In addition to closing schools, anti-government forces created additional barriers to education for

women and girls by prohibiting them from obtaining education beyond fourth or sixth grade, and in many cases by com-

pletely banning them from going to school.

Girls in Deh’Subz are learning to read and write for the very first time. But their education goes far beyond the classroom.

Girls are learning what it means to become women in Afghanistan, and how they can use their voices. Education gives these

girls a way to influence their own futures and creates opportunities that otherwise would never have existed.

This is what is at stake. Without attention being paid to the basic rights of women and girls, the hard-won freedoms of the

last 14 years can quickly unravel.

Because the Afghan government has neither the personnel nor the funding to provide protection for the school, the com-

munity’s role is critical. A new and remarkably comprehensive report from the Global Coalition to Protect Education From

Attack points out that in threatened educational institutions around the world, community engagement and even commu-

nity guards like those at the Zabuli School may be the key to keeping students safe.

Even at the best of times in Afghanistan, educating girls means striking a precarious balance between hope and tradition.

These girls, their teachers and the school administrators face serious threats and formidable obstacles every day. I think they

have earned the right to be heard. And I am hopeful that while What Tomorrow Brings calls attention to the precariousness

of girls’ education in Afghanistan, it will also spotlight a community that is lighting the way for others.

Beth Murphy

Director/Producer, What Tomorrow Brings

DISCUSSION GUIDE


|4DISCUSSION GUIDE


2 Letter from the Filmmaker

4 Introduction

5 Potential Partners

5 Key Issues

5 Using This Guide

6 Background Information

6 Razia’s Ray of Hope

6 Education in Afghanistan

6 Obstacles to Education for Girls

in Afghanistan

9 Selected People Featured

in What Tomorrow Brings

10 General Discussion Questions

10 Discussion Prompts

12 Taking Action

13 Resources

16 How to Buy the Film

TABLE OF CONTENTS CREDITS

What Tomorrow Brings (60 min.) was filmed in a small, con-

servative Afghan village not far from Kabul. Though the peo-

ple of Deh’Subz had never pledged their allegiance to the

Taliban, they had also never allowed the village’s girls to be

educated. That is, until Razia Jan arrived.

Shot between 2009 and 2015, the film shows a pivotal time

at the Zabuli Education Center, following the stories of stu-

dents, teachers and the school’s tenacious founder, Razia

Jan. While the girls are learning to read and write, we see

that their education goes far beyond the classroom. The

girls’ desire for education is palpable, as they defy the daily

threat of violence and, sometimes, family resistance. The film

is a coming-of-age story in which young girls struggle

against tradition and time and discover that their school is

the one place where they can understand the differences be-

tween the lives they were born into and the lives they dream

of leading.

The story of the Zabuli Education Center, and all those who

bring it to life, unfolds at a time when the political and secu-

rity situation in Afghanistan is rapidly changing. Fifteen years

after the United States wrested control of Afghanistan from

the Taliban, the Taliban is staging a comeback. This is a pre-

carious moment in history, and although no one is certain

what tomorrow brings, we can feel confident that the girls

will be brighter and better-prepared because of the love,

support, protection and education they have found at the

Zabuli school.

INTRODUCTION

Writer

Faith Rogow, PhDInsighters Educational Consulting

Background Research and Reporting

Margaret Brown

Guide Producers and Background Research, POV

Eliza LichtVice President, Content Strategy and Engagement, POV

Aubrey GallegosDirector, Community Engagement and Education, POV

Alice QuinlanCoordinator, Community Engagement and Education, POV

Design:

Rafael Jiménez

Copy Editor:

Natalie Danford

Thanks to those who reviewed this guide:

Beth MurphyDirector/Producer, What Tomorrow Brings

What Tomorrow Brings is well suited for use in a variety

of settings and is especially recommended for use with:

• Your local PBS station

• Groups that have discussed previous PBS and POV

films relating to Islam and women’s or girls’

education, including The Light in Her Eyes (POV

2012), The World Before Her (POV 2013), and

Escuela (POV 2002).

• Groups focused on any of the issues listed in the

Key Issues section

• High school students, youth groups and clubs

• Faith-based organizations and institutions

• Cultural, art and historical organizations,

institutions and museums

• Civic, fraternal and community groups

• Academic departments and student groups at

colleges, universities and high schools

• Community organizations with a mission to

promote education and learning, such as local

libraries.

