What Tomorrow Brings

Synopsis

In addition to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), several multilateral UN treaties, such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1966) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), include articles that call for the protection of children’s basic right to education, which is essential to the development of young people’s literacy levels as well as their self-confidence and self-expression. Director Beth Murphy’s What Tomorrow Brings illustrates the important role that education plays in strengthening respect for the fundamental freedoms outlined in the above documents. Specifically, this heartwarming documentary, set in a remote Afghan village, follows a group of eager young students who attend the first all-girls school in that region, where — just a few years ago, during the Taliban’s control of the country and under strict enforcement of Sharia Law — women were largely confined to their homes and prevented from pursuing careers requiring a degree. The quality of life for pre-teen and teenage girls appears to be improving, however, thanks to the heroic efforts of the school’s founder, Razia Jan, as well as the progressive female instructors whose inspirational impact on their students goes well beyond the classroom.

– By David Scott Diffrient