Where are you drawing your inspiration from right now? I had the great privilige to sit between two inspiring women today at lunch – Imelda Roche AO was on one side and my friend Michelle Hartman of Deloitte was on the other. Michelle inspires me because she’s a person who’s not afraid to take on a challenge, which is surely what it was to secure Imelda Roche as guest speaker at the client lunch she organized today! Imelda Roche is pure inspiration – her personal story of creating the Nutri-Metics empire from an initial investment of $6,000 was nothing short of breathtaking. Needless to say I’m thinking big today… and if you’re looking for some inspiration of your own, how about this for a story…
Justice Unity Dow is a human rights activist, lawyer and writer from Botswana. In 1998 she was the first female justice appointed to the High court of Botswana after a distinguished legal career in which she advocated for the rights of women and indigenous groups.
Most noteworthy was her advocacy in High Court case The Attorney General v Unity Dow (“The Citizenship Case”) in which she successfully challenged the constitutionality of the Citizenship Act that refused to recognise her children as Botswana citizens because her husband was a foreigner. The effect of this landmark case was to extend constitutional protections against discrimination against women, and enable land rights and property to pass down through the maternal line. Unity’s advocacy was also responsible for Botswana courts recognizing the defence of battered women syndrome in criminal cases concerning domestic violence victims, and requiring fathers to uphold child support for non-marital children.
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What will your legacy be? How will you make your mark on the world?
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In addition to this eminent legal career, Unity has authored five books dealing with problems endemic in Africa including aids, poverty, women’s rights and the tension between Western and traditional values. Her service to minority groups was recognised by French President Nicolas Sarkozy when she was awarded the French Medal of the Legion d’Honneur de France in July 2010.
Unity Dow will be sharing her personal story at the UN Women International Women’s Day breakfast celebration in Sydney on 4th March (from 7am-9am). sphinxx has secured a corporate table at this event – the pre-eminent IWD event – and has 8 seats available to sphinxx readers. Tickets are $135 each and if you would like to come along, be inspired and connect with other motivated women in business – then contact me ASAP to reserve your place.
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