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Zonta Club of Gladstone Inc conducts a successful 16 Days of Activism campaign

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The Zonta Club of Gladstone Inc, Australia, conducted another successful 16 Days of Activism during the 2023 Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign by commencing at its orange November dinner meeting and culminating in an orange breakfast, which was attended by local state member of parliament, Glenn Butcher, and his wife, Theresa.

The club undertook some old and some new advocacy activities around town, including the following:

  • At their launch dinner, they welcomed two guest speakers from the Gladstone Police Station, Cath Purcell and Vicki Dredge. They also donated two laptops for police officers to use when taking statements from domestic violence victims at home. Feedback from the police was that “the donation provides a greater ability for officers to take a typed statement in the field, from the victim’s accommodation, and will be a great support in collecting immediate evidence.”  
  • The club distributed orange cut-out ladies for display at 31 local businesses, with some information about the campaign attached to each orange lady.
  • During the campaign, they asked large local businesses to make their night lights orange. Participating businesses included the Gladstone Regional Council (Art Gallery, Council Chambers and the Anzac Park tree) and the Gladstone Ports Corporation. The Gladstone Ports Corporation lit up multiple lights focused on a tree-lined strip around a park, reflecting off the water around the park.
  • The club joined the Raise a Cup campaign, which involved placing 500 stickers on coffee cups at four local coffee shops. The coffee shops were very eager to support this initiative.
  • They raised awareness about the number of women killed due to domestic violence in Australia in 2023 by placing ladies and a tally of deaths on fences in three high-traffic areas in town.
  • Two club members posted relevant posts and highlighted the club’s local efforts each day of the campaign, which gained significant attention from our social media followers.
  • The club prepared an up-to-date list of local area emergency telephone numbers on the back of toilet doors.

Zonta Club of Pori I says NO with a short film

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The Zonta Club of Pori I, Finland, organized a movie premiere for the film The Last Kick on the International Day of the Girl Child, 14 October, at the local racecourse auditorium. The club managed to book the venue free of charge with the help of their network. The event was specially organized for the young stars, the children and teenagers who acted in the movie, and their proud parents. Special guests included Theatre Ulpu’s chairperson, Maiju Junko, who co-wrote the screenplay, young screenplay writer Oskari Huhtanen and Glad Media representatives Anu and Tomi Glad. Zontians and Soroptimist clubs in Pori were also invited to the event.

The club received great support from several local sports clubs and teams, some participating in national-level competitions. The club requested their logos to be used in the final texts of the movie as a show of support for their cause. The logos would manifest their stance against physical and mental violence and their support for equal rights and compassion. To their surprise, all the teams and clubs contacted provided 100% support. Many were already running similar “anti-bullying” campaigns and revising their internal codes of conduct. Additionally, the project patrons, Mari Kaunistola and Petri Huru, who are members of the Finnish parliament, were invited to the event. The heads of the educational and cultural services of Pori and Ulvila and local media representatives were also in attendance.

The film, which you can watch here, sheds light on the importance of ending bullying, its lasting effects on victims and hope still exists in the world. The movie premiere also aimed to teach the importance of valuing others, showing compassion, and appreciating different personalities from diverse backgrounds. Such values can help increase equality in society, both on a micro and macro scale, and build a better world for women and girls.

The club’s initiative went beyond their expected goals. This project is a true testament to the fact that where there’s a will, there’s a way. It also shows that when you have like-minded and kind-hearted people in your network, anything is possible. Of course, commitment and persistence are key to creating and achieving something new and unique. The club challenges everyone to think outside the box and step beyond.

After the premiere, the club received numerous thank-you notes and messages of congratulations from those who attended. They also received several requests to distribute the material to schools outside the original distribution area of Pori and Ulvila.

The club plans to interview students and teachers from various schools to get their thoughts and opinions on the movie and its possible impacts while providing question card materials. It’s important to understand that the problem of bullying is not just local but global. The club hopes that the movie will serve as a tool to decrease bullying and teach compassion, thereby changing many people’s lives, especially those who have been bullied or involved in bullying. The club hopes the movie will start a positive chain reaction and spread as far as possible. As the movie is available in Swedish and English, the club hopes it will reach the countries of fellow Zontians worldwide through this award application.

