On 25 November 2020, the Zonta Club Sanremo, Italy, distributed more than 20,000 bags of bread to supermarkets, bakeries and bars in the Sanremo area with the words PANE AMORE E RISPETTO (Bread, Love and Respect) and Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women.
The medieval castle, Munot, in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, was illuminated in orange to raise awareness of gender-based violence. Members of the Zonta Club Schaffhausen and the Soroptimist Club Schaffhausen, and the staff of the local offices against domestic violence, held a vigil on the stairs to the castle in the evening of 25 November with media there to cover the event.
The Zonta Club of Maryborough, Australia, is partnering with four senior schools (Grades 7-12) for this year’s 16 Days of Activism. Students from Maryborough State High School, Aldridge State High School, St. Mary’s College and Riverside College are displaying the color orange in unique ways to raise awareness of violence against women and girls.
The Maryborough City Hall will be lit up orange, and a Zonta Says NO banner will be displayed on major streets throughout the 16 Days. The club will also be placing ‘orange ladies’ around town as reminders that violence against women is an issue in the local community, but there is hope that with education and support this violence may be recognized and eliminated.
The Zonta Club of London and Savera UK lit up their city in orange to bring awareness to the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign.
Landmarks included the Liverpool Town Hall, St George’s Hall, World Museum Liverpool, Merseyside Police Headquarters, the Greystone Footbridge in Knowsley and the Mersey Gateway Bridge in Halton.
Dianne Jeans, Advocacy Committee, Zonta Club of London, said: “Zonta International is dedicated to standing up to gender-based violence through its Zonta says NO campaign. During the 2020 UN 16 days of activism Zontians all around the globe will be taking part in events to ‘orange the world’ and shine a light on the hidden pandemic of violence against women. Here in the UK, the Zonta Club of London is encouraging local councils to light landmark structures orange to provide a symbol of hope and support for those that are affected by violence every day. We applaud the actions in Liverpool to highlight this issue.”
https://theguideliverpool.com/landmarks-in-liverpool-city-region-landmarks-will-light-up-orange-in-call-to-end-violence-against-women/
Since 2012, our Zonta clubs and members have been increasing awareness of gender-based violence to their communities as part of the Zonta Says NO campaign. Here are just some examples of what Zontians have done to show their support in ending violence against women and girls.
Rita Dy and Lorna Kapunan of the Zonta Club of Makati Ayala, Philippines, speak with CNN Philippines about the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign and how their club is participating in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
As part of its Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign, the Zonta Club of Montevideo, Uruguay, organized a talk on human trafficking and migration.
The event was conducted by Tanja Pacifico, the representative for Uruguay of the International Organization for Migration. Zontians and guests from Zonta clubs in South America and other Spanish-speaking clubs attended.
In 2019, the Zonta Club of Sault Ste Marie Area highlighted the issue of gender-based violence with a display at the public library of 48 pairs of women’s shoes, representing the 48 women who lost their lives in the preceding year in Ontario to intimate partner violence.
“This was a stunning and moving display. Orange is the international colour used by the United Nations and Zonta International for violence against women and girls”, said Sharon Kirkpatrick, the local club president. “Because of COVID-19 this year, we are taking the campaign online, showing 37 pairs of orange shoes in various locations in the area. In the past year, the Femicide list from the Ontario Association of Transition and Interval Homes (OAITH) reported 37 fatalities. We want people to understand that these orange shoes represent real women- our daughters, mothers, sisters, aunts and friends.”
https://www.sootoday.com/more-local/notice-orange-shoes-around-city-hall-and-the-boardwalk-heres-why-2907921
“The Zonta Club of Jefferson City takes pride in helping Zonta International promote the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence through the ‘Zonta Says No’ campaign,” said Sarah Veile, president of the Zonta Club of Jefferson City. “It is just one of many ways we are helping to spread Zonta’s message in an attempt to make our local community a place where every woman can achieve her full potential.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the local Zonta Club’s main advocacy will come through its Facebook page this year.
Each day, the group will post a picture of a new community leader involved in related groups — Central Missouri Stop Human Trafficking Coalition, the Rape and Abuse Crisis Service, HALO and the Pregnancy Help Center, to name a few — with information about their services or statistics on gender-based violence. They will also feature local government officials who have used their time in office to fight for the rights of women and families.
Joan Imhoff, secretary for the Zonta Club of Jefferson City, said the focus is to connect people experiencing abuse or a difficult situation with resources and make them aware of the people fighting for them. She said this year is especially important as everything is on the rise — suicide, depression, abuse and child abuse.
“When people pay attention to the campaign more because of issues occurring it’s just good at this time to get it out there for people to see,” Imhoff said. “If they need help, they’re not alone, and they shouldn’t be embarrassed to make contact with someone who can help.”
https://www.newstribune.com/news/news/story/2020/nov/24/zonta-says-no-campaign-begins-today/850221/
A precious eight-year-old little girl is on a memorial billboard at the entrance of Nassau Village. She shouldn’t be there. She should be counting down the days to her birthday on December 12. She should be trying to adjust to the new normal of online schooling and thinking about what she wants for Christmas. But on September 28 this year, Ednique Wallace became the victim of murder. She and her mother Alicia Sawyer lost their lives together in a senseless act of violence that occurs too often in our society.
