The Zonta Club of Parma held a conversation with with Professor Aluisi Tosolini, principal of one of the biggest scientific high schools in Emilia Romagna Region (> 1,700 scholars), author of many books on education and member of many commission at the Italian Ministry of Education.
The conversation, entitled “Through the eyes of girls and boys: the challenge of education poverty and gender-based violence,” was guided by Annamaria Ferrari, local journalist and member of the Zonta Club of Parma. Two female and one male students of the high school also participated in the conversation.
The event was presented by the Councilor of the Department of Equal Opportunity of the City of Parma. Many suggestions and ideas were presented: the pandemic as the largest digital teaching experiment ever made, the right formula for education as attention to the context and to the person, a concrete yet innovative vision about the value of education.
District 31 board members and leaders support the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign.
Zonta International District 31 (Taiwan) held an online meeting on 5 December for participating in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
Members from 24 clubs wore orange T-shirts, which symbolize the light and future, with the virtual background of Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women, and the hand gesture of “Say NO” to advocate together.
In recent days, one of Taiwan’s female legislators was exposed to violence, which aroused zero tolerance for violence in the society. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan’s Executive Yuan, one out of every five women has experienced intimate partner violence in their lives. In addition to paying attention to own safety, victims should also seek professional assistance, and should stand up bravely to say NO to violence.
During this period, the clubs in Taiwan held activities to say NO to violence in different cities, or to advocate in monthly regular meetings, letting the orange power wild spread in Taiwan, put an end to violence, to maintain social peace and harmony.
On 5 December, the online meeting, “Zonta Gives Love to Uganda~Sewing Machines Donation Ceremony,” was held. This event is in cooperation with the like-minded organization, Love Binti International. Their service mission is consistent with Zonta’s.
Over the past year or so, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, members cannot personally send love or give service to Uganda, but their generous dedication fully demonstrates the spirit of respecting and loving of others.
In a speech at the meeting, Sara Liu, chairman of Love Binti International said: “They personally saw the needs of African women.”
District 31 clubs donated US$44,000 within a short period of time to Love Binti to buy 250 sewing machines and some spare parts to help Uganda and remote areas in Africa set up tailor training centers to train women to sew cloth pads for local girls. Fifteen to 20 will be set up at a new training center, while the rest will be distributed in 20 local communities.
Through the micro-loan program, women are encouraged to apply for sewing machine to make cloth pads, dresses or bags. The products they make can be sold through the production and sales platform to help local women learn skills, enhance their economic ability, let the sewing skills turn the family well, and their children can go to school.
District 31 undertakes the service mission of Zonta International and the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, continue to promote gender equality, education quality, health and well-being, etc., and teams up with the like-minded organization to do local and international services.
In 2015, a few young people from Taiwan teamed up to Africa. With the cooperation of churches, local organizations, some international non-governmental organizations and Taiwanese businessmen, the service was started. Three major projects are planned: improving sanitation conditions; improving infrastructure and rural cultivation; and assisting disadvantaged African women in learning skills, economic autonomy, maintaining health and children receiving education.
The Zonta Club of Glens Falls, USA, collaborated with SUNY Adirondack, the City of Glens Falls, Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls Hospital, Glens Falls National Bank, Catholic Charities, the Glens Falls Collaborative and approximately 14 Glens Falls businesses for its Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign.
The Glens Falls business and non-profit community will support the campaign by displaying Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women posters in their windows. The Glens Falls Department of Public Works volunteered to hang flagpole posters on Glen Street through the help of Mayor Daniel Hall.
Some businesses will have giveaways “shining a light on violence” with orange to educate the public on the issue, as well as where and how to get help if someone is in need.
In addition, the Zonta club has collaborated with a breadth of community partners to bring total awareness to ensure that women’s rights are recognized as human rights, and no woman lives in fear of violence.
The Domestic Violence Project of Warren & Washington Counties, a program of Catholic Charities, is contributing a community-wide display of the Silent Witness Project, a national memorial honoring women and others who were murdered in acts of domestic violence. This exhibit—on view locally during the 16 Days of Activism at SUNY Adirondack, and Glens Falls Hospital—features red, life-size silhouettes. Each figure conveys the story of a local woman’s life and death. The Uncounted Woman figure bears witness to those whose deaths have not been acknowledged.
In 1990, women artists in Minnesota first created and launched the Silent Witness Project to memorialize the 26 women murdered in acts of domestic violence in the state that year, and to protest and spur public action to stop the killings.
The Domestic Violence Resource Center and Zonta Club of Greater Reno are partnering to bring awareness to the 16 Days of Activism.
“This year, leaders of the community including Reno City Attorney, Karl Hall, members of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), victim service providers, and many more are videotaping testimonials about their personal experiences or why they believe in standing against gender violence,” said Joy Orlich, President, Zonta Club of Greater Reno.
Click here to see the videos that will be posed each day of the 16 Day Campaign.
Click here for a link to the Domestic Violence Resource Center’s Facebook Page.
