Members of the clubs in Ibadan invited the press to cover the unveiling of billboards and the beginning of the Zonta Says NO activities in Ibadan city.
The clubs also carried hand held placards while parading in different locations. Members encouraged the reporting of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases which our members in the legal profession will handle pro bono.
Members were delighted that market men and women remembered Zonta campaigns of previous years. We are getting more visible! The message is gaining traction!
Each year Zonta & UN mark the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign on 25 November. All Zonta Clubs within Area 05, District 30 also begin the campaign by organizing different campaigns in their cities.
On 24 November, 2023 Zonta Club of Sofia organized a procession in the center of Sofia – Bulgaria’s capital under the motto “NO to violence”.
Instead of illuminating buildings in orange, the club opened a Zonta Says NO alley with trees wrapped in orange. The trees also have plates containing a QR code leading to a webpage with more information about the campaign and useful contacts.
Zonta Says NO Information flyers and orange flags were also distributed during the procession. Talented cheerleaders from Sofia’s First English Language School took part in the march with a performance. The procession was also part of Area 05, District 30’s Campaign “I want to meet the sun, too!”, launched back in 2020.
The campaign’s goal is to work with crisis centers accommodating women and children victims of domestic violence as well as to support the opening of new ones that are highly needed in Bulgaria. The event was attended by citizens, Zonta members and friends and received coverage in the national television.
Zonta Club of Lockport directors Carol Spedding, Brenda Ulrich, Mary Ann Bucolo, Teresa Sipowicz and Tracy Farrell, and club project chair Adrian Rogers. Source: Union-Sun & Journal
The Zonta Club of Lockport has posted signs that say “Zonta says NO to Violence Against Women” throughout the city of Lockport. This campaign, running through December 10th, tries to bring awareness to the prevalence of violence against women.
Current statistics show one in three women will experience physical/sexual violence in their lifetime, often perpetrated by intimate partners. Some 30% of intimate partner victims report that pornography was involved in some manner. New York state has the fourth highest number of cases (more than 400) reported for human trafficking in the country, following California, Texas and Florida.
Anyone interested in assisting victims of sexual assault who are brought to Lockport Memorial Hospital can donate a sweat suit to the Zonta Club by dropping it off at one of these collection sites: Lockport Family YMCA, 5833 Snyder Drive; or Immaculata Home, 31 Lewis St., any time between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sweat suits are given to victims of sexual assault whose clothing is collected at the hospital for forensic purposes. All sizes are accepted.
Take note of this local resource: The YWCA of the Niagara Frontier’s 24/7 Domestic Violence Hotline provides phone counseling, support and referrals for emergency shelter or housing. The domestic violence and sexual assault hotline number is 716-433-6716.
Zonta International is a service organization of more than 28,000 executive women committed to empowering women through service and advocacy. The Lockport chapter provides scholarship funds for women and girls and often donates to Lockport-based women’s shelters such as the YWCA shelter, Madonna House and Immaculata Home.
Women interested in joining the Zonta Club of Lockport can reach out to membership chairwoman Brenda Ulrich at 716-628-0629 or visit www.zontacluboflockport.com.
Observing the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the globally recognized service organization Zonta International began its annual “16 Days of Activism” campaign against gender-based violence on Saturday. All six Zonta Clubs in Bangladesh observed the day.
The campaign will include a number of events and activities aimed at eliminating violence against women and girls in society and advancing women’s rights – beginning on November 25 and running through December 10, International Human Rights Day. Read: Zonta Clubs of Bangladesh commemorate UN day
Members of all Zonta clubs in Dhaka gathered and held a rally on Saturday at Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed Park in Gulshan to advocate for women’s rights, eliminating child marriage, and raising awareness for gender-equal climate action.
Wearing the thematic orange t-shirts with the Zonta logo and carrying banners and placards in English and Bangla, Zonta Club members held a procession in the park and shared their viewpoints and agenda.
