At 15, Kupakwashe Matangira has more passion for human rights than most people twice her age.
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The Ashtonfield teenager proved this by finishing second in the United Nations Youth Australia Voice competition, which gives Year 7-10 students a chance to offer solutions to issues that affect their community, the nation and the world.
In the earlier rounds, the Zimbabwe-born student spoke about gender equality and women’s rights.
After winning through to the state level last December, Kupakwashe spoke about closing the 12-year life expectancy gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
This speech won her the NSW title, and an opportunity to compete at the nationals in Canberra in April this year.
Kupakwashe, in year nine at Hunter Christian School, spoke about youth mental health, indigenous rights and the refugee crisis. Her solutions included a peer support network to eradicate mental health stigma, forming an advocacy-based initiative that promotes indigenous culture through social media, and UN member states being required to take a number of refugees based on their economic and resource capability.
Being taught from a young age to be the change she wants to see, Kupakwashe feels strongly about these issues.
“Whenever I look at the news, there’s so much unfair treatment of people,” she said. “Basic rights are being neglected.
“There is unfair distributions of civil liberties.”
Her thoughts were so powerful that Kupakwashe came second in the junior category out of the entire country.
Kupakwashe said she wants to work in the human rights industry, and saw the Voice competition as a starting point towards that goal.
“I just wanted somewhere to share my ideas,” she said.
“[Coming second] was a reassurance that I have the capabilities to work in that field. I can make a positive change.”