For the 16 Days of Activism, the Zonta Club of Northern Beaches Inc, Australia, held a “Say NO to Violence” walk along Manly Beach promenade. The event ended with a ceremony to name and remember the women who passed away in the previous year. As each name was read out loud, an orange hand was pegged to a line between trees by those in attendance.

280 people joined the walk, including workers from local DV refuges, police, politicians, school students, Mackellar Girls High Z Club members, Rotary and representatives from local government and the Northern Beaches Domestic Violence Network.

The club handed out free orange caps, which made the participants stand out even more. Many passersby listened to the speeches along the beachfront.

The Zonta Club of Greater Queens, USA, celebrated the holiday season and welcomed the new year, proclaiming NO to violence against women and bringing more members into their Zonta community.

The Zonta Club of Fort Collins, USA, hosted the training program ‘In Her Shoes’ at the local Chamber of Commerce for the 16 Days of Activism. Club members invited community members, county commissioners, city council, the mayor and nonprofit leaders whose work serves various populations in Northern Colorado, and are in a position to make a difference in the domestic violence issue in the city.

According to Fort Collins police data from 2024, 33% of all calls were related to domestic violence, reflecting the global reality that one in three women and one in five men experience domestic violence. The In Her Shoes program provided participants with an experiential learning opportunity by placing them in the role of a survivor navigating complex and often urgent safety decisions.

Working in small groups, participants followed assigned characters through a series of stations, making choices that led to different outcomes. The program concluded with group discussions where participants shared reflections and emotional responses to their experiences. Two rounds of the exercise were offered, allowing deeper engagement and discussion during the second session.

The training also served as an opportunity to introduce participants to Zonta International’s advocacy work, including the Zonta Says NO campaign, while fostering dialogue around local challenges, solutions and the importance of accessible resources for survivors. A networking session at the close of the event helped build connections among attendees committed to addressing domestic violence.

The Zonta Club of Fort Collins is now discussing offering this training a few times per year with the intention that the more we can teach the more aligned our community will be to end domestic violence. Learn more about the In Her Shoes initiative here.

Zonta clubs across Latvia organized a series of initiatives to combat gender-based violence.

The Zonta Club of Valmiera, Latvia, launched a book exhibition at the Valmiera Integrated Library titled “Scars. Visible and Invisible.” Featuring modern literature, the exhibition highlighted hidden forms of violence and encouraged public dialogue about abuse often kept silent. The collection included accounts of domestic violence in Latvia from women’s and teenagers’ perspectives, stories of African women facing forced marriage, and works addressing child exploitation, toxic adolescent relationships and systemic abuse in Egypt.

The Zonta Club of Riga marked the 16 Days of Activism with activities at the NGO House and the Riga Central Library Branch, combining public outreach with daily inspirational stories shared on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the Zonta Club of Ogre, Zonta e-Club of Latvia and Zonta Club of Jelgava strengthened digital engagement by posting daily slogans and stories on social media, emphasizing that violence is often a local issue and encouraging individuals to build awareness and resilience.

On 12 December, the Zonta Club of Isabela, Philippines, extended its 16 Days of Activism efforts by conducting multiple simultaneous advocacy programs across the province, underscoring its commitment to ending gender-based violence and combating online exploitation.

In San Manuel, Isabela, the club held a focused youth session at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Institute (OLPI), gathering about 150 high school students and teachers for a lecture on digital safety. Club Vice President Judge Ramorelia Lodriguito-Caranay delivered an intensive discussion on the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Material Law (RA 11930). Her presentation equipped students and educators with essential knowledge of their rights and the legal protections available against online predators. The club expressed gratitude to OLPI’s faculty and students for their active participation in this extended #ZontaSaysNO campaign effort.

At the same time, in Roxas, Isabela, the club launched a major symposium in partnership with the LGU of Roxas and with the support of Board Member Dok Totep Calderon. Held at Lado Del Rio, the event brought together nearly 100 school heads, administrators, guidance counselors and student leaders for a combined legal and mental health forum.

Board Member Calderon opened the program by emphasizing the importance of placing critical discussions on women’s safety and children’s protection directly within the community. The symposium featured key presentations addressing both digital and psychological impacts of violence. Dr. Shehee Binag-Director discussed cyberbullying and mental wellness, while Atty. Maria Teresa Alberto and Atty. Carol I. Donato covered RA 9995 (Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act) and RA 11930 (Anti-OSAEC and CSAEM Act), respectively. A highly engaged question-and-answer session demonstrated the strong demand for legal clarity and digital safety education.

Judge Precious Lovely Olivia A. Sales-Jao, club charter president, closed the symposium by calling on participants to transform their learning into action and strengthen institutional safeguards for women and children. She reaffirmed the Zonta club of Isabela’s mission to build a better world for women and girls by ensuring every community in Isabela is informed, protected and empowered.

As part of the “Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women and Girls” campaign, the Zonta Club of Irenopolis–Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, organized a moving musical and poetic performance on 3 December 2025 to honor the strength, resilience and beauty of women. The event aimed to show how women’s tenderness, creativity and inner power can counterbalance violence and aggression, fostering a more peaceful and compassionate society.

The large-scale initiative transformed the city of Stara Zagora into an orange beacon of solidarity and public engagement. Onstage at the Regional Library, club members read poems celebrating women, while children, artists and young musicians filled the hall with music, light and hope.

Through this artistic program, the Zonta Club delivered a clear and heartfelt message: a world free from violence is possible when empathy, dignity and unity guide collective action.

The Zonta Club of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, has donated urgently needed vitamins, immune-supporting products, sanitary supplies, clothing and other essential items to girls and children residing at the Anti-Violence Center’s shelter. The support aims to help strengthen the health and well-being of young survivors seeking safety and recovery.

In addition to the donations, the club partnered with trainers from the Center Against Violence to conduct a series of educational sessions designed to protect adolescents from bullying both in schools and online.

On 18 November, members of the Zonta Clubs of Janesville, Madison, Milwaukee and the e-Club of USA 3 gathered at the Wisconsin State Capitol for a coordinated Lobby Day focused on ending child marriage and supporting the Wisconsin Equal Rights Amendment (WI ERA). Zontians secured 30 scheduled appointments with legislators and staff, engaging in productive conversations about the Child Marriage Bill (AB 656/SB 634) and the need to strengthen legal protections for women and girls.

For lawmakers without scheduled appointments, Zontians visited offices to speak with staffers briefly and provide informational materials. Advocacy packets included summaries of both legislative issues and a small symbolic pillow featuring wedding rings and a business card with a QR code linking to more details about the child marriage issue.

The lobby effort produced additional co-sponsors signing onto the Child Marriage Bill. Zontians are now developing a follow-up plan, including a targeted social media campaign encouraging constituents in key districts to contact their representatives. Members also plan to mobilize friends and allies living in those areas to amplify posts and make supportive calls.