Today is Human Rights Day, and the last day of the 16 Days of Activism. “We are very, very proud of all our clubs and members who have stood up for the rights of all women and girls globally over the last two weeks,” said President Sonja Hönig Schough. Read more in a blog post: http://bit.ly/2h0bIe0
In anticipation of the opening of the campaign, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, the Zonta Club of Ilocos Norte, Philippines, distributed banners with the heading, “Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women,” to the two cities and 21 municipalities in the province of Ilocos Norte, to the mayors.
Zonta clubs in Austria joined together to raise awareness for violence against women by distributing specially produced fair-trade chocolate.
The chocolate from renowned Austrian chocolatier Zotter not only tastes delicious, but is also a great means to inform people about Zonta and the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign (on the inside cover).
The chocolate bars are sold at Zonta charity events and through Zonta club members. Proceeds fromare donated to local projects that fight violence against women.
Violence against women has been used in conflicts throughout the known history of man. In modern times, it has often been met with denial and silence. Zonta International calls on the United Nations and its Member States to commit to stopping violence against women in conflicts, and to find effective short-term and long-term working methods.
Zonta Club of Parker County, Texas, USA, received a proclamation from their city mayor Craig Swancy declaring 25 November as Zonta 16 Days Of Activism in the City of Weatherford and urged citizens to join to end violence against women and girls.
This year, the club placed eight new banners in the downtown square as well as at six different locations in Parker County to spread the work of the Zonta Says No To Violence Campaign. Club members tied orange ribbons around the trees and banners to bring awareness to the 16 Days of Activism. The club has made it a goal to create hope and to give help near and far to those who are in need.
Members of the Zonta Club of Kungälv, Sweden, have knitted orange articles in different shapes and patterns during the past two 16 Days of Activism campaigns. These works of knitted art made the local people aware of the message of Zonta and Zonta Says NO. This year, the club cooperated with the municipality of Kungälv. The arts are displayed at the city hall, in Mimers High School and in the shop window of Goopy By Spot.
Multiple Zonta clubs in France coordinated a special day to work together. The Zonta Club of Mâcon is just one of the many clubs in District 27 Area 02 that illuminated monuments or town halls in orange light to raise awareness against violence against women and to spread the Zonta Says NO message in their communities.
Whether migrant women are fleeing their countries of birth to escape conflict, exploitation, the after effects of natural disasters or humanitarian crises, or migrating by choice in search of greater economic opportunities, women migrants face a multitude of risks.
Nepal has long been a country of origin for labor migration and trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, for the purposes of sexual, labor and other forms of exploitation. Trafficking often takes place as part of undocumented migration and is a serious violation of human rights.
In the aftermath of the April and May 2015 earthquakes, Nepal faces a heightened risk of human trafficking and unsafe migration. Zonta International has committed US$1,000,000 to UN Women to create sustainable foundations for addressing the nexus between human trafficking and foreign labor migration of women and girls in Nepal.
Learn more at http://foundation.zonta.org/Nepal.
Zonta Club members on Kauai show off their banner saying no to violence against women. From left are Edie Ignacio Neumiller, Marge Akana, Laura Cristobal Andersland, MaBel Fujiuchi, Dimples Kano, Josie Cortez, Neva Olson, Sue Kanoho and Laura Peters. Back row from left, Carla Kaser, Jeanette Bonilla, Jo Grande and Marg Navarro. | The Garden Island
At the Zonta Club of Kauai’s General Membership meeting, the members supported the ZONTA SAYS NO to Violence Against Women by unveiling their new Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women banner. (The below article was published in The Garden Island Newspaper, Kauai Hawaii.)
Zonta Club of Kauai joins national campaign against domestic violence
WAILUA — Zonta Club of Kauai is saying no — no to violence against women. We want to stop domestic violence if we can,” said Edie Ignacio Neumiller, club member.
During its meeting Thursday at the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai, the club unveiled its banner that clearly stated its stance and joined a national campaign.
Throughout the 16 Days of Activism, Nov. 25 to this Saturday, the “Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women” campaign encourages all Zonta clubs and districts to participate by sharing their new and ongoing actions to end violence against women and girls.
Zonta Club of Kauai invites the community to join the international effort.
“There’s been awareness,” Neumiller said. “We want to move toward action, resources and helping other women.”
The Kauai club is looking to partner with other groups to share its mission. Through Saturday, members plan to promote awareness of domestic violence. “Violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive human rights violations and a global epidemic,” according to a press release. “It knows no national or cultural barriers and affects millions of women and girls in peacetime and conflict.”
Twice a year the Zonta Club of Geelong displays four large signs at different locations around the city. The four signs are more than 1-meter square and are designed to be used on municipal notice boards which are strategically placed on the verge of high volume roads around the municipality.
The signs are put up for a month in March and April and then again in November and December to coincide with the 16 Days of Activism as well as a local Month of Action to end men’s violence against women. Each time the signs are erected, the locations are changed so that over a period of time they appear in all areas of the municipality.
Join us in saying NO 