On May 15, solidarity day in Africa, junior high girls at the career fair sponsored by Zonta Club of Fort Smith added their names to those calling for the return of the Nigerian schoolgirls.
The career fair is an annual project of Zonta Club of Fort Smith, alternating between two local junior high schools. At this year’s fair, over 50 careers were represented by area women. As one presenter expressed, the career fair is not so much about the individual presenters as much as about the girls seeing a whole world of opportunities to them if they will stay in school and make good choices. In hosting this career fair, Zonta Club of Fort Smith provides service and advocacy for education. This year, members were able to include a specific advocacy action for the girls to take, as well. They were ready to raise their voices!
As part of May and Domestic Violence Prevention month the local Domestic Violence Resource Service put together an art installation of red roses at the local Library representing the women who have died from domestic violence. The Zonta Club of Macay Inc and their local Z clubs got to work and made over 150 red paper roses. To continue the theme, at the end of their Women in Science Breakfast that they hold for young female students in early May, they finished with the Z club students (and other students who wanted to participate) pinning a red rose onto a letter Z that can be seen as part of the installation.
As part of May and Domestic Violence Prevention month the local Domestic Violence Resource Service put together an art installation of red roses at the local Library representing the women who have died from domestic violence. The Zonta Club of Macay Inc and their local Z clubs got to work and made over 150 red paper roses. To continue the theme, at the end of their Women in Science Breakfast that they hold for young female students in early May, they finished with the Z club students (and other students who wanted to participate) pinning a red rose onto a letter Z that can be seen as part of the installation.
District 22 Zontians pulled on overalls and boots, strapped on miners’ belts and helmets, and switched on cap lamps to go underground at Australia’s iconic Mount Isa mine during the Area 5 meeting on 26 April.
The host club, the Zonta Club of Mount Isa, has 43 members and they are already planning what they can do with those orange overalls for the next phase of the ‘Zonta says NO’ campaign! Some members drove a total of more than 2000 kilometers to join their sister Zontians in the famous outback city.
Not yet 100 years old, “The Isa” has grown from an isolated mine in the middle of nowhere to a multicultural city of 23,000 built by successive influxes of Scots, Irish, Finns and Hungarians, who dreamed of making a fortune from the vast deposit of silver, lead, zinc, copper and other minerals in the ancient hills of the region.
Zonta Club of Fort Worth, TX, USA, honored the 114 Texas women murdered by their intimate partners in 2012–and the 15 children, family members and friends murdered with them– with a display of shoes on the steps of the Tarrant County 1895 Courthouse in Fort Worth on 18 March 2014.
Each pair of shoes was tagged with a woman’s story, and “Zonta Says NO” banners were posted at the top of the display. The purpose of the event was to bring awareness of violence against women to the community.
Club members and volunteers greeted each person who stopped, explained the display, listened to their stories and gave them a card about Zonta International and an orange “Zonta Says NO” wristband. Over 200 cards and wristbands were distributed, the local paper published a huge picture & article on the front page of the Tarrant & Texas section with a video and article on their website (below).
In addition, an international journalist published an article with many pictures on his London agency’s site for distribution worldwide. The club has received congratulations and praise from other women’s groups and former members.
Brenda Buck of Partners In Prevention speaks about human trafficking, on Tuesday March 11, 2014, during a Zonta International meeting at Johnny Cace’s Seafood and Steakhouse. (Michael Cavazos/News-Journal Photo)
Less than two weeks after a Longview prostitution sting, the Zonta Club of Longview took the next step of preventative action.
Zonta Club of Longview on Tuesday discussed violence against women and children during a meeting at Johnny Cace’s Seafood and Steak House. The event featured four speakers, educating a crowd of Zonta members and guests.
“How many of you have had a friend tell you about sex trafficking?” Partners in Prevention representative Brenda Buck asked the audience.
One hand rose.
While most of the audience attended a similar Zonta human trafficking awareness event last year, the listeners still experienced little to no conversation about this crime among friends.
“We’ve tried to raise awareness, because that’s really the best defense we have,” Buck said.
