1 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to Stephane. 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: Never told your protection of I Heart Radio. Welcome everyone 3 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:25,319 Speaker 1: to today. He's addition of women around the world. I 4 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: don't know, because it's gonna change every time. You know 5 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: it is because I'm not gonna remember what I said before. 6 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: But I'm sure you know there's no way to go back, 7 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: and I will never I will never go back. Only four. 8 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,559 Speaker 1: But today we are talking about the first woman to 9 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: be appointed judge to the High Court of Botswana, Unity Dow. 10 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: Unity Dow is no changer to paving the way for 11 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: many women in Southern Africa. She is known as the 12 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: humans rights and women's right activists and has been a 13 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: prominent politician in Botswana for many years. Unity I was 14 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: born in a small village near Gabra run A, Botswana, 15 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: on April ninety nine. Though her parents were not highly educated, 16 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: her father was a very big proponent and furthering the 17 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: children's education and encouraging his children to do the same 18 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: right as In fact, he and another teacher were a 19 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: big influence on her continuing her education in schooling and 20 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 1: she went on to study law at the University of 21 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: Botswana and Swaziland, becoming the only woman studying law at 22 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,399 Speaker 1: that time, and then went on to the University of 23 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: Edinburgh in Scotland to continue her education and after obtaining 24 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 1: her law degree, she worked as a lawyer at a 25 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 1: human rights organization in her home village at Machudi. In 26 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,279 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety one, she helped open a private primary school, 27 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: Bayo Bob School in Gabarone, and that school is still 28 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: currently operating. She then continued on working as a colonel 29 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: prosecutor defense attorney, but she soon embarked on another case 30 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: in which she was the plaintiff herself. She had married 31 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: an American citizen, Peter Dow, and found that under the 32 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: citizenship law, her children are not considered citizens of Botswana 33 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: due to their father's lineage, because under the law any 34 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: child could not be sidered a citizen unless their father 35 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: was a citizen, and this included children who were born 36 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: quote out of wedlock. She went through a five year 37 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: legal journey to change this not only for herself but 38 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: for all the women in Botswana. She stated during her 39 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: trial quote, Suddenly I was being unpatriotic by bringing this case. 40 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: I was being uncultural. I was influenced by my foreign training. 41 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: I was not behaving like a normal nice wife. She 42 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: talked about how she often would just cry over this 43 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: journey trying to make this change because she just could 44 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: not understand how the system would go after women in 45 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: such a way when they are the matriarch and should 46 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: be able to have their children to be a part 47 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 1: of this citizenship and lineage as well. It was we 48 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: were actually a really interesting case um and she was 49 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: able to win the case, changing the law and breaking 50 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: down the patriarchal system in which laws were formed and 51 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: how to bring equal rights for the Massawana women as 52 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: well as the men. And she talked about how not 53 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: only was this law changed, but they actually hired her 54 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: and many other people to research the level of misogyny 55 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: in their laws and in their constitution and whether it 56 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: was unconstitutional or not. So it was really really interesting 57 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: to see the effect she had. But she also was 58 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,519 Speaker 1: an advocate for bringing awareness of the A'S and HIV 59 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: epidemic in Southern Africa, and she created the A's Action 60 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: Trust and with Max XX, wrote the book called Saturday 61 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: Is for Funerals, which details the two stories and trauma 62 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 1: of different families affected by the disease and then also 63 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: how the community leaders, scientists, educators and medical professionals responded 64 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: to help stop the epidemic. And by the way. She 65 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: is a novelist with many books under her belt, most 66 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: of which speaking to the issues of ginger quality or inequality, 67 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: and issues and poverty within her country. She also started 68 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: the Women in Law in Southern Africa w l s A, 69 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: which is now spread through seven countries Botswana, Lusu, to Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, 70 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: Zambia and Zimbabwe. The w l s A is a 71 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: non governmental organization that conducts research for women's human rights. 