What Tomorrow Brings is an excellent tool for outreach

and will be of special interest to people looking to ex-

plore the following topics:

• Afghanistan

• early marriage

• education

• feminism

• gender equality

• gender-based violence

• girls’ education

• Islam and women

• Taliban

• teachers

• women’s rights

|5DISCUSSION GUIDE


USING THIS GUIDE

This guide is an invitation to dialogue. It is based on a belief in the power of human connection, designed for people who

want to use What Tomorrow Brings to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues and communities. In contrast to ini-

tiatives that foster debates in which participants try to convince others that they are right, this document envisions con-

versations undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand one another and expand their thinking

by sharing viewpoints and listening actively.

The discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide range of audiences think more deeply about the issues

in the film. Rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that best meet your needs and interests. And

be sure to leave time to consider taking action. Planning next steps can help people leave the room feeling energized and

optimistic, even in instances when conversations have been difficult.

For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit www.pov.org/engage

POTENTIAL PARTNERS KEY ISSUES

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|6DISCUSSION GUIDE


Razia’s Ray of Hope

Razia Jan is the founder of the Zabuli Education Center, the

school featured in What Tomorrow Brings. Razia was born

in Afghanistan in 1940 and left to attend university in the

United States in 1970. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded

Afghanistan, and during the war most of Razia’s family was

either killed or forced to flee Afghanistan. Razia chose to re-

main in the United States, where she became a citizen in

1990 and owned her own tailoring business in Massachu-

setts.

In 2002, Razia visited Afghanistan and saw the degraded

state of women’s rights and access to education in her na-

tive country. In 2005, she began raising funds to build a girls’

school through her newly established nonprofit, Razia’s Ray

of Hope. The Zabuli Education Center opened in 2008 and

currently provides free education to more than 500 girls

each year.

Sources

Razia’s Ray of Hope Foundation. https://raziasrayofhope.org/

Torgan, Allie. “Acid Attacks: What Afghan Girls Risk by Going to

School.” CNN, March 17, 2016.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/02/world/meast/cnnheroes-jan-afghan-

school/

Education in Afghanistan

Education in Afghanistan has been massively disrupted by

four decades of war. In 2001, only one million children in

Afghanistan were in school—representing just 21 percent of

school-aged children at the time—and all of them were boys.

There were no girls in schools in Afghanistan at all in 2001,

due to the ruling Taliban’s laws banning female education.

The percentage of literate adults in 2002 was 12 percent

overall and 5 percent for women. Schools have vastly im-

proved since then. As of 2014, 8.7 million children were en-

rolled in schools, including girls. University attendance is also

on the rise. In 2015, 160,000 students were enrolled in

higher-level education facilities, compared to just 10,000

students in 2002. Today, adult literacy is at 39 percent over-

all and 13 percent for women.

However, Afghanistan still experiences some of the worst

gender disparity in the world with respect to education. Of

the 8.7 million school-aged children in schools, only 36 per-

cent are girls, and only 20 percent of university students

are women. Girls also have much higher dropout

rates than their male classmates, as family expec-

tations, security concerns and lack of adequate resources

force them out of school, generally before they reach the

eighth grade. By comparison, boys are usually expected to

complete high school (though few continue on to attend

university).

Sources

BBC News. “Afghanistan Before and After the Taliban.” Apr. 2, 2014.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26747712

Central Intelligence Agency: The World Factbook. “Afghanistan.”

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-

factbook/geos/af.html

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. “Ministry of Education.”

http://moe.gov.af/en

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“Background Paper: On Attacks Against Girls Seeking to Access

Education.” Feb. 2015.

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/CEDAW/Report_attacks

_on_girls_Feb2015.pdf

Strand, Arne. “Expanding and Improving the Quality of Girls’ Education

in Afghanistan.” Brookings, Aug. 19, 2015.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/education-plus-

development/posts/2015/08/19-girls-education-afghanistan-strand

The World Bank. “Afghanistan: Country Snapshot.” http://sitere-

sources.worldbank.org/SOUTHASIAEXT/Resources/223546-139828513

2254/Afghanistan-Country-Snapshot-Spring-Meetings-2014.pdf

The World Bank. “Afghanistan in Transition: Looking Beyond 2014.”

