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Zonta Club of Cebu II hosts a workshop for female officers on gender-responsive delivery of services to violence survivors

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On 28 November, the Zonta Club of Cebu II, Philippines, held a seminar/workshop that focused on blaming the perpetrator of gender-based violence instead of the survivor, establishing a referral network, and collective efforts to stop the violence.

Female police officers assigned to the Women and Children Protection Unit (WCPU) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in different cities and municipalities of Region 7 participated in the workshop, titled “Strengthening PNP WCPU through Gender-Responsive Delivery of Service to VAWC Survivors.”

The workshop was conducted by attorney Myles Gonzales-Esquivel, executive director of Miriam College Child Rights Advocacy Center and legal consultant of Child Protection Unit-Philippine General Hospital. She is also a member of the Philippine Commission on Women.

The goal of the workshop was to equip service providers and front-line workers with techniques to provide gender-responsive delivery of services. Gender-responsive service providers practice continuum care, respect, informed consent, non-judgmental attitude and gender-fair language.

People should not engage in victim-blaming, a devaluing act that occurs when the victim or victims of a crime or an accident is held responsible, in whole or in part, for the crimes that have been committed against them, Gonzales-Esquivel emphasized.

“It is important to keep in mind that a person who has been affected by gender-based violence is never responsible for the perpetrator’s action. The responsibility and the accountability should be given to the perpetrator of violence and not to the victim-survivor,” she said.

Gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against women and children (VAWC) persist because of inadequate economic resources, which creates patterns of violence and poverty among women and LGBT+ people. When unemployment and poverty affect men, this can also cause them to assert their masculinity through violence.

According to Gonzales-Esquivel, GBV is an issue involving patriarchy and relations of power and is based on a feeling of male superiority and dominance, with an intention to relegate the female to a subordinate role at home, at school and at work, in the community or in society as a whole.

During the workshop, participants were divided into groups to identify areas for improvement, and corresponding recommendations on how to ensure gender-responsive and socially-inclusive services to GBV and VAWC survivors. Since resources are limited, those who work with VAW survivors must set up a referral network involving other agencies for a more coordinated and cost-effective response to violence.

Zonta Club of Ashtabula Area kicks 16 Days and Zonta Says NO with billboards about human trafficking

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The Zonta Club of Ashtabula Area, USA, purchased two billboards in their county to display the Zonta Says NO campaign and hotline information for human trafficking.

The club met at one of the billboards with fellow advocates to walk down to the city’s lift bridge. Along the way, the shared local, state and federal statistics and laws on violence and trafficking. Upon reaching their final destination, the club lit the lift bridge in orange for 16 Days of Activism. At the lighting, they invited speakers from the local Homesafe Women’s Shelter, County officials and interested community members to speak about violence and trafficking.

Zonta Club of Kauai brings Awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

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For the annual 16 Days of Activism and Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaigns, the Zonta Club of Kauai, USA, brought awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), including Native Hawaiians. The Red Dress Exhibit will be featured at the Kauai Society of Artists gallery at Kukui Grove Center from 25 November to 10 December for public viewing.

The public will learn more about #MMIWG at a special one-day event on 29 November, at Kukui Grove Center, which will include speakers, resources from YWCA and the American Association of University Women who are also partners of the club during the 16 Days of Activism.

Read the story by Dennis Fujimoto in this link: https://www.thegardenisland.com/2022/11/18/hawaii-news/zonta-red-dress-campaign-to-bring-attention-to-indigenous-females/?fbclid=IwAR1J53gYubS465lCvh-BrMG5LfaTlCQfEoc-Mkp5jD_LgCNRKHyg8zVYAVU

Zonta Club of Cheyenne presents What Were You Wearing sexual assault survivor exhibit

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The Zonta Club of Cheyenne, USA, presented a What Were You Wearing sexual assault survivor exhibit at Laramie County Community College from 7 to 11 November.

This impactful display asked viewers to understand that sexual assault is never about clothing. One intent of the exhibit was to release survivors from the burden of self-blame. It also challenged those who viewed the display to reflect on why the myth of connecting clothing and sexual assault continues to exist. The stories used in the exhibit were donated by survivors of sexual assault and were used with their consent. Viewers were asked to see themselves reflected in not only the outfits but also in the stories.

This realization moves one away from blaming the victim for violence and places the responsibility where it belongs, on those who caused the harm. The exhibit was offered in cooperation with Laramie County Community College.

Zonta Club of Prince George’s supports Purple Bike Ride Against Domestic Violence

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On 5 November, members of the Zonta Club of Prince George’s County Area participated in the Prince George’s County’s States Attorney’s 3rd Annual Purple Bike Ride to raise awareness of domestic violence.

