In a few days, The Star will host its annual Women’s Day event at Altitude Beach at Fourways, bringing together women from all walks of life to honour women's incalculable contributions to society and discuss a range of issues related to the difficulties they encounter on a daily basis.
Tebello Motshwane, attorney and founder of Sister in Law, is poised to offer valuable insights on the significance of women understanding their legal rights and the ways in which the law impacts or applies to them.
Motshwane discusses her interest in participating in an event, emphasising her work on empowering women, particularly in using the law for their benefit and access to justice.
According to her, when women get together and discuss concerns that they are facing in their everyday lives, it provides a safe space for them to express their feelings and reassures them that they are not alone.
“The work that I do focusses heavily on empowering women, with a specific focus on how women can use the law to serve them and how they can gain access to justice. An event like The Choice is Yours aligns perfectly with my target audience, which consists of women from all walks of life.
“I agreed to be a part of this event because we can never understate the importance of women knowing their rights and how the law applies to or affects them. The event therefore makes for a great platform to impart knowledge and educate women.”
Asked what it means to be part of this event, she said: “It gives me great joy knowing that I can equip a generation (and generations to come) of women with the legal information they need to improve their lives, their families lives, and the communities in which they live.
“My philosophy is each one teach one, so I generally encourage women to not gate-keep the information they learn from these kinds of events but to rather teach their loved ones and, in effect, give women who were not able to attend the event access to empowering information. I love celebrating women because I know the important role that women play, especially in the various family dynamics we live in.”
Motshwane further highlighted her commitment to providing women with the legal tools — wills, estate planning, and marriage contracts, among others — that will enable them to leave a legacy and create wealth.
For those attending the event, she said they should anticipate interesting stories and legal insights: “The ladies who are attending can anticipate hearing the scary but true stories that unfold when women are not empowered on legal insights, and I will of course be sharing easy-to-remember solutions on how women can guard themselves and their families against unforeseen life events.”
When asked what Women’s Day means to her, she explained that it serves as a reminder to honour the women who gave their lives so that women could have the advantages that they have.
“I am deeply grateful for a day as meaningful and impactful as Women’s Day; for me, it is a great reminder to commemorate and celebrate the women who laid their lives on the line for us to enjoy the privileges that we enjoy today. In the legal profession, women have only been practicing for 100 years, and just about 60 years for black women specifically.
“This month is a reminder that we still have a long way to go in terms of cementing women’s agenda and role in society, but we can celebrate knowing that we have made great strides in making our voices heard. I am passionate about mentorship as well, so August always serves as a reminder of my intention to equip the next generation of female legal practitioners with the skills they need to thrive.”
She further encourages women to participate in an empowering session featuring industry experts, providing a fun and enjoyable platform to network, eat, dance, and celebrate women’s joy.
The event is set to happen on August 17, with Unathi Nkayi at the helm as host while esteemed guests such as Radio 2000’s DJ Nkosh, Spicey Luscious, Enhle the Medium, and Dr Brian Monaisa, among others, grace the stage, tackling varied subjects.
The Star
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