16DaysofActivism

In the news: Orange dolls fill storefronts in Zonta campaign to end gender-based violence

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Many Midland storefronts display orange lady dolls as part of the Zonta Club of Midland’s campaign to end gender-based violence.

The orange dolls, named Julie, are to raise awareness for Zonta International’s service project, Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women.

The project was adopted from the United Nations 16 Days of Activism campaign to unite towards a common cause of ending gender-based violence.

One in three women will experience gender-based violence in her lifetime, and it is one of Zonta’s missions that no woman shall live in fear of violence. During the 16 Days of Activism, from Nov. 25 through Dec. 10, organizations and Zonta Clubs throughout the world raise awareness about this issue and challenge people to stand up and say NO to violence against women.

This year’s theme is “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls.” The campaign aims to raise awareness about the escalating problem of digital violence, which includes online harassment, abuse, and exploitation. Orange is the color of the campaign, and the dolls represent the women in our community who have fallen victim to violence. 

The orange dolls are named in honor of Julie, who was a 23-year-old female who was riding her bike to a friend’s house in Belgium when she was attacked. She attempted to fight off the attacker, but she was much smaller. He strangled her and threw her into the canal, where her body was found three days later. Her attacker was a serial rapist released on parole who slipped through the cracks of the justice system.

Julie’s family is prompting changes in Belgium’s judicial system in her memory, so this does not happen to other women. Julie’s aunt is a member of the Zonta Club of Midland and advocates for women to protect themselves and men to stand up and pledge to say no to violence against women.

Julie’s death is not in vain as her family and friends are continuing her legacy in advocating for ending gender-based violence. You can follow Julie’s story on Instagram @julie.vanespenslife.

You can help Zonta take a stand and say NO to violence against women by taking a selfie with the dolls, posting on Facebook your selfie and how you will stand up to violence against women, and tagging Zonta Club of Midland.

Zonta Club of Midland is a service organization working to advance the status of women and girls in Midland and is part of Zonta International, a leading global organization of individuals working together to build a better world for women and girls. Additional information can be found at ZontaClubOfMidland.org.

Read the full article here.

In the news: “Red Shoes on Display”: “Zonta Says No” returns to Savona to put an end to violence against women

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A special contest to honor the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is back. Zonta International’s Savona chapter has decided to organize the second edition of this very special initiative.

“Zonta says NO” is even more evocative this year thanks to the collaboration with AICC (Italian Association of Ceramic Cities) – an association that brings together municipalities with an established ceramic tradition recognized by the MISE (Ministry of Economic Development) and the Baia della ceramica (with the municipalities of Savona, Albissola Marina, Albisola Superiore and Celle Ligure), coordinated by Indaco grafica & eventi.

A contest will be organized with the merchants of the city of Torretta, involving many participants, to raise awareness of an important issue and liven up their shop windows. The contest will feature themed shop windows set up by participating businesses, displaying the “red ceramic shoes” part of a project launched in 2017 with the initiative’s partners (AICC and Baia della Ceramica).

From November 17th to 28th, it will be possible to admire many of the city’s shop windows set up on the themes that will be the subject of the contest. On the afternoon of November 28th (at 2:30 pm) in the Sala Rossa of the Municipality of Savona, photographs of the shop windows will be brought to life and, thanks to a selected jury, the three most evocative shop windows will be recognized.

All citizens are invited to visit the shop windows in the city and also to participate on November 28th for the closing of this event, which is certainly deeply felt by all the protagonists of this edition.

“This initiative aims to represent a very sensitive topic that, on this occasion, unites commerce, the art of ceramics, and the Zonta Club Savona in a large journey through themed installations to not forget… and reflect,” says Elisa Zanelli, president of the Savona chapter of Zonta International.

This story was translated into English using Google Translate.

Read the full article here.

District 25 youth leaders release “Safe and Empowered: United Against Abuse”

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Nasreen Khan, District Chair for Z and Youth Clubs in District 25, has produced a special video for the 16 Days of Activism. The clip features Z and Youth Club members from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal discussing cyberbullying and early child marriage.

The video is centered on the theme “Safe and Empowered: United Against Abuse,” highlighting the collective voice of young leaders who are calling for awareness, protection and meaningful action.

District 25 hopes that Zontians and supporters worldwide will watch, share and uplift the voices of these youth advocates. Leaders emphasized that hearing directly from young people is essential to shaping solutions that protect their rights and empower the next generation.

Click here to watch the video.

Intimate partner violence, femicide and the effect is is having on the shelter system

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As part of its 16 Days of Activism initiatives, the Zonta Club of Toronto, Canada, hosted a virtual panel discussion on Nov. 12 examining the urgent issues of intimate partner violence (IPV), femicide and their growing impact on the shelter system.

Panelists included Marrisa Kokkoros of Aura Freedom International, Wendy De Souza of METRAC and Grace Kolawole of Street Haven Shelters. Each expert shared data, lived experiences and frontline insights, much of which served as a sobering reminder of the scale and severity of gender-based violence in Canada and around the world.

Access the video by using this link and passcode: p0f5?r6#

Zonta Club of Tokyo II holds Table Talk for Zonta Says NO

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The Zonta Club of Tokyo II, Japan, held a Zonta Says NO table talk during its November regular meeting.

