Speak out for change: MILEAD Award winner

As a fourth year law student at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare, Pasipanodya believes women are marginalised all over the world but does not see giving up as an option.

The Fellows, selected from over 2,120 applications from 44 countries, are Africa’s most promising young women leaders with the courage and commitment to lead and shape the future of the continent.

The women were chosen after exhibiting their community service accomplishments and commitment to the advancement of women in Africa.

Established in 2004 in Ghana as Women’s Initiative for Empowerment and Leadership Development, the MILEAD initiative has grown to become a pan- African leadership development programme nurturing young women and girls for transformational leadership skills. Pasipanodya, who won several awards at both local and international level for her expertise as a public speaker, attributes her success to resilience and determination brought by her difficult childhood.

“I always questioned why certain injustices happened to women and particularly my mother,” she said.

The legal battle her mother went through trying to defend the family’s property against acquisition by her late father’s relatives is still engraved in her mind. She narrated how the ‘war for property’ resulted in her family being alienated by her fathers’ relatives.

“We grew up without them in our lives because my mother won the case and was granted custody of everything and they cut us off,” she said. “I watched my mother refuse to marry my father’s brother in order to maintain the family’s property.”

She told The Zimbabwean that her disadvantaged childhood motivated her to bring change, not for herself, but for others in much more difficult circumstances that hers.

“Going to one of the best schools in Masvingo, Kyle College, for my advanced level and struggling to make ends meet only made me stronger and more determined to work for the betterment of others,” said Pasipanodya.

She said her ability to communicate effectively earned her the nickname of one of Zimbabwe’s well known journalists, Reuben Barwe.

“This is why I managed to moot at UZ in my first year despite being told that this was a reserve for fourth year law students and come out tops. I do not believe in defeat. If at first you do not succeed, you dust yourself off and try again.”

The law student, who is passionate about service and giving back to society, served as the Gender Officer for the Law Students Association from 2011- 2012 and is the outgoing Vice President of the association.

Pasipanodya holds several awards, including the 2011 Spirit of Stetson Law International moot court award won in Maryland, United States of America and the 2013 best speaker for the same competition held in Florida.

She was also awarded best speaker in a moot court competition on international humanitarian law organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross last year in Arusha, Tanzania after beating 36 students from nine African countries.

A mentor for law students in the moot court, Pasipanodya said the onus was on young women and girls to redefine their role in society.

“Being selected for this role means that I am better positioned to amplify my voice. I hope to create more space for women and girls in the country to ensure that they are able to speak about their issues and come up with befitting interventions,” she said.

She highlighted the importance of creating platforms that promote the confidence of women and girls to change their circumstances while offering counselling services and ensure that women and girls give each other advice.