The Zonta Club of Rome I, Italy, organized a conference to address key aspects of Italian law aimed at combating gender violence. The event opened with a historical analysis of violence against women, followed by a detailed report on workplace abuses affecting women.
Held in an institutional conference room, the event brought together influential voices, including the President of the Commission for Equal Opportunities and other representatives of the municipality.
The Zonta Club of Fredericksburg, TX, USA, is committed to its mission of “Building a Better World for Women and Girls” by raising awareness about the alarming prevalence of labor trafficking, sex trafficking and sextortion in Texas. Partnering with organizations nationwide to combat these crimes, the club has taken proactive steps to address the issue locally.
The club produced and distributed posters and rack cards featuring local resources for victims. These materials include brief descriptions of services and QR codes for easy access, ensuring help is readily available to those in need. During the 16 Days of Activism, the club displayed a prominent “Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women” banner across Main Street to draw attention to the cause.
Club President Elizabeth “Liz” Wunderlich amplified the message by delivering live radio talks on the shocking statistics and Zonta’s ongoing efforts. Informational tables were set up at local businesses, including Schatze Haus, a thrift store associated with the Grace Center women’s shelter. The store decorated in orange, distributed rack cards, and offered popcorn, cookies and water to patrons.
To further engage the community, a large Zonta Says NO banner was displayed alongside hundreds of orange marker flags, symbolizing abuse victims. The display, illuminated with orange mini-lights, served as the backdrop for a group photo featuring Zonta Club members, Girl Scouts and representatives from the Fredericksburg Police Department and Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office to showcase community support.
The Zonta Club of Colombo II, Sri Lanka, recognizes that the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is a critical opportunity to raise awareness, advocate for change and support survivors. While empowering women and girls remains vital, this year’s campaign emphasized the importance of engaging men as allies in dismantling harmful societal norms and addressing gender-based violence.
The campaign highlighted how male silence can perpetuate harmful behaviors and encouraged men to speak out against sexism, misogyny and violence against women and girls. It invited men to stand in solidarity with women and endorse the Say NO to Violence movement, creating a united front for gender equality.
As part of the initiative, 13 influential Sri Lankan men and groups, alongside three women, participated by creating videos advocating for an end to gender-based violence. These videos featured prominent community leaders, athletes, professionals and artists, sharing diverse perspectives and experiences. The content was posted daily on social media throughout the campaign, using the hashtag #16DaysOfActivismAgainstGenderBasedViolence. Club members amplified the message by reposting on their personal accounts, expanding the campaign’s reach.
The campaign encouraged men and women to share pledges or stories of positive actions, creating a viral movement that inspired others to intervene and promote safer, more equitable communities. By fostering dialogue and shared responsibility, the initiative underscored that the fight against gender-based violence is not just a women’s issue but a collective effort to build a world free from fear and violence.
For the 16 Days of Activism, the Zonta Club of Bombay I, India, organized a poster competition on the theme “Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women” to raise visibility and awareness among the public. The competition was open to students in grades 7 and 8, with three schools participating: Lady Engineer High School, Vanita Vishram High School and BJPC Institution. Participants were asked to create posters on one of the following topics:
Each school’s art teachers selected their top 10 posters, which were submitted to the club. The winners of the competition were Arushi Singh of Lady Engineer High School, who won first place for her poster on “Eliminating Violence Against Women,” Heet Mayekar of BJPC Institution, who won second place for his poster on the same topic and Himanshu Chowdhry of Vanita Vishram High School, who won third place for his poster on “Education Equality.” Consolation prizes were awarded to Dhanvi Chauhan of Vanita Vishram High School and Anushka Kanojia of BJPC Institution, both for their posters on “Eliminating Violence Against Women.”
Vanita Vishram High School was awarded first place among the participating schools, followed by BJPC Institution in second place and Lady Engineer High School in third.
Winners will be honored at the Elphinstone Club in mid-February. Prizes include ₹500 for first place, ₹300 for second place, ₹200 for third place, and gift items for the consolation winners. The club office bearers and members visited the participating schools to announce the results and present plaques, recognizing the students’ creativity and efforts in promoting awareness through their artwork.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette lit the LITE Egg orange in recognition of the 16 Days of Activism. The Light Immersive Technology Enterprise Center, a central landmark in Lafayette, USA, is visible to many traveling the nearby roadway. Members and guests were invited to take photos during the event.
