As a part of their annual observance of the 16 Day of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Zonta Club of Cebu II, Philippines, launched a nationwide photo competition. This year’s theme is Women at the Core of The Pandemic: Celebrating Their Resilience and Strength. The contest is open to everyone in the Philippines, and it seeks to celebrate the creative coping mechanisms and strategies women made to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.

The club chose their theme to celebrate women’s tireless and often thankless work in mitigating the pandemic’s spread. There is much evidence to support that women have been disproportionately affected by the global pandemic. Despite this, they are being called upon to be the backbone of recovery in their communities. Women stand at the frontlines as healthcare workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers, and leaders combating COVID-19. Their tireless work helps to highlight both the centrality of their contributions and the disparate burds that women carry.

The contest will accept photo submissions until 15 November 2021. Each photo must include a brief description explaining how the images capture and interpret the contest theme. A panel of judges is composed of distinguished photographers and women advocates. They will judge the entries based on originality, thematic integrity, technical execution and artistic merit.