Zonta Club of Brisbane River blows the whistle for domestic violence

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For the 2023 Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaigns, the Zonta Club of Brisbane River Inc, Australia, shook things up by involving directly with the public, communicating with their community stakeholders, setting up a colorful presentation with a highly visible presence and maintaining a static display at the local Princess Alexandra Hospital to raise awareness of domestic violence. They also consistently posted domestic violence awareness posts on their Facebook every day. The campaign included key elements such as:

  • Setting up a mass display of 18 Orange Ladies in a public park on a busy street frontage for three weekends.
  • Handing out free orange whistles, which is a play on the campaign theme, Blow the Whistle on Domestic Violence.
  • Distributing domestic violence materials sourced from local domestic violence services and women’s shelters.
  • Having direct conversations with passersby seeking information about the issue.

The club accomplished its goal of advocating against violence against women by being willing to engage with the public on the streets of their local community and having conversations about the uncomfortable subject. This campaign helped them strengthen their pre-existing connections with local domestic violence services, their local councilor, and parliament member by involving them in the process through consultation and seeking their cooperation for permission to use their information resources and staging a presence in Bunyapa Park West End.

While it is difficult to gauge the club’s impact, club members reported many meaningful conversations and gratitude for the helpful domestic violence assistance resources and the showpiece for the practical use of bright orange whistles they handed out. 

Zonta Club of Caloundra City Inc RISEs to increase collaboration and address domestic violence

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In 2010, the Zonta Club of Caloundra City Inc, Australia, introduced its Restart in a Safe Environment (RISE) concept to increase community collaboration and education and address domestic violence issues. Since then, the club has enjoyed 13 successful years of persistence and building partnerships.

The club initiated a project in 2013 to build a duplex on donated land to address the lack of transitional housing options for women and children leaving situations of domestic abuse in the southern end of the Sunshine Coast. The club raised US$90,000 in 90 days in 2016. A successful and continuing partnership with the Coast to Bay and the Salvation Army achieved the opening of the first duplex in 2017. The ongoing success of this model has been demonstrated by the state government’s direct funding in 2021 under the Safe Places capital grants to establish eight additional units in the Sunshine Coast region. The club has been repeatedly recognized for taking the initiative to address this need. It is a testament to the resilience and persistence of members who continue to work tirelessly to advocate for women and children affected by domestic abuse.

District 20 says NO to digital harassment

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Realizing that digital harassment is a growing problem, especially for youths, District 20 partnered with Loisto setlementti, a youth organization, to organize events and fundraise for the cause.

Digital harassment is a significant form of violence to which girls and women are highly vulnerable. Therefore, the clubs find it very important to inform and give advice to families and others. Loisto setlementti has a 24/7 Service for discussion and support with children aged 8 to 18 on digital platforms.

Within six months, the clubs have had many events and webinars, where Zontians and the audience have gained awareness and information about digital harassment and have improved the effectiveness of their operations by strengthening cooperation networks. The clubs’ fundraising has successfully hired new resources for Loisto setlementti to be experts for clubs in combatting digital harassment. They also plan to arrange events in schools for parents to give information and discuss digital harassment, as well as service for girls, where they may discuss and ask for help.

The patron of the whole project is a parliament member and doctor of military services. He gave a speech about citizens’ information security skills, for example.

The project will end in March 2025. The clubs have at least 20-30 planned future events, half as virtual sessions with a large audience.

To learn more about the project, visit www.zonta.fi.

Zonta Clubs of Maryborough Inc says NO at the Trent Walters Memorial Burnouts

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Last year, the Trent Walters Memorial Burnouts occurred on 25 November, which also marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the first day of the 16 Days of Activism.

Zontian Nshara Kingston from the Zonta Club of Maryborough Inc, Australia, is friends with Joe, a Pro Burnout driver of a car called “Ferret,” which, as it turns out, is an orange ute, matching the color of the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign. She organized a ride in the car with a Zonta Says NO banner on the front of the burnout pad, an orange Zolly displayed at the bar with information on the cause and an interview with the event emcee over the loudspeakers.