The Zonta Club of Pforzheim, Germany, addressed the alarming rise in violence against women in Germany, including 155 femicides in 2023—a 16% increase from the previous year—through a poignant event as part of the ORNAMENTA (LUST) cultural program in the Northern Black Forest.
The event, held on 20 July, featured a collaborative performance designed by Pforzheim Dance Theater’s associate director, Mar Rodríguez Valverde, and dramaturge Anna Mohrdiek. The performance engaged 155 local women, symbolizing each femicide victim, who wore black and placed orange shoes on the ground in front of Pforzheim City Hall to honor the lives lost.
Actress Leonie Jacobs delivered a powerful monologue, condemning societal indifference to violence against women, while three dancers performed an excerpt from „MǍĀN“ by ShiYu Liu, symbolizing the journey from suffering to empowerment. Zonta member Sabine Voss concluded the event with a call to action against violence: “Stand up, listen, watch, help, prevent, raise awareness, educate—all together.”
The performance, accompanied by workshops and weeks of community engagement, deeply moved participants and spectators, leaving a lasting impact. The project received overwhelming positive feedback, with offers for future collaborations. Films, photos and further details are available from the club.
Zonta District 27 Area 5 club recently coordinated two impactful initiatives that highlighted their commitment to community engagement and advocacy.
First, members distributed Zonta Says NO flyers, created by Area 5, and distributed to clubs across the region. Each club took responsibility for dispersing the flyers locally, placing them in pharmacies, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, bakeries, beauty shops, libraries and other public institutions. Some clubs also distributed flyers in markets, train stations and other high-traffic locations, ensuring widespread reach.
Additionally, the area organized a collaborative bread bag promotion, marking the first time all 12 clubs in Area 5 participated in a single initiative. The clubs collectively ordered and distributed an impressive 123,000 bread bags among various bakeries and supermarkets in the region. The campaign was met with great success, showcasing the power of unified efforts to amplify Zonta’s message.
*This story was translated into English by Google Translate.
On 22 November, the Zonta Club of Châtillon-sur-Seine et Région, France, adorned key landmarks in the town orange. A banner and orange fabric were also wrapped around the central fountain, and Zonta signs were placed at the city’s entrances. The statues in the garden of the tourist office and the Marianne statue in the Mayor’s office were both fitted with orange scarves. One of the city gates was also illuminated in orange, while a visual message was displayed prominently on the town’s light panel throughout the campaign.
These actions were carried out in the presence of the Mayor of Châtillon, several personalities and club members, creating a strong community statement.
This initiative aims to raise awareness about gender-based violence, encouraging people to recognize the issue, learn about the progress being made, and feel empowered to speak out.
*This story was translated into English by Google Translate.
The Zonta Club of Lunéville, France, joined the global fight against gender-based violence with impactful initiatives during the 16 Days of Activism.
Key landmarks in Lunéville, including the town hall and castle, were illuminated in orange while the town hall in nearby Baccarat also glowed orange to raise awareness for the campaign.
In addition to these visual displays, the club distributed 60,000 bread bags which included a violence meter, a tool to measure violence in relationships, in around 50 bakeries across the Lunéville region.
*This story was translated into English by Google Translate.
The author Luciano Salsi, held a presentation of his latest book to the Zonta Club of Bologna Due Torri, Italy. This new release is a contemporary work that draws inspiration from the classical world to address pressing issues of our time. These include the struggle between law and justice, the clash between individual rights and the reason of state and the conflict between the male and female soul. The presentation was organized in collaboration with the Army Club of Bologna.
During the 16 Days of Activism, the club carried out numerous initiatives, including a charity fishing evening held at the prestigious Palazzo Grassi in Via Marsala 2, in the heart of Bologna. The event aimed to raise funds for women in difficulty, with prizes donated by sponsors such as CERVE, Edizioni Paoline and Salotto delle Muse. Additionally, the club presented a video they had created, featuring photos and concrete data for 2024, focusing on the critical issue of violence against women.
The evening concluded with a moving concert by lyric soprano Federica Venturi, accompanied on piano by Maestro Don Stefano Greco. The performance featured arias that tell the stories of women victims of violence:
The event’s theme, “Because it’s time for the music to change,” echoed Zonta’s commitment to saying NO to violence against women. The atmosphere was filled with emotion and energy, reinforcing the belief that collective action is vital to building a better world for women and girls.
Join us in saying NO 