Juggling Truths

Unity Dow is Botswana's first and only female High Court judge, and has a long record as a human-rights lawyer. She was the plaintiff in a ground-breaking legal case in which Botswana's nationality law was overturned and that led to passage of legislation through which women were enabled to pass on their nationality to their children. She has also written about the link between the Convention on the Rights of the Child and children's legal status in Botswana. She lives with her family in Lobatse, Botswana. Unity Dow was the first woman to be appointed high court judge in Botswana. She is the recipient of the 2003 William J. Brennan, Jr., Human Rights Award from Rutgers Law School. She is the author of Far and Beyon' and The Screaming of the Innocent. After holding several ministry positions in the Botswana government, since 2019 Unity Dow has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.