South African Zozibini Tunzi has been crowned Miss Universe 2019.
”Tonight a door was opened and I could not be more grateful to have been the one to have walked through it. May every little girl who witnessed this moment forever believe in the power of her dreams and may they see their faces reflected in mine.”
When asked what the most important thing we need to be teaching young girls today, Tunzi told host Steve Harvey:
“I think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership. It is something that has been lacking in young girls and woman for a long time. Not because we don’t want to, but because of what society has labelled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings in the world and that we should be given every opportunity. That is what we should be teaching these young girls. To take up space. Nothing is as important as taking up space in society and cementing yourself.”
Zozibini is the third South African to win the title of Miss Universe, and the first black woman since Angola’s Leila Lopes, who was crowned Miss Universe in 2011.
Shortly after winning Miss South Africa 2019 in August, Zozibini launched a ”HeforShe” campaign which aims to tackle the alarming rates of femicide and gender-based violence in the country.
The campaign, which is in partnership with the South African arm of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), wants South African men to step up and join the collective fight against abuse.
Zozibini is spirited about women’s rights and lending her voice to the movement.
