It’s been proven that gender equality lifts all of us up. According to the UN, “gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous world”. Our Gender Equality Op-Ed Competition, in collaboration with Malala Fund, gives young writers from across the globe the chance to write an opinion piece about a gender issue that has impacted them, their wider community or their country.
Vee Kativhu, Guest Judge for the competition, celebrates the importance of writing about social issues. “The more that we write, speak and share, the more that others can get involved with our projects”, she says. “By writing about the things we are seeing, experiencing or campaigning for, we are giving exposure to the issues at hand and raising awareness!”
Read our interview with Vee Kativhu to find out more about her work, her writing process, and her advice for producing a powerful and nuanced opinion piece.
Your debut book, Empowered: Live your life with Passion and Purpose, is already out in the UK, and is about to be published in the US. Congrats! Can you tell us what you hope readers—especially those under 20—will take away from your pages?
I really hope that readers will see themselves within this book and see a part of their story represented. I want readers to close the final page of my book and no longer feel alone and, instead, feel equipped to tackle the world with some new empowerment skills. The book was created for the many not the few, and I hope it showcases the complexities of identity, social issues and the intangible things like imposter syndrome, the fear of failure and more.
You’re an education activist, LinkedIn Changemaker, TEDx speaker, YouTuber, volunteer… the list goes on! Amidst such a busy life as a 24-year-old, how did you decide to write a book? Where did your dedication come from?
I decided to write a book after speaking to many students and hearing their worries. I knew that a 15-minute YouTube video could not do justice to the experiences I wanted to share, and therefore I began writing the book. I wrote it alongside my Harvard degree as the book kept me grounded and focused, especially with the strict covid laws that were in effect at the time. My dedication came from wanting to serve my audience. I knew that I owed them more of my story and I pride myself in being as transparent as the platforms I’m on allow. In the book I touch on many sensitive topics in my life because I wanted to show the reader that I’m sitting in the vulnerability with them.
Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? What idea did you start with? Did it change over time? Where was your favorite place to write? Did words flow at a particular time of day?
My writing process was surprisingly a lot more smooth and straightforward than I had expected! I was writing in a chronological order; thus the hardest part was remembering which part of my life happened when. I found the dates and timestamps to be the most difficult to align. Outside of that, the process was fun as I got to bounce ideas off my friends, family and colleagues. It was nice to include ideas of people I’ve looked up to for so long. My favourite place to write was at the dining table as I found the most peace and inspiration there. I loved working in the mornings or at night. Those were the times in the day where there was less noise from my inbox and other distractions.
What’s one dream project you’d like to work on in the next five years?
I would love to get my PhD in education in the next 5 years. I really want to ensure I am equipped with the skills I need to tackle the issues of girls’ education around the world. But I do not only want to speak from a place of passion, but also knowledge. I want to learn about the different challenges faced in the education space and learn about the nuances before I step into this space. I am a firm believer of respecting the area you are in. Thus, if you want to become an author you must read books. If you want to become an incredible musician with lots of fans you must first become a listener and be a fan of others. And in order for me to become a good leader within the education space, I must first learn about the work that has come before me. Both on a large scale and on grassroots levels. And in my mind, to truly respect this space I must go and educate myself as much as I can with both theoretical experience in the classroom but also with practical experience in real life through interning, volunteering and working.
Gender equality impacts every person on the planet. What advice do you have for young writers drafting an opinion piece on this subject?
I would suggest that writers do their research to ensure that they understand the complexities of their chosen issue and to ensure they are showing the differences and particularities of the country or countries they are writing about—what happens in the U.K. isn’t the same as what happens in Zimbabwe. I’d also suggest that they team up with friends to proofread one another’s work to ensure it is grammatically and factually correct.
It is important for young people to share their work and thoughts as it rallies others around them. The more that we write, speak and share, the more that others can get involved with our projects. By writing about the things we are seeing, experiencing or campaigning for, we are giving exposure to the issues at hand and raising awareness! We are hopefully getting our thoughts in front of the audiences who could help us make the changes. Or perhaps we are reaching the people whom we are speaking on behalf of. Perhaps the people whom the issues centre on are finally reading about themselves. Seeing people fight for them can help boost morale, as well as spread awareness about their situation, their rights and the options available to them to seek help and support. Sharing work can go a long way.
Seeking feedback from friends is equally important because oftentimes we are unaware of where we might fall short, or where our writing makes the biggest impact. Thus, sharing work with peers and receiving feedback allows your strengths to shine but also for someone to have your back on your weaknesses. Someone else is there to behave as a second eye and to help you improve and get your message more succinct and impactful.
About the judge: Vee Kativhu is a 24 year old YouTube visionary, education activist and founder of the youth empowerment organisation, Empowered by Vee. She uses her platform to share tips and advice to help underprivileged and underrepresented people from across the world recognise their own academic ability and potential. Vee’s debut book, Empowered; Live your life with passion and purpose, is a practical and motivational self-help book for young people. In her spare time, Vee enjoys volunteering for education-focused charities and is currently an active ambassador for United World Schools, CAMFED and Girl Up Zimbabwe, a United Nations Foundation charity.
