In Conversation With Miss South Africa 2020 Shudufhadzo Musida: Honored For Her Work In The Mental Health Space
As the world continues to grapple staggering numbers mental health issues, former Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida has dedicated her life’s work to raising awareness.
Her efforts have culminated in Musida being recognised by the United Nations, as well as Glamour magazine, and was further invited by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to serve as its “Regional Champion. A feat she said she is honoured to have been bestowed, especially since this dream – a life of service – has been rooted in her since the age of 9 years.
Her charitable contribution towards social justice bagged her a Glamour magazine recognition, as the “Glamour Woman of the Year 2022” (WOTY) in the Mental Health Gamechanger category.
In a recent study, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that South Africa experienced a 36.4% increase in anxiety disorder prevalence during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Additionally, the country also saw a 38.7% increase in the prevalence of major depressive disorders over the same period.
The UNFPA’s Lydia Zigomo, regional director for East and Southern Africa, said Musida’s advocacy for mental health awareness, something she devoted the year of her reign to, would enable her to empower young women and girls in the region, especially in the areas of sexual and reproductive health.
The busy Musida took time to speak to us about this latest milestone, as well as her admirable advocacy for social justice, particularly mental and women’s rights.
Frontpage: What was your initial reaction to the United Nations inviting you to serve as the “Regional Champion” for the organisation’s Population Fund?
Shudufhadzo: It was a dream come true. I believe that sometimes we dream and manifest many things but have doubts about whether what we desire will actually come to fruition. During my first panel discussion at the UNPF, I was introduced to the audience as one of the regional champions and I couldn’t believe that they were talking about me.
Frontpage: How do you intend to use your role as Regional Champion to challenge mental health stigmas and improve the lives of Southern and East African women?
Shudufhadzo: As a regional champion of Southern and Eastern Africa, I will be a regional voice. I want to play an instrumental role in the advocacy for universal access to sexual and reproductive health while also continuing my work in the mental health space. I would like to use my role to ensure that the mental health of women and girls is prioritised because it is a crucial part of sexual and reproductive health. It plays a big role in individual autonomy and other human rights. Additionally, I would like to change the fact that we speak about women’s rights in isolation, instead of addressing them as basic human rights.
Frontpage: Most South Africans are still desensitised to mental health issues. Why do you think this is?
Shudufhadzo: For the most part, I think we lack information and awareness. As much as we know about mental health, we don’t know enough about it. We need to have more conversations that will raise awareness and enable us to educate our society about mental health. The same is true for human rights. Women and girls in particular are taught to almost be submissive and agreeable, especially in the South African landscape.
The conditioning that we experience under patriarchal structures infringes on our rights and infringes on us not knowing about our rights. Therefore, when it comes to conversations about gender equality and human rights, we don’t have sufficient information about it. In the panel that I participated in recently, it was revealed that it would take three hundred years for us to reach gender equality, according to statistics. There isn’t enough information about how we as a society can dismantle systems that enable gender inequality.
Frontpage: The world is currently observing 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children. How fitting is your appointment as Region Champion considering this?
Shudufhadzo: It’s very fitting because I think it’s important for us to talk about the mental health of the women and children who are victims of gender-based violence specifically. We can move them to safer environments but what happens to their mental health afterward? What I appreciate most about the social justice conversations is that we’re now demanding change, we’re no longer asking for it.
We have been having conversations for way too long and it’s time for us to implement practical solutions that will help solve these problems. We need to use these conversations to find ways in which organisations such as the United Nations, and governments can assist in fighting the scourge of gender-based violence. I think my appointment is very timely and is a great start to facilitate change in the two regions.
Frontpage: What is the motivation behind your passion for mental health and women’s rights?
Shudufhadzo: I am passionate about service. My passion for women and children is informed by the environment that I grew up in. Growing up in a rural area exposed me to gender imbalances due to patriarchal structures. Women are groomed for marriage and not to be empowered.
Seeing that and its ripple effects. I was also encouraged to advocate for mental health due to the different mental health illnesses that I witness in my village. That is why I dedicated my life to making a structural change.
Musida’s successful reign included her writing a book about how she was bullied as a child, titled Shudu Finds Her Magic, which quickly moved onto the children’s best sellers list. She also hosted successful Monday motivation twitter sessions, dubbed Mindful Mondays.