UN women report: Access to justice in Botswana

To celebrate the launch of a UN report on women to justice, an advocate of excellence in Botswana by the woman, how they came to court to force a change in a discriminatory citizenship law

Unity Dow is a lawyer with a reputation for his positions on women's rights. In 1995, the government challenged the Citizenship Act of 1982, when women married to foreigners could not transmit their nationality to their children, while men married to foreigners could. Tradition and the case law provides that the nationality of his father down. This case is one of the highlights in the report of UN Women in justice Wednesday.

address this discrimination, Dow began to speak to organizations working on gender issues. Some thought that the best approach is the defense, but ultimately felt the best way was to "deal" in court. She had not counted how many are needed - which took five years from the filing of the case results

"On a personal level, it was hard. It was not just my case, my problem, but the focus was on me. At that time I was young and I ' I thought that everything was possible, but he was there a real cost, both financially and emotionally. I always say that was first to drive a BMW and the end of the case, I was in a pick-up. I had to take my kids to private school and placed in public school. "

despite the costs, Dow developed professionally from the experience, a focus on the business case for human rights and labor. "It was a mixture, but that made me who I am."

Even today, young people come to Dow, which owe their citizenship to her, and thank you to parents. Persistence of the Dow forced over public and private debates on the position of women in the law of Botswana. "We must talk about the problems before he can solve - sometimes you have to name them," said

from the case of the Dow, several reforms have been building towards a more equal rights for women in Botswana - progress in cases of rape and property, for example. However, the challenge of implementation remains. Child support is a major problem. The fact that women are entitled to assistance, this does not mean you get money. The prevailing attitude may be that women should take care of children.

Although domestic violence laws can be put in place, but effective access to justice remains elusive. Questions of Dow since the courts are sympathetic and appropriate resources. "What about the language they use, including the forms? Still a long way to go in that direction."

if Dow had an impact far beyond Botswana. Zimbabwe's courts used for the granting of equal rights for women who have children with non-citizens. Dow laughed as she recognizes her heritage evident. "I doubt you can go to law school in any part of the Community and not to study the case of Dow."

• is not only in handling the case that the travel professional Dow was in the news. He was one of the first year of Botswana the right of girls and the first woman judge of the Superior Court, but states modestly: "As they were so few of us, it was difficult not to be the first of eight of us ... in law school I was the only woman If you have something that would be the first "Instead, he suggests:" When a woman is first in something, we should look to see if there is something wrong This is not the system should be the picture in 2011 .. "

She admits that it seemed strange to be appointed a judge of the Superior Court to 38. "To enter a space with its own traditions and customs based on age and sex when I was an intruder at both levels. How things are done, your needs as a woman ... do you ask I am too irrational here? But it's the only way of doing things is that? "