The Bahamas ranks tenth in the world for intentional homicides. Alicia and Ednique were killed in their home in Nassau Village, an area which has been declared an epicentre of domestic violence in The Bahamas during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Days ago, Zonta Bahamas began their version of UNECSO’s “Orange the World” campaign to end violence against women and girls by hosting a ceremony at the Nassau Village entrance. There, Patricia Minnis – the wife of Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis – tied the first orange bow and said to Bahamians: “We are better than this!”
The Zonta Club of New Providence, Families Of All Murder Victims (FOAM), the Department of Gender and Family Affairs, the Nassau Village Community and other NGOs joined together to erect a memorial banner for Ednique and her mom and also murder victims Gloria Rolle, Kenrica Martin and Cleo Lockhart. Below that banner is the community’s entrance sign, with the motto “The Place of Love, Peace and Unity”. Member of Parliament Halson Moultrie made a heartfelt appeal to residents to make this their reality.
Instead, we have a society which has yet to solve its violence issues and live as if it’s truly paradise. This sunny, peaceful clime has been marred by horror stories that make no sense on such a small island. “We are not barbarians,”, said Ann Marie Davis, wife of PLP leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis’, as she joined Zonta in the campaign launch.
Women and girls like Alicia and Ednique deserve the protection of society. Zonta says there’s a way every single person can make a difference – by “saying no to violence in all its forms.” Everyone has to make it a point not to tolerate violence in order to reverse an ugly trend that leaves countless families in this country hurting for the loss of their loved ones.
Edward Wallace knows that hurt. His “little princess” was so special that “everyone who came into contact with her was amazed at how full of life and kind she was”. She was a very protective sister to her younger siblings Edward Wallace Jr and Krishan Wallace and even extended that nurturing spirit to her older sister, Kenlisa Monfils.
“She really enjoyed traveling,” Edward said about his daughter.
“Every summer we would go to Miami and spend time with her uncle and aunt. I remember two years ago, we went shopping in Walmart and she got lost. I searched the whole store looking for her until we got a call saying she was at the front entrance. Just last year we went on a cruise to Key West, Orlando and Mexico. While on the cruise, she loved hanging out by the pool and eating tons of ice cream.”
Edward’s family and friends, as well co-workers at BAIC, are offering support and love, but it is crucial that people come together to avoid tragedies like what this family has to overcome.
“Ednique was a curious and ambitious girl.” Edward said.
“She always loved learning new things and seeking new challenges. She got that from her mother. Lisa Sawyer was a very determined and hard worker who also loved learning new things and seeking new challenges. She was a kindred spirit. She was undoubtedly, a great mother to her three children and did her absolute best never to steer them wrong. She was an Andros-based woman who loved to cook. I met Lisa in 2008 while I was on patrol as a security guard and she was working at Hibiscus Inn. Our relationship was always an honest, respectful one and I thank the Lord for the time we spent in each other’s lives.”
Alicia is the daughter of Tiffany Reckley and Norman Knowles. She attended Lowe Sound Primary, then North Andros High School. She is described as deeply family-oriented and well known for her kindness and compassion. A hard worker, Alicia worked for Dunkin’ Donuts where she worked herself up to a management position. Social media reports say Alicia made previous complaints to the police about the suspect of her murder.
[25 November was] the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It also marks the beginning of “16 Days of Activism to Say No to Violence Against Women and Girls”, which culminates on December 10, International Human Rights Day. Each year, Zonta uses this time to paint the town orange. This year, say no to violence garbage bins have been placed throughout several communities. Zonta’s “40 Orange Bows”, and the bright orange banner at Nassau Village’s entrance is a poignant reminder of how very important this campaign is.
Zonta members decided that Nassau Village would be the focus this year, even before it became the epicentre of domestic violence for The Bahamas. President of the Zonta Club of New Providence Theresa Adderley-Smith said for the past seven years, their focus has been bringing a heightened awareness of the scourge. However, they have moved towards advocacy, working with government and non-government organizations to make policy changes so the laws are in place to protect and advance women and girls.
Mrs Minnis pointed out that men are just as important and “this is not a feminist movement where women are trying to get ahead of men; we want to be equal partners with love and respect”. Zonta’s national advocacy campaign chair Marisa Mason-Smith invited representatives of partnering NGOs to speak, including Charlene Paul of the Caribbean Institute of Women in Leadership (CIWiL) and Coralee Adderley of the the National Women’s Advisory Council.
Zonta Club of New Providence, a member of Zonta International, is committed to empowering women through service and advocacy. Zonta will host a series of events during the campaign.
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2020/nov/24/face-face-alicia-and-her-daughter-ednique-were-los/
Join us in saying NO 