The club also had a display at the car show alongside Ferret before the burnout competition. During the car show, Nshara volunteered on the Speedway Sausage Sizzle wearing her Zonta Says NO shirt. Several people asked what is Zonta? So, Nshara got to practice her elevator speech many times. Joe also felt very privileged to receive his own Zonta Says NO shirt to wear for the day. The real bonus of the day was that Joe and Ferret received second place in the Pro-Class.

The club always talks about Zonta becoming visible in their community, thinking outside the box and being diverse with new ideas. The exposure to a new crowd was the main goal of the day. They tend to focus on events primarily for women, so this was an opportunity to be at an event that is typically seen as an event for men, even though there is a female burnout class. The success of this goal was shown through getting new followers on Facebook, including men who race Speedway.

Nshara overheard people discussing what was displayed on the Zolly, including men and young girls, primarily about the statistics and how high they were. The Maryborough Speedway was very supportive of the cause, and they appreciated Nshara’s volunteer efforts. It has been mentioned that the club may be the charity of the Trent Walters Memorial if it occurs again in 2024. This means that all the funds raised during the event will be donated to the club, which is an excellent community connection.

Zonta Club of Warwick Inc Says NO during the 16 Days of Activism

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During the 16 Days of Activism, the Zonta Club of Warwick Inc, Australia, promoted gender-based violence awareness by placing large orange ladies in 15 businesses in Warwick and one in Killarney. The businesses included banks, the council library, recreation centers, churches and retail facilities. These orange ladies were stocked with brochures that provided information on domestic violence support, Safe Haven Domestic Violence (DV) cards and flyers for Protea Place, a women’s support center. In addition, small orange ladies were distributed to cafes, hairdressers, chemists and retail facilities, which primarily served as business card holders containing Safe Haven DV cards.

The local community responded positively to the ladies, with many customers showing interest in them. This initiative allowed the club to raise awareness of gender violence and promote Zonta’s actions. Their Facebook page featured two daily posts for the 16 Days: one contained information directed by District 22, and the other included photos of club members linked to various businesses’ Facebook pages. The club received a lot of feedback from these posts, highlighting the usefulness of social media as a tool for advocacy.

The Southern Downs Regional Council supported the club by illuminating the clock on Warwick Town Hall in orange and sharing its information on their website and the two Facebook posts about the event.

The club attended events in Toowoomba, such as the stand-up roadside vigil and the flag ceremony. They received a warm welcome from club members from both Zonta clubs in Toowoomba, which helped spread the word that their club is active in our campaign against gender-based violence.

Zonta Club of Albury-Wodonga Inc unites to end violence against women

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The Zonta Club of Albury-Wodonga Inc, Australia, partnered with local police family violence units to bring awareness, assistance and advocacy to their communities.

The club placed 16 1-meter-tall wooden orange ladies, who made their presence felt by making a colorful contribution and a QR code connection to helpful emergency numbers. They launched the 16 Days of Activism by holding a movie night to assist in funds for their gender-based violence project, and on 26 November, they supplied sausages and onions to the police, who were the cooks for a crowd of around 150 people over the allotted time.

The club’s goals were to:

  • Stage an impactful 16 Days of Activism against family violence across Albury Wodonga.
  • Attract participation by more than just service providers. 
  • Increase media coverage.
  • Build awareness of the seriousness and prevalence of violence in our community and what we can do about it.
  • Provide men and women with an opportunity to take away new knowledge that will benefit their personal lives, their communities and organizations.
  • Enable women to access information on existing services, resources and assistance.

The club attracted good media coverage through radio, newspaper and television, and other services joined them to complete the activity with a Walk Against Violence. They repeated this in a rural town and learned that the useful little survival packs they supplied to the police for distribution to women on that first escape night should also include men.

In rural areas, the local police find it safer and better to remove the perpetrator from the family home because resources for one are more attainable than perhaps a mother and her children. So, the club promptly supplied packs that included a small towel, a shaver and aftershave lotion.

Not only did the club’s activities build a better world for women and girls, but they also attracted a new member.