“We recognize the urgency of this ongoing collaboration due to the local, national and international toll that violence against all people, and specifically women, has on individuals, families and communities,” says Judi Howell, Executive Director, Domestic Violence Resource Center. “According to the U.N., 243 million women and girls between 15 and 49 were physically or sexually assaulted by an intimate partner last year. And, sadly, those are just the numbers we know about.”
Each year, the Zonta Club of Lebanon, USA, holds a campaign to raise awareness of domestic violence. As part of the campaign, the group erects a display of pinwheels on the lawn of the courthouse for 16days from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10 to commemorate the lives lost to domestic violence in Boone County.
“A goal of the Zonta Club of Lebanon is to build awareness to eliminate domestic violence and sexual assault in our community,” Zonta Club of Lebanon member Suzanne Leeke said.
The display also includes a hotline number for victims to call. Also, there are a number of yard signs up throughout the county at homes and businesses to bring awareness to the issue that is prevalent in our society.
The central Indiana Zonta Clubs also got together to march around the Clinton County courthouse. The Lebanon club joined the Zonta clubs of Frankfort and Indianapolis and high school Z clubs of Lebanon and Frankfort to kick off the event.
A proclamation was read by Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets and Frankfort Police Chief Scott Shoemaker spoke to the group about the impact of domestic violence on families and the community.
Also, the Director of Domestic Violence Intervention and Prevention Program from the YWCA of Greater Lafayette, Meghann Dubea, also spoke of the programs that provide domestic violence intervention and prevention services.
The Zonta Club of South Puget Sound placed 83 orange pinwheels near the Tivoli Fountain at the Capitol Campus to recall the 83 homicides in Washington state in 2019-2020 in the context of intimate partner violence.
Per the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence which collates data semiannually, these murders include “domestic violence victims killed by abusive partners; children, friends and family members of domestic violence victims killed by abusers; law enforcement officers killed by abusers; abusers killed by domestic violence victims, often in self-defense; abusers killed by friends, family, or bystanders intervening on behalf of a victim.”
Many hands made light work at Terrigal on November 19 when 18 pine trees were festooned in colour.
The installation, organised by the Zonta Club of Central Coast, is part of Central Coast Says No to Domestic Violence month.
Zonta Club of Central Coast President, Christine Maclaren, said the vibrant, creative works show what can be done when community works together, and send a powerful message that we can all do something to end the cycle of domestic abuse.
“By creating respectful relationships in our families and workplaces, and refusing to excuse put downs or bullying, we can all build a better community,” she said.
The art installation, which comprises hundreds of brightly coloured squares, shapes and decorations, with each tree also bearing a powerful anti-violence message, will be in place until December 17 and has already generated interest and comment.
“We’ve had comments such as ‘stunningly beautiful installation’,” Maclaren said.
“It’s been attracting a lot of attention, particularly from men.
“Children are entranced, and adults are photographing the signs.”
Between November 25 and December 10, the Zonta Club of Guelph, Canada, encourages the public to wear orange in support of ending gender-based violence.
Spokesperson Tanya Tagwerker says the campaign’s goal is to raise awareness.
“Our hope is that through education, awareness and programming that we can make a difference,” Tagwerker said.
“If we reflect on our thought processes, even in the last 40 years, and to look at where we have come in the last 40 years as far as equality for women and girls, we’ve come a long way.”
The Zonta Club and the City of Guelph turned the lights orange in Market Square during an opening ceremony on Nov 24. Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis generated awareness by raising a Wrapped in Courage flag at City Hall that same day.
For the remainder of the campaign, the lights in Market Square will be lit in orange from dusk until dawn in support of women and children who face violence.
Tagwerker said there are many ways the community can participate and show its support.
“We are posting daily actions on our social media,” she said. “If you follow our social media, you can find little ways and things that you can do (to participate).”
On 25 November, the Zonta Club of Kathmandu, Nepal, launched a campaign to raise awareness on the importance of speaking up against domestic violence, work/public place harassment and child marriage.
Women continue to make up the bulk of victims of abuse but often do not report it due to stigma and fear of not being believed and supported. The Zonta club has produced four short films deliver the vital campaign message – Kahihe kahi hoina, Kahile pani hundaina (“It’s never ever ok”). The videos were produced with financial support from Siddhartha Bank and MG.
The launch was attended by government officials, diplomats, development partners, civil society members, and media.
“Very often we hear people justify violence by saying it happens sometimes, so let it be. 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 Seema Golchha, the club’s president. “The video, we hope, will encourage victims to seek help and let them know of the helpline options where they can safely call and speak up.”
Ann-Marie Davis, wife of Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis and current representative of the Office of the Spouse, along with Patricia Minnis, former representative of the Office of the Spouse, together tied the first orange ribbon for the 2021 “Orange the World” campaign against gender-based violence (GBV).
Davis and Minnis spoke in solidarity against incidents of violence towards women and girls in the country.
Led by the Zonta Club of New Providence, Bahamas, the campaign is part of international advocacy against violence. After the first bow was tied at Lincoln Boulevard Park, Zontians went throughout the Englerston and wider community tying bows and speaking to residents. Zonta received support from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Rotary Club and Englerston community leaders.
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