The event came less than two weeks after Homeland Security and the Longview Police Department led an undercover prostitution sting that netted two arrests and several arrest warrants filed. Speakers made the link between prostitution and human trafficking.
Worldwide, Saudi Arabia’s 2013 population of 27 million people equates to the recorded victims of human trafficking. However, this particular escalating crime of coerced bondage is creeping to the backyard of East Texas.
In 2008, Texans represented 38 percent of National Trafficking Resource Center phone calls, according to the U.S. Commission of Civil Rights.
The United States Commission on Civil Rights estimates that the business of human trafficking draws in about $32 billion annually most often through money-laundered businesses such as, nail salons, hotels, restaurants, massage therapy and reflexology spas, Buck further explained.
During a year’s time, unpaid wages of victims ring up to $20 billion due to the continuous and recyclable use of women, children and men, panel member Longview Police spokeswoman Kristie Brian added.
The U.S. Department of Justice organizes human trafficking into two categories: sex trafficking and involuntary servitude.
Texas has one of the largest borders in the United States, which further allows the longest continuous un-tolled freeway, Interstate-10, to serve as a catalyst for crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“This is a very complex issue and has several factors from local authorities to state authorities to federal authorities,” said Louellen Lowe, a representative of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s office. “There is no silver bullet but hopefully by looking at these facts, there are some things that the government can do to make it better.”
Cornyn, R-Texas, unveiled legislation in Longview in February to give agencies that are battling sex trafficking a funding source in their effort to return young women to normal life.
The bill, which is being sponsored in the U.S. House of Representatives by Kingwood Republican Ted Poe, funnels fees from prosecution of sex traffickers into a fund from which law enforcement and anti-sex trade agencies can draw.
Cornyn said in February that his bill has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee of which he is a member. Ten senators and 54 House members, 10 of those from Texas, had signed on as co-sponsors in February.
During the 16 Days of Activism, District 17 has turned orange!
The District 17’s ZONTA SAYS NO campaign has achieved excellent success. Each of the 6 Areas supported the campaign ardently, culminating into three-weekend activities around the territories of Phillipines, Hong Kong & Bangkok. So far we know that about 90% of our clubs have organized/participated in ZSN activities, this figure may grow with more reports coming in!
Highlights included a Walk & Talk with Zonta organized by Area 1 in Manila on November 24. About 200 Zontians, Golden Z & Z Club members took part in this meaningful walk. The area of Greenhills has turned orange with Zontian tee-shirts, giant banners, and advocacy cry of ‘Zonta Says No’. The ZSN seminar that followed was opened by AD Daisy Arce, with key note speaker Senator Cynthia Villar, DG Winnie Teoh & D17 Advocacy Chair Lynn Alentajin. The activity provided the beginning of other clubs’ own 16 day activism programme.
The 6 Zonta Clubs in Hong Kong, Area 2 started early on December 8, with one hour interview on prestigious radio show on Commercial Radio. DG & Zonta team was interviewed immediately afterwards on Radio Hong Kong, reaching a total of over 1 million Hong Kong radio listeners through these 2 programmes. Two trams brightly decorated with ZSN message, balloons & signage, accompanied by cries of NO TO VIOLENCE Against Women, travelled through the business streets & was seen by an estimated 200,000 Hong Kong citizens. Special newspapers coverage in 9 dailies have called attention to VAW with readership of 2.5 million. We have managed to raise visibility of ZONTA & awareness of women rights & VAW in a big way.
In Cebu, Area 3 established over 10 giant ZSN banners at prominent locations, and outdoor TV messages broadcasting 72 times a day. The ZSN Forum on November 25 was participated by about 500 participants representing 20 organizations. DG Winnie Teoh, AD3 Anita Sanchez & CP of Cebu 1 Lucille Colina was interviewed in a one-hour programme on Skycable TV hosted by well-known media personality Bobit Avila. Cebu City & Cebu Province has declared November as the Zonta month, and this is a great recognition of ZONTA’s contribution to the community.