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/AFGHANISTANEXTN/Images/3059

83-1334954629964/AFTransition2014Vol2.pdf

Obstacles to Education for Girls inAfghanistan

Educating girls would have huge benefits for Afghanistan,

and the government has voiced its commitment to investing

in girls’ education. The more education a girl receives, the

less likely she is to marry early. According to UNICEF, she is

also less likely to die in childbirth, and she is likely to make

more money outside the home and more likely to send her

children to school, thus continuing the cycle of education

and growing prosperity. Unfortunately, there are many ob-

stacles faced by women who want to achieve higher levels

of education.

Early Marriage

In Afghanistan, it is still very common for girls to marry

young, and pressure on girls to become wives and mothers

is a major factor in girls’ high dropout rates. The legal mar-

DISCUSSION GUIDE



|7DISCUSSION GUIDE


rying age for women is 16 years old (compared to 18 years

old for men), but a girl can be married at 15 years of age with

her family’s consent. In 2011, nearly half of all women in

Afghanistan were married before they turned 18. These mar-

riages are encouraged by longstanding traditional and reli-

gious norms, but the motivation behind a marriage

arrangement can also be financial. It is not uncommon for a

daughter or sister to be married off to settle a dispute or

debt.

Lack of Adequate Resources

According to Afghanistan’s ministry of education, more than

5,000 schools in the country are “without usable buildings,

boundary walls, safe drinking water, or sanitation facilities.”

Funding for education—especially anything beyond primary

school—is limited, and therefore improvements cannot be

made to school facilities, textbooks are hard to come by and

it is difficult for some schools to attract good teachers will-

ing to work for extremely low salaries.

In fact, the lack of female teachers is a huge obstacle for girls

looking to attend school, as it is considered improper for a

man to teach female students in close quarters. The ministry

of education reports that less than half of all schools have

qualified female teachers. In their absence, teachers not up

to the country’s educational standards are hired to learn on

the job. A vast majority of qualified teachers (90 percent)

live in urban centers, miles away from rural village schools. In

What Tomorrow Brings, female teachers are shown being

brought to the Zabuli Education Center from Kabul. This is a

common arrangement, but can be challenging for teachers.

Not only does it result in long commutes, but the roads are

not always safe, especially for women. Attacks have been

made in recent years on both female students and teachers

traveling to and from schools. These concerns, in addition to

low salaries, keep many qualified female teachers from work-

ing in the more rural parts of Afghanistan.

Further, girls frequently miss chunks of the school year due

to issues related to basic hygiene, such as menstruation. The

lack of adequate sanitation facilities means that schools are

often unprepared to provide girls the necessary resources

to deal with their periods, and girls must instead stay home.

Security

Security is one of the biggest factors keeping both boys and

girls from going to school in Afghanistan. Hundreds of

schools all over the country are closed and in disuse due

to the U.S. invasion, local insurgencies and targeted

attacks on schools.

Girls, especially, face extreme risk in attending school, as at-

titudes toward their education in Afghanistan can be very

hostile. The Taliban and other local groups have made direct

threats on a number of girls’ schools, and several instances

of men throwing battery acid on female students and poi-

soning school wells have been reported over the years. In

2015, the United Nations verified at least 132 cases of attacks

on schools, most of which were committed by ISIS or Tal-

iban-affiliated groups. Both of these organizations have de-

nounced education for women and enforce strict laws on

women under their control. The rise of ISIS in Afghanistan

and the subsequent instability led to the closure of 68

schools in 2015. Today, 453 schools remain closed across the

country.

Schools that have greater community involvement, however,

are less likely to be attacked. A study conducted by CARE in

2009 found that local community participation in schools

could prevent outside attacks. Schools built and maintained

by international forces are more likely to be attacked. When

there is community investment in education, locals are more

likely to participate in security efforts, make contributions to

funding and negotiate with potential attackers.

Sources

Abdul-Alim, Jamaal. “ISIS ‘Manifesto’ Spells Out Role for Women.” The

Atlantic, March 8, 2015.