Zonta Club of Pocatello revamps the 16 Days in 16 ways

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Over the last five years, the Zonta Club of Pocatello, USA, has been on a dedicated mission, reaching 16 locations to provide essential period and personal hygiene items for needy women. This year, their focus shifted to broader outreach and raising awareness about the challenges faced by women in their community and beyond. They aimed to address each of the 16 ways suggested by Zonta International, delivering to nine locations and introducing innovative initiatives for the remaining seven days.

The club’s initiatives extended beyond deliveries, incorporating strategies to illuminate various issues. Collaborating with a local organization, they shared messages of hope and presented local and statewide domestic violence statistics to provoke reflection and inspire collective action. Their landscapes became canvases adorned with Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women signs, symbolizing their commitment to standing against gender-based violence.

The club disseminated information about Zonta’s international service projects and Fast Action Friday opportunities to enhance public awareness. A highlight was their unique reverse book club, where participants sought inspiration from literature focused on Zonta’s missions – combating domestic violence, addressing gender-based violence, eradicating child marriage and championing climate justice.

A significant milestone was the proclamation signing ceremony with the mayor, designating 7 December as “Zonta Says NO To Violence Against Women Day.” This official recognition underscores the club’s commitment to effecting change at higher levels of governance.

Overall, the club’s projects engaged more than 30 participants. This result demonstrates the tangible impact of their efforts and highlights the power of collective action in fostering positive change.

Orange the World Campaign 2023 in Assen conducted by Zonta Club of Drenthe

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November 25th, the City Hall of Assen, among others, turned orange once again. With this initiative, the municipality of Assen says NO to violence against women and joins the global campaign Orange the World.

This year’s campaign theme in the Netherlands was: Safe, everywhere and always. The Orange the World campaign runs from November 25 to December 10.

The Orange Assen working group organizes and supports various activities during this period. Campaign Opening on November 25: The campaign in Assen kicked off on Saturday, November 25, at 5:00 PM at the market square with speeches from alderman Broekema and members of the Soroptimistclub Assen and Zonta Drenthe.

The market square was chosen for this event because harassment in the hospitality industry and on the street is addressed through the “Ask for Angela” project. This will also be highlighted during the opening.

The event concludes with a flash mob featuring youth from 1lovedancecenter by José Fraai. November 27 at 4:30 PM: Launch of Musical ART Video Clip The launch of the video clip takes place at Garage TDI.

In collaboration with Orange the World Assen, Garage TDI has created a video clip with young people from the theater pre-training. The viewer is made aware that violence against women occurs in various places in society. Violence can happen anywhere, where men and women gather; also at work, during social outings, at sports clubs, in public transportation, in education, in healthcare, in student associations, at festivals, at the beach, and not to forget in cyberspace.

After the launch, participants engage in a discussion led by the Center for Sexual Violence and Safe at Home Drenthe. The Musical Art video clip will be widely distributed on social media after the launch. November 29 at 7:30 PM Theme Evening in the council chamber of the municipality of Assen.

A theme evening on “Safe, everywhere and always, now and in the future” took place in the council chamber of the municipality of Assen. Anyone involved in work and/or volunteer work or who is interested was invited.

The evening began with showing the Garage TDI’s video clip and the short film “Dear Diary” about the present and the future. The theme of the evening was further introduced by the Center for Sexual Violence and Safe at Home Drenthe, followed by a speech from Alderman Jan Broekema and Provincial Executive Yvonne Turenhout discussing their approach to street harassment and social safety. Subsequently, a discussion was held.

December 9 Red Shoes at Koopmansplein Assen against Femicide On December 9, the municipal council members of Assen organised an action at Koopmansplein in Assen by putting 43 pairs of red shoes on the pavement, this is the number of women that were killed in 2022 in the Netherlands just because they were women.

This was to draw attention to violence against women and femicide. A pamflet was offered to Mayor Marco Out. Education in Action Drenthe College and the secondary schools Dr. Nassau College and CS Vincent van Gogh displayed the Orange the World flag and organized various activities for students, pupils, and staff to raise awareness about the theme “STOP violence against women”.

Businesses in Action More and more businesses, sports clubs, and socially engaged organizations in Assen color their buildings orange, fly the flag, display #Medestander (#we declare ourselvers ally ) posters, and/or use other means to support the campaign.