The Zonta Club of Melbourne’s East Inc recorded their newest member, Dr. Veena Barsiwal, reciting a poem she wrote, “Buried Deep.”

The club shared the video on their Facebook and Instagram pages during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence with the caption, “This poem, by Dr Veena Barsiwal, is very moving and cuts to the core of domestic violence in our community. It can affect women from all corners of the globe, rich or poor, single, married, healthy, mentally well, LBGTQ+ . PLEASE share this poem to raise awareness of Domestic Violence during 16 Days of Activism from 25 November to 10 December. For more information about Zonta and who we are and how you can join us locally, visit www.Zontamelbourneseast.org.au.”

The Zonta Club of Hiidenvesi, Finland, launched a stronger campaign than ever in their small town of Vihti, raising awareness through multiple channels.

Upon entering the town, there is a Zonta says NO to Violence Against Women billboard by the access route. If you take a walk in the center, you cannot miss one of several window displays.

The club also organized an event with the theme “Hope, no violence.” The keynote speaker was an MP who told of her touching childhood experiences with the violent marriage of her parents.

Presenters from the local church and social services gave a good overview of what kind of help is available for those who have a violent relationship. The feelings of hope were further reinforced by the music of local artists.

Additionally, the club engaged 14 prominent supporters from their community—some with a strong local presence like the chief officer municipal manager or the vicar—and some who are nationally well-known. They all stepped up to support the campaign and gave the club permission to use their photo in its campaign communications. These photos have been used in window displays, the local newspaper and in big social media communities reaching approximately 50% of the population.

On 2 December, several District 12 past governors and other Zontians gathered to raise awareness for gender-based violence. Many other events were held in District 12 clubs.

As part of its Zonta Says NO to V violence Against Women campaign during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the Zonta Club of St. Cloud, USA, lit its community up orange.

On 28 November, the Zonta Club of Dhaka IV, Bangladesh, hosted an interactive activity with underprivileged young girls and their mothers and the teachers of Jaago Foundation Banani School.

On 2 December, the club joined the other three Dhaka Zonta clubs for a rally, which included Z club students. Participants wore orange T-shirts in support of the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign.

On 3 December, the Zonta Club of Dhaka IV hosted a program with that touched on thought-provoking issues raised by the young, insightful guest speakers.

For the past several years, the Zonta Club of Birmingham has sponsored a billboard at the intersection of I-65N at Oxmoor Road in Homewood, Alabama, USA. The message aligns with Zonta International’s Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

The billboard gives a prominent hotline number for domestic violence victims to call for help: 1-800-799-SAFE.

Slave Island, located within the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka, is one of the busiest commercial areas in the city, with a large number of households crammed in between commercial enterprises. The area comprises a unique multi-ethnic, multi-cultural community, who are hard workers and survivors in the big city.

The Zonta Club of Colombo III partnered with these unique ladies to create a wall mural depicting and relating to the uniqueness and resilience of the women in this special community and to inspire them to stand up to violence against women.

The Zonta club celebrated these ladies by making it a day of fun, learning and empowerment with events flowing into each other, a song and dance session, and a simultaneous workshop educating them on the rights of women in standing up to violence against women, conducted by eminent lawyers and police officers of the Women and Children’s Bureau of the Sri Lanka Police.

After the completion of the mural, all Zontians and the ladies of the community put their palm prints on the wall depicting themselves as part of the mural and as a sign of their contribution and commitment to stand up to violence against women.

The palm prints of the local ladies as part of the mural in the locality will continue to be a source of inspiration and a constant reminder of their collective effort to raise awareness within their community with their own participation.

On 28 November, members of clubs throughout District 8 gathered in Portland, Oregon, USA, to light the Morrison Bridge orange and bring awareness to Zonta and the 16 Days of Activism.

Along with bringing awareness of gender-based domestic violence to the people at the bridge, the local news interviewed District 8 Governor Deb Lal, which was aired later that night.

Since 1982, the national organization GAMS (Groupement pour l’Abolition des Mutilations Sexuelles or Group Working to End Female Genital Mutilations) has worked to end female genital mutilation (FGM). The Zonta Club of Le Havre, France, has been a partner of GAMS Normandie for several years.

In connection with the GAMS’ 40 years of actions to end sexual violence against women and the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, members of GAMS and the Zonta club held a screening of the film In Search: A Journey to Womanhood followed by a debate on 25 November.

The film features Beryl, who was born in a rural village in Kenya, and thought that all women in the world had to be mutilated/cut. Consequently, she had to suffer these initiative rites. She did not imagine all the consequences of such an act. Many years later, she heard about a new kind of surgery, which was able to repair what was removed.

Through this autobiographic film, Beryl explores the emotional dilemma sparked by this possible surgery. She met and asked women who had to live the same experiences.

The movie screening was followed by a debate surrounding the surgical reconstruction and led by, among others, Dr. Fabienne Trocque, gynecologist, and Me Pascale Poulain, sex therapist—both of them Zontians and past presidents.