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/03/isis-manifesto-

spells-out-role-for-women/387049/

BBC News. “Afghanistan Before and After the Taliban.” Apr. 2, 2014.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26747712

CARE. “Knowledge on Fire: Attacks on Education in Afghanistan.” Sept.

2009.

http://www.care.org/sites/default/files/documents/Knowledge_on_Fir

e_Report.pdf

Central Intelligence Agency: The World Factbook. “Afghanistan.”

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-

factbook/geos/af.html

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. “Ministry of Education.”



“Background Paper on Attacks Against Girls Seeking to Access

Education.” Feb. 2015.

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/CEDAW/Report_attacks

_on_girls_Feb2015.pdf

DISCUSSION GUIDE



|8DISCUSSION GUIDE



“Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against

Women.” Dec. 18, 1979.

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/cedaw.pdf

Rasmussen, Sune Engel. “‘I Just Want to Go to School’: How Afghan

Law Continues to Fail Child Brides.” The Guardian, May 11, 2015.

https://www.theguardian.com/global-

development/2015/may/11/afghanistan-child-brides-want-to-go-to-sch

ool

Strand, Arne. “Expanding and Improving the Quality of Girls’ Education

in Afghanistan.” Brookings, Aug. 19, 2015.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/education-plus-

development/posts/2015/08/19-girls-education-afghanistan-strand

UNICEF. “Girls’ Education and Gender Equality.”

http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_70640.html

United Nations. “Children and Armed Conflict.” Apr. 20, 2016.

http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=s/2016/360&refer

er=/english/&Lang=E

United Nations. “Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against

Women, Its Causes and Consequences.” May 12, 2015.

https://documents-dds-

ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G15/094/90/PDF/G1509490.pdf?OpenEl

ement

The World Bank. “Afghanistan: Country Snapshot.” http://sitere-

sources.worldbank.org/SOUTHASIAEXT/Resources/223546-139828513

2254/Afghanistan-Country-Snapshot-Spring-Meetings-2014.pdf

The World Bank. “Afghanistan in Transition: Looking Beyond 2014.

Volume 2 Main Report.”

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/AFGHANISTANEXTN/Images/3059

83-1334954629964/AFTransition2014Vol2.pdf

DISCUSSION GUIDE


SELECT PEOPLE

|9DISCUSSION GUIDE


DISCUSSION GUIDE


Pashtana – The class clown who attempts—and survives—

suicide

STUDENTS

SCHOOL STAFF

Rihala – The mayor’s daughter, who temporarily drops out

because her family has promised her in marriage, but who

returns to complete her studies

Razia Jan - founder of the Zabuli Education Center Nazima – The teacher who visits Rihala’s home after the girl

stops coming to school; she takes a leave of absence to

undergo fertility treatments abroad

Zia – Headmaster of the Zabuli school

Selected People Featured in What Tomorrow Brings

|10DISCUSSION GUIDE


Education

What did you learn from the film about why girls drop out of

school and what is needed to help keep them there until they

graduate?

Hawa explains, “Because of the security concerns I test the

water on myself. It frightens me because I’ve heard about

the schools where the water was poisoned and students

were harmed. I have to be careful because our school is well

known in Deh’Subz and all over Afghanistan. If the water is

poisoned, I am just one person. But if 400 students are poi-

soned, that’s a big problem.” What do you think Hawa’s stu-

dents learn from her actions?

What is it about the value of education that leads students,

teachers and families to risk attack and even leads Pashtana

to attempt suicide (when she considers the possibility of

being forced out of school)?

At several points in the film, people lament a chronic short-

age of teachers. How might this be addressed?

Nazima laments, “It’s not the teaching that’s tiring. It’s the

long commute.” How far do teachers and students in your

community have to travel to get to school? What’s the effect

of that distance?

One community elder says, “We compare today to the past;

we feel like this is our golden period and we are kings. The

changes are enormous, like the difference between the

earth and the sky. In the past when we got a letter

from the government we had to go door-to-door

to find someone who could read it. Some mullahs could read

it, some mullahs couldn’t. Today, our young daughters can

read in English. This is a proud moment.” Why might some

community leaders see this situation as a threat? What could

be done to convince more leaders to share this elder’s opin-

ion of girls’ education?

