Girls and women across the world gained a rights advocate when Zozibini Tunzi — formerly Miss South Africa — was crowned Miss Universe in November 2019.
When asked during a Q&A session of the pageant what the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is, Tunzi replied: “I think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership.”
Her answer even prompted a response from Oprah Winfrey herself, who tweeted her congratulations to Tunzi and said she agreed with her about leadership.
Raising girls to become leaders will help them advocate for gender equality, says the United Nations’ Girl Up, while leadership skills equip girls with the confidence to have autonomy over their lives.
Tunzi added: “[Leadership] is something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time, not because we don’t want to, but because of what society has labelled women to be.”
Girls and women face extraordinary challenges globally, including the fact that 12 million girls are forced into child marriage annually; while one in five girls and women aged between 15 and 49 experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
This week SAT Interviews hosted by The Soutuern African Times CEO Farai Muvuti sits down with Zozi to unpack her journey so far.
Further, Zozi speaks about her acting debut in Amercian star studded historical film, The Woman King. Tunzi speaks of the honour she felt joining fellow South African actresses, Thuso Mbedu and Makgotso Monyemorathoe.
SAT Interviews is The Southern African Times debut visual based programme in partnership with Nyaradzo Grothat aims to chronicle the many stories of African success. We speak to policy makers, entrepreneurs, artists and start up businesses. The vision is simple, to tell a proud African story that illustrates that our continent is well nuanced.
