Seodi White

Seodi Venekai-Rudo White is a social development lawyer and women's rights activist. She was Chief Director responsible for Public Sector Reforms in the Office of the President and Cabinet from 2017 until September 2020.

Life White obtained her law degree from the University of Botswana and is admitted to practice as an attorney in Botswana. She has a master's degree in Gender and Development from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. She is certified in Complete Modern Law Practice Curriculum provided by The Institute for the Future of Law Practice.

White formed the Women and Law in Southern Africa Malawi Office (WLSA Malawi) in 1998 where she oversaw implementation of 19 research, training and advocacy programmes with results including reforms in national law, including the passing of the “Prevention of Domestic Violence Act 2006” which is a law in Malawi which protects of women in Malawi from the shackles of domestic violence and recognises their dignity and provides for security in the home. In addition, she also facilitated the passing of the “Deceased Estates (Inheritance, Succession and Protection) Act 2011” which is a law that criminalises the dispossession of widows upon the death of their husbands and therefore offers enhanced protection of women's rights particularly protection from poverty and hardship when their spouses die. White has also fought against violence against women, and child marriage. She has given a TED lecture on some of the strategies used to overcome gender bias and injustice.

In 2017 she became a full-time civil servant when the President appointed her Chief Director for Public Reforms at the Office of President and Cabinet. She was Chief Director responsible for Public Sector Reforms in the Office of the President and Cabinet Malawi until September 2020. She led the public sector reforms programme in the government of Malawi and as well as in State Owned Corporations (SOEs). She coordinated the initiation of reforms in ministries, agencies and departments. She provided Technical and Strategic Leadership in the development of two key strategic and ground-breaking Policies namely, The Malawi National Public Sector Reforms Policy and the National Public Service Management Policy. These policies are aimed at revitalising the public service in Malawi. She provided technical advice and leadership in the development and approval of Malawi's new Public Service Bill which had not been reviewed since its initial inception in 1994. This Bill aims to strengthen accountability, performance, and coordination in Malawi's Public Service.

In 2007, she taught Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto as a Dame Nita Barrow Visiting Scholar where she gave a public lecture on Feminisation of HIV. She has taught courses at the International Law Institute (ILI) in Kampala Uganda in 2010 and 2011. She is also a guest lecturer at University of North Carolina, Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies and Curriculum in Global Studies where she has been teaching Change Management and Gender Justice since 2007 intermittently.

Publications Books

Book chapters

Articles

Accolades Malawi Human Rights Commission Award - 2004