Culture and Women’s Status

What do you see as the most significant challenges faced by

the students in the film? How do they compare to the chal-

lenges faced by girls in your community?

Razia recalls, “Growing up in Afghanistan…was beautiful.

Things were very, very different. You didn’t have to wear a

burqa, you didn’t have to cover your head, you could go

freely anywhere. I used to ride a bike when I was young and

Kabul was a city that they called Paris of the Middle East.”

What do you think accounts for the changes? Why are so

many of the changes focused on restricting women and

girls?

Pashtana observes, “The truth is, I’ve never seen my mother

smile.” What have Pashtana and Rihala learned from their

mothers about being women? How about from their fathers

(or other family patriarchs)? Their community? Their teach-

ers?

To convince the mayor to let his daughter, Rihala, return to

school, Nazima says, “The fact of the matter is no one will

blame the children. They blame the family. For example, if

today Rihala doesn’t show up for school, people will think

that there must be something going on at home.” Why might

DISCUSSION GUIDE


Immediately after the film, you may want to give people a

few quiet moments to reflect on what they have seen or

pose a general question (examples below) and give people

some time to themselves to jot down or think about their

answers before opening the discussion:

• What did you learn from this film? What insights did

it provide?

• If a friend asked you what this film was about, what

would you say?

• Describe a moment or scene in the film that you

found particularly disturbing or moving. What was it

about that scene that was especially compelling for

you?

At the end of your discussion, to help people synthesize

what they’ve experienced and move the focus from dia-

logue to action steps, you may want to choose one of

these questions:

• What did you learn from this film that you wish

everyone knew? What would change if everyone

knew it?

• If you could require one person (or one group) to

view this film, who would it be? What do you hope

their main takeaway would be?

• Complete this sentence: I am inspired by this film

(or discussion) to __________.

GENERAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

|11DISCUSSION GUIDE


the teacher think that this particular argument would be ef-

fective?

Violence

What did you learn from the film about what makes girls vul-

nerable to gender-based violence? What helps them resist?

Razia says that Rihala came to school with a broken nose

and broken ribs, the result of having been “beaten up by her

brothers, by her uncle, by her father.” What do you suppose

makes these men think they have the right to assault this

girl? Do similar assaults take place in your community? What

could be done to prevent and stop them?

Pashtana says her fiancé’s father was furious about her sui-

cide attempt: “He asked me, ‘Why did you do this? ... It

would’ve been better if the poison had killed you.’” Even the

school headmaster scolds her. Is their anger justified? What

would you have said to her?

Pashtana says the doctor declined to report her suicide at-

tempt because if he had, she would have been sent to jail.

What happens to women or girls who attempt suicide in

your community? Does the response address the root

causes of suicide among girls and women? What does it say

about the fragility of this environment that one girl’s suicide

attempt could threaten the survival of the whole school?

Razia says, “When I opened the school, the first year, I think,

was very tough. When the country was destroyed, when the

culture was destroyed it is so difficult for people to come

back and trust that, yes, we can make a better life.” How

does violence—or the threat of violence—destroy culture? In

your view, why do justifications for violence that claim it is

necessary to preserve culture persist?

Marriage

Pashtana reports, “My uncle told me I couldn’t go to school.

He said, ‘Now that you’re engaged you can’t go to school

anymore.’” Rihala faces a similar dilemma. Why do you sup-

pose that, for some families, marriage traditions still take

precedence over educating daughters? Why are marriage

and school viewed as mutually exclusive? In your view,

should a government require (and enforce) universal edu-

cation for girls, even if their families object? Why or why not?

Nazima describes two different types of marriage: “love

marriage and arranged marriage.” Why do you think

“love marriage” is favored in Western nations?

Compare and contrast the two types of marriage. What are

the benefits and drawbacks of each?

Nazima applauds Kahlida (Rihala’s mother) for accepting her

husband’s new wife, saying, “I can’t imagine how hard this is

for you...You must be very strong.” Why might Nazima ex-

pect the women to turn on each other? Have you seen in-

stances where women blame or mistreat other women or

girls? What’s different about the women in the film? What

examples do you see of ways that women support one an-

other?

Change Agents

Imagine having a conversation with Razia, Nazima, Pashtana

or Rihala. How would you complete this sentence: “Your

story is important because…” What else would you want to

say to them?

