Born on July 12, 1997, to a strict household that wouldn’t allow its girls absolute education, Malala lives in Mingora, Pakistan’s Swat Valley. She produced a documentary about the struggle of women in Afghanistan. Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani activist who has been recognized globally for her unrelenting efforts to support girls’ education and rights, which have recently been denied in certain areas. Fortunately, her father groomed her in a progressive environment.
Her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, is an activist who supports education and tutors girls. Inspired by her father’s profession, Malala started advocating for the right to girls’ education from a very young age. Now, Malala is a global icon who travels the world to speak with world leaders, influence legislation, and raise the voices of young girls. Let’s get into the details of the documentary about the struggles of Afghan women, Bread and Roses.
Afghan Women’s Struggle
Afghan women have endured a prolonged period of hardship. These processes are intricately related to the country’s complex sociopolitical landscape. Malala shed light on their struggles through this documentary. Afghan women have battled throughout decades to attain very basic rights, education, healthcare, and also political engagement despite deathly oppression, brutality, and discrimination. During Soviet occupation in the 1980s, Afghan women gained some rights, like access to school and employment outside their homes.
Women under Taliban rule experienced some of the strictest conditions globally; she was not allowed to work, go to school, or venture out of their houses without a male. These situations are discussed in the documentary. In public, women had to wear the burqa, a full-body covering; those who defied these restrictions were frequently subjected to harsh punishment. Conditions began to improve slightly with the US invasion in 2001, which ousted the Taliban.
About The Documentary
The documentary mainly draws on footage shot on women’s smartphones that depicts what happens when the Taliban denies them the right to work. The right to move publicly without a male chaperone or get an education was forbidden. Back in 2001, American-backed forces overthrew the Taliban.
The Taliban had provided Osama bin Laden, the founder and architect of the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks, shelter. Almost two decades later, after Taliban insurgents had overrun much of the country. The group entered into a peace accord with the United States during Donald Trump’s first term as president, which involved all soldiers leaving Afghanistan by May 2021.
“Bread & Roses”
Bread and Roses” is a powerful emotional documentary on the difficulties of two Afghan women, Zarghuna and Meena, heroically fighting for their rights under Taliban rule. The film by Oscar-winning filmmaker Ken Loach vividly portrays the cruelty these women suffer. Through the story of “Bread and Roses,” the broader battle for the emancipation of Afghan women receives some hope. The documentary is meant not only to show women’s sacrifices but also to serve as a reminder of the global fight for gender equality and social justice.
The documentary further focuses on the risks involved in this kind of resistance. It best gives you a glimpse of how these girls are treated for going out for a non-violent demonstration to demand their proper work and education,” stated Malala. Through her foundation, The Malala Fund, she has spent years pushing for women’s education. She called upon world leaders to declare gender discrimination a crime against humanity under international criminal law.
Final Thoughts
Lastly, in the compelling documentary “Bread and Roses,” Malala Yousafzai and actress Jennifer Lawrence underline Afghan women’s struggle for freedom. Afghan women’s courage and enthusiasm do not melt with hardships. Malala Yousafzai’s powerful narration points out their strength, unyielding will, and the significance of international unity in their fight for liberty and equality. The experiences of Afghan women are an eye-opener to the fact that the struggle for justice and human rights is a global issue that requires attention and action. This documentary not only sheds light on their difficulties but inspires people to support the Afghan women fighting for a better, more just future.