As a prelude to the 16 Days of Activism, the club offered “Selfie Frames” for riders to commemorate the event and communicate their agreement with stopping the silence. They also gave away t-shirts donated by their local public television and information about domestic violence resources in our community. This event helped raise awareness of their club as well as domestic violence.

In the news: Gender-based violence: the women of the Zonta Club international immerse themselves in the realities.

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The women of the Zonta Club international initiated a conference on November 08, 2022 in Ouagadougou. 
The activity aims to raise women’s awareness of gender-based violence. 

The women who took part in this meeting within the framework of the 103rd anniversary of the Zonta Club international benefited from capacity building on GBV. 

According to Rasmata Derra, sociologist, expert in gender and development, GBV takes into account acts that inflict suffering, constraint and deprivation of freedoms against a person because of their sex. 
Dame Derra indicated that women and girls are the main victims.

Rasmata Derra, sociologist, gender and development expert

She also explained that forced marriages, physical violence, sexual exploitation, moral violence and abandonment of the marital home are all part of forms of gender-based violence.

Also according to this source, a WHO report published in 2012 revealed that per year, 475,000 deaths linked to interpersonal violence, of which 82% among women against 18% among men, are recorded.


Solange Hien, President of the Zonta club of Ouagadougou for the 2022-2024 biennium

President of the Zonta club of Ouagadougou for the biennale, Mrs. Solange Hien invites the entire population to get involved in the fight against GBV. 

She believes that it is necessary to break gender inequalities. 
“  This is only possible if we ourselves master these concepts of inequalities between men and women,” she said.



The speakers plan to advocate in order to achieve Zonta’s objectives for the 2022-2024 biennium. 
This includes serving locally and globally, improving the legal, political, economic and professional status of women.


In addition, they intend to promote justice, universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

As a reminder, Zonta International is a global service, interprofessional, apolitical and non-denominational organization that brings together women and men from around the world with responsibilities in administration, commerce, the liberal professions and the business world.

Also read:  
What you need to know about gender-based violence in Burkina Faso
Its members put their skills at the service of others by conducting discussions and actions aimed at promoting women in social and cultural life. 
The organization was born on November 8, 1919 in Buffalo, USA.

Zonta Club of Hong Kong releases “16 Days of Inspiration”

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In a prelude to the 16 Days of Activism, the Zonta Club of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, shared a series of 16 videos called “16 Days of Inspiration.” Each one-minute video features an accomplished woman in Hong Kong sharing their visions for building a better world for women and girls.

The trailer dropped on 8 November, and from 9 to 24 November, the club will release an episode per day leading up to the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign. The ensemble includes Guo Jingling, an Olympic gold medalist and UNICEF ambassador and Dr. Rebecca Lee Lok-Sze, a renowned explorer. Rebecca is the first Hong Konger and woman to have visited the Arctic, Antarctica and Mount Everest.

Zonta Club of Corry Area to observe 16 Days of Activism

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As members of Zonta International, the Zonta Club of the Corry Area works year-round to support Zonta’s mission of “empowering women through service and advocacy.” Zonta International is a leading global organization of professionals building a better world for women and girls.

A main goal of Zonta International’s advocacy is eliminating gender-based violence against women. That advocacy includes observing “16 Days of Activism,” which focuses on “Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women, Child Marriage and Teenage Pregnancy.”

The focus of 16 Days of Activism is to raise public awareness of worldwide problems. Every year during this time, Zonta clubs and Zontians worldwide take action and advocate to end gender-based violence in all its forms.

The global campaign began Friday and runs through Dec. 10.

The campaign’s goal is to get more people to not look away but to speak up and take action. Through a multitude of events, projects and advocacy efforts, Zonta clubs and members around the world are dedicated to ending gender-based violence.

Connie Cooper is the president of the Zonta Club of the Corry Area. She said the club has set a goal to raise awareness of, and take action to prevent, gender-based violence during the 16 Days of Activism.

“Follow our Facebook page for daily messages highlighting the issues surrounding and actions you can take toward ending violence against women and girls. Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ every day to spread the message.”

To view the page, join the campaign to end violence against women and share the messages, go to Facebook.com/Zonta Club of Corry.

On Nov. 8, Zonta International celebrated its 103rd anniversary. For Zonta’s 100th anniversary in 2019, the Corry Zonta club purchased a yellow banner with the theme “Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women” in black letters. The banner also shows the symbol of Zonta. For a few weeks each summer, the banner is displayed across North Center Street to spread the word to the Corry community about Zonta’s mission.

But the Corry Zonta club does so much more. Zonta International’s ongoing service efforts are demonstrated through numerous local projects and programs and through partnerships with the United Nations and its agencies.