Razia tells the students about a Pakistani teenager, Malala,

who has become an advocate for the education of girls.

What do you think she hopes they’ll learn from Malala’s

story?

Razia says, “I can’t really be sure what tomorrow brings. At

least they are in school this year. which makes me very

proud and happy.” How does Razia’s ability to accept small

victories help her to be a leader?

In the film, a radio report says the following:

According to the United Nations, there have been more than

100 attacks on girls’ education in the past four years. These

attacks include burning the schools, suicide attacks, throw-

ing acid on the face of the girls and contaminating the

school’s drinking water. Today, nearly three million girls are

in school, compared with a half a million five years ago. But

fears are increasing about girls’ schools being targeted be-

cause of the withdrawal of foreign troops and peace talks

with the Taliban.

In your view, what role should the treatment of women and

girls play in U.S. policy decisions about keeping troops in

Afghanistan? Do you support taking military action to pre-

serve the rights of women and girls in other nations?

DISCUSSION GUIDE


Additional media literacy questions are available at:

www.pbs.org/pov/educators/media-literacy.php

Taking Action

• Donate books about girls pursuing education despite opposition to your local library or school. A

list of suggested titles is available at: https://raziasrayofhope.org/teachers-reading-list.html

• Sponsor a girls’ school in a developing nation, or provide scholarships for girls in need. For

information on sponsoring a girl at the Zabuli Education Center through the Razia’s Ray of Hope

Foundation, visit https://raziasrayofhope.org/sponsor-a-girl.html.

• Revisit the poem shared by one of the students at the beginning of the film:

I want my ruined and dusty land to be rid of all its enemies.

I want to use education and art to rebuild my country

and to create peace and unity.

Young people choose peace while waiting for the oppression to end.

When will we be free from cruelty and war?

When will we be free to rebuild our homeland?

To find happiness in the fresh air and blossoming flowers

when everything that has died will live again.

• Invite girls in your community to write and share their own poems describing their dreams for the

future of the country and for their own futures.

• Meet with federal legislators to share your views on what the United States should do to protect

or promote girls’ access to education in other nations.

• Screen the film, or clips from the film, for your local schools and/or afterschool programs, and

brainstorm with students about ways they can get involved. For curriculum and activities,

download the POV lesson plan (http://www.pbs.org/pov/whattomorrowbrings) and the HotDocs

Educational Resource (http://assets.hotdocs.ca/doc/HD16_DFS_EDPKG_WHATTOMORROW-

BRINGS_FA.pdf)

• Explore online social media campaigns like #LetGirlsLearn and #SheWill that are working to raise

awareness about girls’ education and empowerment. Join the conversation or start your own

campaign.

• For additional ways to get involved, visit http://www.whattomorrowbringsfilm.com/take-action/.

|12DISCUSSION GUIDE


DISCUSSION GUIDE


Educating Girls

GIRLS NOT BRIDES

www.girlsnotbrides.org

The website of this global partnership to end child

marriage offers stories, facts and action items.

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION

www.globalpartnership.org/education

The Global Partnership for Education makes the case for

the right of every child to receive an education; for

resources related specifically to girls’ education, see:

www.globalpartnership.org/focus-areas/girls-education.

LET GIRLS LEARN

https://letgirlslearn.gov/

Let Girls Learn is a United States government initiative

designed to ensure that adolescent girls get the education

they deserve.

UNITED NATIONS GIRLS’ EDUCATION INITIATIVE

(UNGEI)

http://www.ungei.org/

UNGEI strives to promote girls’ education and gender

equality through policy advocacy and support to

governments and other development actors to deliver on

gender- and education-related sustainable development

goals.

USAID

https://www.usaid.gov/education

USAID is a U.S. government agency that works to end

extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic

societies to realize their potential. Its education programs

work to reduce barriers to education for children around

the world.

WOMEN’S GLOBAL EDUCATION PROJECT

http://womensglobal.org/learn-more/

This organization offers a summary of the benefits of

educating girls on its website.

