2020
Muleta Kapatiso
- Age: 30
- | He/him/his
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Human rights are central to the realization of gender equality, youth participation in decision making, and the protection of young people's sexual and reproductive health and rights. Our advocacy on gender equality is about preserving human dignity.
- Muleta Kapatiso
Bio
Muleta Kapatiso was born and raised in Zambia. He is currently working toward a Legal Practitioners Certificate at Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education. As a Learner Legal Practitioner at Undikhumbukire Project Zambia, Muleta interviews inmates needing legal assistance, prepares court documents, plans and participates in advocacy for juvenile justice, attends to volunteer assignments, and supervises legal interns. Muleta is also a National Coordinator at African Youth and Adolescent Network on Population and Development Zambia Chapter where he is responsible for planning for advocacy on youth leadership, gender equality, and SRHR, assisting with fundraising for the network, promoting digital advocacy on health rights, promoting youth participation and leadership, and representing youth on various task forces in line with the Ministry of Health and Youth Ministry.
Additionally, Muleta is a Youth4Parliament Social Movement Legal Personnel, Friends of Inmates Zambia Co-founder, Youth4UHC Regional Council member, and Fight Inequality Alliance Policy Taskforce member.
What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?
I realized growing up with my sisters and a widowed mother that being a woman or girl comes with its own multifaceted challenges and inequalities. I later realized that for girls and women in rural areas or prisons, the fact that they have various needs and rights is not considered. This ignited my passion for human rights. We need to start addressing issues of gender inequality especially among marginalized populations in prisons.
Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.
I coordinated a focus group discussion in a female prison to get data on the particular challenges girls and women faced while in detention facilities. This was one of the biggest milestones for my organization, Friends of Inmates Zambia, and the beginning of our menstrual justice advocacy, which attracted other organizations to come on board for a one-off donation of menstrual towels and other groceries for girls, women, and breastfeeding mothers in prison. Our focus group discussion resulted in the UNFPA country representative and other women in key decision-making positions visiting prisons to address the situation. This to me was a win that combined my legal work with my advocacy work.
Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?
In my spare time, I enjoy doing physical exercises, connecting with friends, learning how to play a piano, and reading books.
Languages Spoken:
- English (Advanced/Native)
- Lozi (Advanced/Native)
- Mbunda (Advanced/Native)
- Bemba (Intermediate)
- Nyanja (Intermediate)
- Luvale (Elementary)
- Nkoya(Elementary)
- Lozi (Advanced/Native)