“Locally, the Zonta Club of Corry supports the efforts of Safe Journey and its affiliate, Purple One, both financially and with service projects,” Cooper said. “Specifically, during the 16 Days of Activism, the members of the Zonta Club of Corry donate Christmas gift bags filled with essential items to be given to women and children in shelters who are fleeing domestic violence with the hope of bringing a little joy to their world during the holidays.”

The Corry Zonta club also invited Steven Sears, program specialist at Safe Journey, and Erie County District Attorney Beth Hirz to recent meetings. Sears spoke about Purple One, a bystander intervention program where victims can seek help from trained individuals. Hirz explained the widespread challenges facing women and girls in Erie County and the practices put into place to help them. She also discussed practices in place to help victims of human trafficking.

The Corry Zonta club also volunteers for Shower the Shelter, when members ask the community to donate essential items to Safe Journey for victims of domestic abuse.

The Corry club is a member of District 4, Area 5. District 4 includes 31 clubs with about 620 members in six areas from eastern Ontario, Canada, to western New York and Pennsylvania.Area 5 also includes clubs Warren, Erie, Bradford, Jamestown, N.Y., and Olean, N.Y. District 4 was home to the first Zonta club, established in Buffalo in 1919.

Sheena Poole, of Ontario, Canada, is the District 4 governor.

“I’m very proud of the Zonta Club of Corry. Members are increasing awareness and tackling issues to ensure women’s rights are recognized as human rights and that no woman or girl lives in fear of violence,” Poole said. “The International Zonta Says No campaign brings 62 countries, 1,103 clubs and 26,790 members together to say ‘No.’ We need community members to partner with the Zonta Club of Corry to stop the injustices and build a better world for women and girls. Join with Zonta and say ‘No!’”
Violence against women and girls threatens countries, inhibits economic progress, and prevents women from contributing to their community and creating better lives for themselves and their families, according to Zonta International.

Cooper said the Zonta Club of Corry is more than willing to join in the effort to halt violence against women and girls.

“It is such an honor and privilege to serve the women and girls in our local community. The need is great and we are here to help in any way we can,” Cooper said.

In addition to Cooper, officers of the Corry club are Judy Daley, first vice president; Marie Zamiska, second vice president; Reva Lowry, treasurer, Maryann Mook, secretary; and board members Barb Diehl and Donna VanTassel.

Zonta Club of Greater Dhaka launches 16 Days of Activism against gender violence

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Marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, The Zonta International, a globally acclaimed service organisation, has launched its ‘16 Days of Activism’ campaign on Friday against gender-based violence.

Starting from November 25, the campaign will feature several events and activities on eradicating violence against women and girls in society and advancing women’s rights, continuing till December 10, the International Human Rights Day.

Six Zonta Clubs in Dhaka and Chattogram organised a rally at the Gulshan Society Lake Park in the capital on Friday afternoon to kick off the activism program, which was joined by the distinguished and eminent Zontians to celebrate their unity against gender-based violence.

Presidents and executives of the different units of Zonta celebrated the unity alongside the club members wearing orange dresses, paraded the park in a procession, and shared their viewpoints and agendas with the press.

Zonta Club of Greater Dhaka’s President Tehmina Enayet, Zonta Club of Dhaka I President Shamim Ara Hossain, Dhaka II President Shayla Banu, Dhaka III President Nusrat Haque, Dhaka IV Rehana Kamal, Zonta Club of Chittagong President Mortuza Begum, Zonta Club of Greater Dhaka Advocacy Chair and former President Tootli Rahman, Zonta District 25 Advocacy Chairperson Nilufer Zafarullah, District 25 Lieutenant Governor Dr Zarin Delawar Hussain and other distinguished club members joined the event, to name a few.

“The “16 Days of Activism” campaign is a globally recognized, extremely important campaign for us, the Zonta Club members. We have been working for women’s rights and advocating for gender equality, promoting education for all, and raising voices against child marriage and gender-based violence. We have supported numerous projects over the years including the ‘Ashar Alo Pathshala’ which we have visited last week, an acclaimed initiative that stopped a number of early marriages of adolescent girls in Kurigram, led by a young social worker named Kumar Bishwajit Barman,” Tehmina Enayet, a renowned entrepreneur, connoisseur of art and Zonta Club of Greater Dhaka’s President, told UNB.

Zonta Club of Dhaka II President Shayla Banu said, “Six great units of Zonta have been celebrating this campaign with different activities over the years, including the implementation of necessary advocacy plans to stop violence against women and children. We also spread awareness among adolescent girls in the educational institutions and different parts of the country, as part of this campaign.”

“In our society, a girl who has been sexually assaulted is often frightened to seek medical attention, social retribution, or police intervention because our medical curriculum and the societal system do not provide sufficient instruction on how to respectfully treat a girl who has been sexually assaulted. It is crucial to teach these concepts to all of our children because only then can gender-based violence be eradicated from society, and we are actively working to advocate against that violence and child marriage alongside our other projects.,” said Dr Zarin Delawar Hussain, Lt Governor of Zonta District 25.