72 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: As they say they quote aimed to help build a 73 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: world with fear asymmetries, where no one is excluded on 74 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: the grounds of sex, race, ethnicity or region, and where 75 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: each individual can enjoy her his rights as a citizen 76 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 1: and as a High Court justice now has been instrumental 77 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: in fighting for the rights of the citizens. She is 78 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: well known for her ruling in one of the longest 79 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: and one of the most expensive cases in Botswana, the 80 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: roy Sasana and others versus the Government of Botswana or 81 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: the Central Collegoty Gang Reserve or c kg R, which 82 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: led to the sand Or Bostwara people to be able 83 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: to return to their ancestral lands after the government had 84 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: sought to forcibly removed them. She stated the case was 85 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 1: quote ultimately about people demanding dignity and respect. It is 86 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: a people saying, in essence, our way of life may 87 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: be different, but it is worthy of respect. We may 88 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: be changing and getting closer to your way of life, 89 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: but give us a chance to decide what we want 90 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: to carry with us into the future, which I thought 91 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 1: was a really powerful statement. And in regards to what 92 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: helps her make her ruling, she stated, quote, it all 93 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: comes to hard facts before the court, is a law 94 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: that applies at the end of it all, it is 95 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: the facts properly brought before me that count. And as 96 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 1: a friend always says you're a slave to the Constitution, 97 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: you are no slave demand. She served as the High 98 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: Court judge for eleven years, moving on to starting her 99 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: first firm giving opportunities for women practicing law. DW. Malakayla Attorneys, 100 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,919 Speaker 1: Sorry if I mispronounced that. She also worked with the 101 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 1: lgbt Q organization l E G A b I b 102 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: O during this time to be able to register as 103 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: an organization which would allow for it to be granted funds, 104 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: which at one point was seen as unconstitutional, but Dow 105 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: worked to sue the government gaining grounds for lgbt Q 106 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,719 Speaker 1: plus rights. So in fourteen that was nominated as a 107 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: special Elected Member of Parliament or they're also called simple 108 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: as e MP and confirmed and appointed as Assistant Minister 109 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: of Education. Then was appointed by President Comma as Minister 110 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: of Education and Skills Development. In twenty eighteen, under a 111 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: new administration, she was appointed as Minister of infrastruct Sure 112 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: in Housing Development or later known as Minister of Internal 113 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: Affairs and Cooperation, and reconfirmed in twenty nineteen. However, in 114 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 1: twenty twenty she has since announced her retirement. But it 115 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: is clear she has had a long lasting impact in 116 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,679 Speaker 1: our country where she still resides, receiving awards like Legion 117 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 1: of Honor William Brennan, Human Rights Award from Rutgers and 118 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: the Vanguard Women Leadership Award. It's obvious she has left 119 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: her mark as an advocate and a fighter and is 120 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: known as a nonconformist who has opened up a pathway 121 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,119 Speaker 1: for women to continue to fight for justice and equality. Yeah, 122 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: she was so fascinating for me to read about and 123 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: just about how many things that she was able to 124 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: do and pushed through and the forces is not her 125 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: only cases that she did, but these are some of 126 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,719 Speaker 1: the bigger ones that really helped her stand out. And 127 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 1: even her own case leading the way to have them 128 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: revamp their laws and talk about what is sexist and 129 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: what is misogynistic has been a big part, especially with 130 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,359 Speaker 1: her putting her own mental health on the line and 131 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 1: trying to get this done for her children and how 132 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,039 Speaker 1: important it is to have our children be proud of 133 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,919 Speaker 1: being citizens of Botswana as well as the U. So 134 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 1: it's really beautiful to see and it's amazing how hard 135 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: she fought to get to this point. Yeah, and that's 136 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: a theme we've seen in a lot of episodes around 137 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: female First or that we're going to continue to see 138 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: as we do this series of Women around the World 139 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 1: is women who do put so much of themselves on 140 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: the line to help create a better future, the future 141 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: they want for younger generations that they want to see. 142 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: And it's really inspiring and I'm glad we're getting to 143 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: spotlight it in this series. I'm glad we're getting to 144 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: talk about women who perhaps you had not heard of listeners, 145 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: and I'm always a big proponent, you know me. I'm 146 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: a language nerd, so I love the idea of like 147 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 1: going through the Constitution and finding out like all the 148 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: misogynistic language, right, I love it. So that brings us 149 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: to the end of this installment of women around the world. 150 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: If there are women that we should spotlight, that you 151 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: want to suggest to us, uh, please do. Our email 152 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: is Stuff Media mom Stuff at iHeart meia dot com. 153 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: You can find us on Instagram at stuff I've Never 154 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: Told You, are on Twitter app mom Stuff Podcast. Thanks 155 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: as always to our super producer Christina, Thank you and 156 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: thanks to you for listening Stuff I Never Told You 157 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: the prediction to I Heart Radio for more podcast for 158 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 1: my Heart Radio. It is a iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, 159 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.