The Zonta Club of Bangkok IX collaborates with Golden Z Club to say NO to violence against women

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The Zonta Club of Bangkok IX, Thailand, together with the Golden Z Club Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon (RMUTP), will launch an event on 26 November which will feature learn-by-doing activities, an essay competition and a public relations parade aimed at raising awareness of violence against women and encouraging students to become advocates for change.

Throughout the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, all club members, its Z Club school partners and the Golden Z Club RMUTP will amplify the campaign both online and across school and university premises. Signboards, digital posts and student-led initiatives will reinforce the message that ending violence against women requires collective action and continuous advocacy.

Zonta Club of Hsinchu partners with local community to say NO to violence against women

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The Zonta Club of Hsinchu, Taiwan, marked another year of community impact on 8 November by sponsoring charitable organizations and leading advocacy efforts at the 34th Flea Market in Hsinchu Science Park.

In addition to donating to the Modern Women’s Foundation, the club invited community members to participate in the “Zonta Says NO to Violence” campaign, which received enthusiastic support. Club President Ada Lin emphasized that the campaign transcends age, gender and location, noting that this year’s efforts united participants across three generations—youth, adults and seniors—as well as men who joined in solidarity. She said this broadened engagement helped spark meaningful community-wide dialogue on ending gender-based violence.

Lin highlighted that the club not only increased its number of charity booths but also encouraged residents to support long-standing nonprofit organizations by purchasing donated items. The beneficiaries included the Modern Women’s Foundation, the Taiwan Association for Happy Breathing Children – Hsinchu Branch, and disadvantaged women.

During the event, volunteers from the Modern Women’s Foundation raised 8,000 NT dollars through their charity sale. President Lin and club members contributed an additional 20,000 NT dollars to support the foundation’s ongoing advocacy for women’s and children’s rights.

The club has participated in the Science Park’s second-hand flea market for many years, reinforcing environmental sustainability while supporting vulnerable populations. This year’s event strengthened community interaction, elevated the club’s visibility and successfully mobilized the public to take part in the “Zonta Says NO to Violence” campaign, one of the key highlights of the market.

Golden Z Club Marburg holds fundraisers to support women’s self-defense

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The Golden Z Club Marburg has donated €1,000 to a local association offering self-defense courses for women and girls, using proceeds from its ongoing feminist film matinee series.

Every four weeks, the club partners with a local cinema to host a Sunday matinee with a champagne reception, featuring films with feminist backgrounds.

Initiatives are everywhere: Zonta Club of Hualien advocates during District 31 Annual Meeting

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Club President Peng Liping of the Zonta Club of Hualien, Taiwan, led 21 members and their families to attend the Zonta International District 31 Annual Meeting in Tainan, Taiwan.

Along the way, the group stopped at Duoliang Station in Taitung, one of the most beautiful train stations in Taiwan, where they held a “Zonta Says NO” advocacy activity to raise awareness about ending violence against women. There were many tourists on the scene, making the initiative very effective.

Before the official opening of the annual meeting on 11 October, members also visited Taijiang National Park to continue their “Zonta Says NO” advocacy. Through these activities, the club aimed to spread Zonta’s mission and increase public understanding of the organization’s goals throughout Taiwan.

In the news: Zonta club hosts dometic violence awareness walk

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In recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Zonta Club of Elizabethtown, USA, recently held it’s Seventh annual Domestic Violence Awareness Walk.

Club members and participants carried signs along Ring Road in front of Derm Specialist and Blue Oval businesses to draw attention to the issue. Signs were then posted along the road and will remain up until the end of October.

Kentucky has the second-highest ranking for domestic violence in the nation. There were 7,964 arrests in 2024.

In the last reporting period for fatalities, 2023, Kentucky had 26 deaths, and all were women. Nineteen of these were gun violence-related. SpringHaven Domestic Violence Program, serving the eight counties in the area, served 181 domestic violence victims in the shelter and 883 others.

Club President Linda Funk reported that in the five weeks prior to the walk, the local paper reported arrests for 12 domestic violence-related assaults, six strangulation charges, one EPO violation, a dating violence arrest, a rape, and a September article that referenced a June incident involving a father shooting a gun at the mother of his 6-year-old child during a visitation transfer.

The guest speaker for the walk, John Wright, director of public relations for the Hardin County Schools, said there are 14,600 students in the system, and the issue of children experiencing domestic violence is a concern.

Wright said there are 3,000-plus staff in HCS, and fortunately, a good portion of them are ladies, and if not, schools likely would not function as well.

In thanking Wright, Funk encouraged everyone to speak out against violence and especially asked that men speak up and be a voice against domestic violence.

Zonta’s Mission, both locally and internationally, is to advocate against gender-based violence. Zonta also advocates against child marriage, human trafficking, and addresses issues of fairness and equality for women and girls academically and in the workplace. Additionally, Zonta has an interest in promoting awareness of climate change and its impact on women.

For information about Zonta, go to Facebook or for meetings or membership inquiries, call or text Kelly Roark at 270-401-8141.

Read the full article here: https://www.thenewsenterprise.com/features/neighbors/zonta-hosts-domestic-violence-awareness-walk/article_b9ac5ee8-f0f5-5c24-9f5b-9bedd084ba98.html