the firm Dow Malakaila, the first all-woman law firm in the country. That year, she became one of the founding members of the first women's group in Botswana Emang Basadi (Stand Up for Women). In 1988, the firm's name was changed to Dow Lesetedi and Company. That year, she co-founded the organisation Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) to advocate for women and children's rights through litigation. From 1988 to 1991, Dow conducted research for WLSA, helping to complete a regional study on human rights for women in six neighboring countries. In 1990, she helped establish the Metlhaetsile Women's Information Centre to promote education on women's rights under the law. In 1990, Dow filed suit in the High Court of Botswana to challenge the Nationality law of Botswana. Under the 1984 Citizenship Act, only illegitimate children could derive nationality through their mother. As two of her three children with Peter were born after their marriage, they were not considered Batswana. Fearful that there was a possibility that when Peter's residency permit expired in 1992, her family might be forced to move or split up, Dow initiated Unity Dow v Attorney-General, alleging that the Citizenship Law was discriminatory and contravened her right to avoid demeaning and inhumane punishment. The court found in favour of Dow concurring that the law impacted her free choice of whom to marry, could force her to be separated from her family if her husband and children's residency permits were not renewed, and was discriminatory. Middle career (1991–2009) Dow had taken a two-year sabbatical from her law practice in 1991 for the case and during that time, she co-founded the Baobob Primary School in Gaborone and the AIDS Action Trust. She served as a coordinator for WLSA from 1992 to 1994, while the appeal of her case was pending. During the appeal, Attorney General v Unity Dow, the state argued that discrimination against women was protected by the constitutional provisions to preserve the traditional customs of Botswana, which was a patrilineal society. The Attorney General also denied that Dow had standing, claiming she personally had suffered no actual harm. The Court of Appeal, led by Judge President Austin Amissah, concluded that sex discrimination contravened the Constitution and that customary tradition could not override the constitutional provisions for equal protection under the law, or the obligations Botswana had under the international agreements to which it was a