RESOURCES

|13DISCUSSION GUIDE


Original Online Content on POV To further enhance the broadcast, POV has produced an interactive website to enable viewers to explore the film in

greater depth. The What Tomorrow Brings website—ww.pbs.org/pov/whattomorrowbrings—offers a streaming video

trailer for the film; an interview with the filmmaker; a list of related websites, articles and books; a downloadable

discussion guide; a lesson plan with streaming clips; and special features.

FILM-RELATED WEB SITES

WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS

http://www.whattomorrowbringsfilm.com

The film’s official website offers information about the film

and ways you can get involved.

PRINCIPLE PICTURES

http://principlepictures.com/what-tomorrow-brings

The production company website provides information on

the film and notes from the journal the filmmaker kept

while in Afghanistan.

RAZIA’S RAY OF HOPE FOUNDATION

https://raziasrayofhope.org

The website for Razia Jan’s foundation offers information

on the Zabuli Education Center and ways to support the

effort to educate Afghanistan’s girls.

Islam and Women’s Rights

MASLAHA

www.islamandfeminism.org

The website for this organization based in the UK includes

a good list of links to articles and related organizations.

MUSAWAH

www.musawah.org

The website of this advocacy organization founded by

Muslim women provides examples of how to make the

case that the Koran supports equality for women, girls’

education and more.

SISTERS IN ISLAM

www.sistersinislam.org.my

Sisters in Islam is a Malaysian activist organization fighting

for women’s equality within Islam. The website includes

summaries of debates over issues such as the hijab and

age of marriage.

Global Status of Women and Girls

AWID

www.awid.org

This global feminist membership organization tracks

progress on improvements in the lives of women and girls

and publishes reports on methods for protecting activists

and efforts to reduce gender-based violence.

GIRL UP

https://girlup.org/

The United Nations Foundation’s adolescent girl

campaign, Girl Up engages girls to take action.

GLOBAL CITIZEN

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/issue/women-girls/

Global Citizen is a social action platform, and its page on

girls and women addresses issues in that area.

UNICEF

www.childinfo.org/marriage.html

UNICEF monitors the situation of children and women and

provides data and statistics on child marriage.

UNITED NATIONS: WOMEN

www.un.org/en/globalissues/women

This is a one-stop site for United Nations programs and

resources on women and girls, including the Beijing

Platform and the Convention on the Elimination of All

Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM:

“THE GLOBAL GENDER GAP REPORT 2014”

http://reports.weforum.org/global-gender-gap-report-2014/

This 2014 report examines gender parity across the globe

in the realms of health, education, economics and politics.

Afghanistan

THE CONSTITUTION OF AFGHANISTAN

http://www.afghanembassy.com.pl/afg/images/pliki/TheConstitution.pdf

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Justice posts the current version

of the country’s constitution, as well as previous versions.

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY:

THE WORLD FACTBOOK: AFGHANISTAN

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html

This overview of Afghanistan is provided by the U.S.

government.

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN:

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION


The Afghanistan ministry provides summaries of relevant

laws and strategic plans, including some regarding the

education of girls.

RESOURCES

|14DISCUSSION GUIDE


OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE

SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR CHILDREN AND ARMED

CONFLICT: “AFGHANISTAN”

https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/countries-caac/afghanistan/

This is a 2016 report on violence and conflict in

Afghanistan in 2015.

OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH

COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS:

“BACKGROUND PAPER ON ATTACKS AGAINST GIRLS

SEEKING TO ACCESS EDUCATION.”

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/CEDAW/Report_attacks_on_girls_Feb2015.pdf

This 2015 paper covers obstacles to girls’ education.

UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN

AFGHANISTAN (UNAMA): “EDUCATION AND

HEALTHCARE AT RISK: KEY TRENDS AND INCIDENTS

AFFECTING CHILDREN’S ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE

AND EDUCATION IN AFGHANISTAN.”

https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/education_and_healthcare_at_risk.pdf

This 2016 report from the UNAMA offers detailed facts,

figures and information about how violence, threats and

intimidation directly affected access to health and

education in Afghanistan.

RESOURCES

|15DISCUSSION GUIDE


HOW TO BUY THE FILM

For information on how to purchase What Tomorrow Brings, visit http://principlepictures.com/what-tomorrow-brings/.

The See it On PBS logo is a trademark of the Public Broadcasting Service and is used with permission. All rights reserved.

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