Emphasizing on the importance of education at the root level, Zonta Club of Dhaka III President Nusrat Haque said, “During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen that many adolescent girls were forced out of schools and had to sit for marriages. Our fight is against these kinds of situations and we want our girls to be empowered with education.”

Echoing that, Tehmina Enayet expressed gratitude to the government on behalf of the Zontians, for implementing access to education for women across the country. “The danger of child marriage must be totally eliminated and all girls should pursue education and build a sense of identity, and I want to thank our honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her bold and significant policies which are constantly eliminating the barriers for women in the society,” she said.

As part of the campaign activities during this yearly campaign, the Zonta Clubs of Dhaka and Chittagong will host several events including a rickshaw pullers rally and tree plantation in Baridhara park on Monday, a special radio program on Tuesday which will be joined by Tootli Rahman and Tehmina Enayet, a special procession with placards and banners on the roadside of the Gulshan Avenue front side of Azad Mosque on next Saturday.

On Sunday, the members will visit the Zonta Club’s flagship partner school Sporsho’s Children’s Day event, in which visually challenged students will have a reading session through the Braille Book sponsored by Zonta Club of Greater Dhaka. The club members will be exchanging views on topics including early child marriage and “Good Touch –Bad Touch” with the students and then participate in a cultural show with the children.

On Tuesday, there will be several events including a video screening session with the children of Zonta Club Greater Dhaka members at its President’s residence at the capital’s Baridhara. The session will screen videos on climate change, early child Marriage, and sexual abuse with younger girls in Bangladesh, followed by a candlelight rally by club members.

The series of events will come to an end on December 9, Friday, with a special art workshop by two eminent artists and 10 students of Mayer Doa School, on the theme of early child marriage and the rights of girl children in society at the same venue.

https://unb.com.bd/category/Lifestyle/zonta-club-of-greater-dhaka-launches-16-days-of-activism-against-gender-violence/105299

In the News: Zonta Club of Kathmandu Walkathon Against Gender-based ViolenceIn the News:

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The Zonta Club of Kathmandu today organised a walkathon to promote activism to end violence against women and girls.

The walkathon started from Durbar Marg with more than 500 participants walking towards Basantapur Durbar Square, and concluded with a street play with powerful messages against gender-based violence.

The event coincided with the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence from 25 November-10 December 2021. This year, the UN marks the 16 Days under the theme “UNiTE! Activism to end violence against women and girls”.

“The 16-day activism gives us a platform to unite and raise our voices against gender-based violence. Women from all walks of life continue to make up the bulk of victims of abuse. Through this walkathon and other events over the next 16 days, we hope to put the spotlight back on creating action and supporting survivors of domestic violence, uniting activists working to end gender-based violence and creating solidarity for the women’s rights movement,” said Ava Shah President of Zonta Club of Kathmandu.

“Gender-based violence is a serious human rights violation that affects women’s well-being and her ability to lead a productive life. It also impacts their families and has tremendous cost implications, including loss of productivity and opportunities to earn livelihoods. Every woman has the right to live free from violence. Through this walkathon, the Zonta Club called on influencers, activists, the media and the youth to amplify their voices against gender-based violence,” said Shreejana Rana, Governor of Zonta International, District 25.

Zonta has produced four short films that are being played at QFX cinemas over the 16-day campaign period.

“These short films deliver the vital message that violence/harassment and child marriages are never okay – not one time, NOT EVER and one must speak up,” said Vidushi Rana, chair of 16-days campaign on violence against women of Zonta Club of Kathmandu. “The videos, we hope, will encourage victims to seek help and let them know of the helpline options where they can safely call and speak up.”

As part of the initiative, Zonta will also stage a series of street plays and organize discussions in schools and public places in Kathmandu and surrounding areas. In the lead up to the walkathon, Zonta also rallied influencers to advocate against gender-based violence and create awareness on the importance of speaking up. These clips are being widely circulated in the social media.

The walkathon was organized with support from Kumari Bank, JGI Foundation, Laxmi Bank, KTM City, LiBird, Welt Hunger Hlife, German Cooperation, and Aqua Hundred.

Zonta International is a leading global organization of professionals, empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy.

Under the umbrella of Zonta International, the Zonta Club Kathmandu was established in 2012. It is a registered NGO in Kathmandu and has been working on the advancement of the status of women with the objective to improve the economy, education, health, and issues related to youth and violence against women at the local and national levels through service and advocacy.

https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/zonta-club-of-kathmandu-walkathon-against-gender-based-violence