Area 4 organized a press conference in Laoag on November 22 participated by 1 TV station, 2 national print, & 4 radio stations and much coverage & awareness on VAW has resulted. Location banners & 2 ZSN forums were organized. Their signature campaign has acquired the endorsement of 16,000 signatures including leading government officials Governor of Laoag Imee Marcos, City Major of Laoag Chevylle Farinas, as well as other community leaders, interested citizens & students.
Area 5 conducted a ZSN seminar in Manila on November 23 with DG Winnie Teoh, Cecile Oebanda, ED of Visayan Forum & Hon Elisa Flores, Judge, Regional Trail Court Branch 17 as speakers. We have called attention to the suffering of the VAW victims, and highlighted various laws protecting the women in the Philippines. The ZONTA group then proceed to the lit up of ZSN message on the giant globe at Mall of Asia in Manila. The ZSN message was seen by many pedestrians & passing cars in metro Manila region.
Area 6 participated in a booth showcasing ZI/VAW activities of 14 clubs at an event in Bangkok, organized by Ministry of Social Development & Human Security. The resulting video clip was broadcasted nationally on TV. ZC of Bangkok 2 conducted a whistle campaign with 32 organizations, & ZC Bangkok I organized a massive motorcade on November 1 with 100 vans carrying ZSN slogans travelling in the city of Bangkok! AD6 Palarp Sinhaseni was interviewed in half hour TV programme with audience of 50,000. Much creditability & visibility have been achieved!
The ZSN campaign will not end with the 15 days activism. It has provided us with a platform to highlight the magnitude of VAW. Under the leadership of AD Linda Wang, Area 2 has just concluded 6 VAW projects with member NGOs through the co-ordination of the Hong Kong Council of Social Services. A first in the history of ZONTA in Hong Kong!
Let us continue our good work for VAW & women empowerment for the rest of the biennium!
Zonta Club of Bangkok 1 organized “ 100 Days 100 Vans to Says No by Zonta Bangkok 1” on December 1, 2013 at Assumption University in Bangkok, Thailand. A Caravan of Campaign Stickers on 100 vans were launched covering the whole area of Bangkok and its vicinity . Those “ZONTA Says No stickers” will be seen rapidly by millions of people since the 100 vans from Montri Transport Corporation PLC., the leading transportation firm in Thailand, will be running from the center of the city and around for 100 days starting from 1 December 2013 until 10 March 2014. Also on that day, 100 women wore orange and joined the Martial Art Training.
************************************************************************** Thanks to all the club’s partners : UN Women, Montri Transport Corporation PLC. , Assumption University, Asa Wittaya School, Community Foundation, Atthayooth Matial Arts Club and Crime Suppression Department, Royal Thai Police for the support.
Zonta members pose next to sign used in campaign to increase awareness of domestic violence against women and girls. Members (from left) are: Kristin Greeley, Debbie Vecchio, Theresa Harris and Jessica Sloma
From: syracuse.com, powered by The Post-Standard:
Zonta Club of Syracuse, along with members of the local community, recently participated in 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence – an international campaign to raise awareness of and increase actions to end violence against women and girls around the world.
“We cannot and must not ignore the fact that violence against women and girls is still pervasive in all kinds of countries and societies, with one in three girls impacted during their lifetime,” said Zonta International President Lynn McKenzie
The Zonta Club of Syracuse displayed a ‘Zonta Says NO’ banner at the Destiny USA Mall and worked to raise awareness of the domestic violence situation by handing out orange ribbons, bracelets and pens to keep the issue at top of mind awareness. People who visited the Zonta table were encouraged to attend Vera House’s Report to the Community to hear the challenges and strides made in domestic violence right in our very own community.
Since June 2012, the Zonta International Foundation has raised more than $600,000 to fight violence against women. Zonta International’s ongoing efforts to end violence against women and girls are carried out through the Zonta International Strategies to End Violence against Women (ZISVAW) program and through Zonta’s partnerships with the United Nations and its agencies.
Founded in 1919, Zonta International is a global organization of executives and professionals working together to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy. Originating in Buffalo, NY, Syracuse was one of the charter club locations.
Join us in saying NO 