Unity Dow
Visiting Professor of Law (Fall 2009)
Assistant Info
Courses/Current Research - Criminal Law
- Human Rights
Education- University of Botswana and Swaziland
- Two years at the Edinburgh University, LLB
Media Contact:
Public Affairs, (212) 854-2650
Detailed Biography:
Unity Dow served as a justice in the High Court of Botswana, where she heard civil and criminal appeals from magistrate, customary courts and sat as a court of first instance (trial) on capital and constitutional cases.
She retired in April 2009.
Dow is also a human rights activist, co-founding various organizations for HIV/AIDS awareness women’s rights, such as Aids Action Trust and Metlhaetsile Women’s Information Centre.
Criminal Law Experience:
• Two years of experience as a criminal prosecutor. [1983 – 1986]
• Five years of experience as a criminal defense counsel. [1986 – 1991]
• Ten years of experience as a judge of the High Court as criminal trial work and criminal appeal work as part of the job content.
Human Rights Experience:
• Seventeen years of experience working in collaboration with international human rights organizations (for varying periods). Among these are: The Urban Morgan Institute of Human Rights, International Association of Women Judges, International Women’s Rights Action Watch, Amnesty International, UNICEF and Africa Legal Aid.
• Seventeen years experience in women human rights activism, including on issues of HIV/AIDS.
• Member of UN mission to Sierra Leone; purpose to review domestic application of international women’s human rights norms in Sierra Leone 2005
• Member of Special mission at the invitation of the Rwandan Government and UN special court for Rwanda; purpose review of the Rwandan Judiciaries preparedness to take over the hearing of the 1994 genocide cases, 2007
Publications:
- The Citizenship Case: The Attorney General of the Republic of Botswana vs. Unity Dow; 1994 Lentswe La Lesedi, Botswana
- Far and Beyon’: 2001, Spinifex Press, Melbourne, Australia, Longman, Gaborone, Botswana and Aunt Lute, San Francisco, USA.
- The Screaming of the Innocent: 2002, Spinifex Press, Melbourne, Australia, 2003 Double Storey, South Africa
- Juggling Truths: Spinifex Press, July 2003
- The Heavens May Fall: Double Storey, South Africa and Spinifex Australia, December 2006