It was followed by a discussion programme held at the Gulshan Ladies Community Club which was addressed by Nilufer Zafarullah, Chair of the Zonta District 25 Area 2 Advocacy Committee; Dr Zareen Delawar Hussain, District 25 Governor-Elect; Farahnaz Qaiyum, Area Director of D-25, Area-2; Zaheda Samdani, Vice Area Director of D-25, Area-2; and Dilruba Ahmed, District 25 Rules and Resolutions Committee Chair.
Talking about the initiatives, Nilufer Zafarullah said, “Zonta District 25 is made up of four neighboring countries: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Area 2 of this unit is made up of Bangladesh and Nepal, and the same activities are being held in Nepal.” Describing the mission, vision and activities of the club, District 25 Governor-Elect Dr Zareen Delawar Hussain said, “As of now, Zonta International is globally operating with more than one thousand club units which build a supportive community of more than 0.2 million like-minded professional women around the world. In Bangladesh, we have five clubs in Dhaka and one in Chattogram.”
“Two months ago, we observed the 104th founding anniversary of the Zonta International. Our goal is to raise our united voices to prevent violence against women in our society, to eradicate child marriage and the dowry system, and to empower our children and women with education,” she added.
“In this journey of togetherness, we also want our boys and men to join us and raise a unified voice towards violence against women. We need to establish a society where our girls and women can feel safe which is required for their progress; and we will run our advocacy and awareness programmes in these 16 days including media interviews, campaigns and visits to different educational institutions and more,” Dr Zareen Delawar Hussain told UNB.
The discussion was also accompanied by a candle-lighting ceremony with all the dignitaries as symbolic of the hope and determination of Zonta Club members in their mission.
Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island Zonta Club of Kaua‘i President Edie Ignacio Neumiller waits for the Kaua‘i Society of Artists gallery to open on Saturday, the first day of 16 Days of Activism at the visual window display at the KSA gallery at Kukui Grove. Source: The Garden Island
LIHU‘E — The Zonta Club of Kaua‘i joined other Zonta Clubs around the world in celebrating the start of “16 Days of Activism” on Nov. 25.
At the local level, Zonta clubs across the world have organized activities and events as part of the 2023 Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women campaign that focuses on the service and advocacy actions of Zonta clubs and districts to prevent violence against women and girls.
As part of the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i brings awareness to the community. The Zonta Club of Kaua‘i installed a visual window display with Kaua‘i Society of Artists (KSA) at Kukui Grove Center. The window display will run all 16 days of the campaign, through Dec. 10, and is available for the public to view from noon to 6 p.m., daily at KSA gallery.
“We are excitied to partner with the Kaua‘i Society of Artist, the American Association of University Women (AAUW), and the YWCA of Kaua‘i whose missions are aligned with the Zonta International global organization,” said Zonta Club of Kaua‘i President Edie Ignacio Neumiller.
Neumiller extended a public invitation for a single-day event that will take place on Nov. 29 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at KSA gallery where resources from the Zonta Club of Kaua‘i, AAUW and YWCA of Kaua‘i will have resources available and guest speakers.
The Red Dress Project was started by Jaime Black with a public art installation that was created in response to the missing and murdered Indigenous women (known as MMIW) epidemic in Canada and the United States.
This ongoing project that was started in 2010 — there is an MMIW mural by the Mo‘olelo Murals artists on Kress Street in downtown Lihu‘e —commemorates missing and murdered Indigenous women from the First Nations, Inuit, lMetis and Native American communities, including Native Hawaiian women and girls by hanging empty red dresses in a range of environments.
The project has also inspired other artists to use red to draw attention to the issue of MMIW, and prompted the creation of Red Dress Day with red representing the blood of the missing women.
MARQUETTE, MI (WJMN) – Downtown Marquette will be aglow with orange lanterns for the next couple of weeks in an effort to bring awareness to domestic violence.
The Marquette chapter of Zonta International has embarked on a campaign to shed some light on the problem of domestic violence against women. With the help of over 25 Marquette businesses, The Zonta Club has placed orange lanterns in the front windows of participating shops throughout Marquette. These lanterns symbolize the light Zonta hopes to bring to the issue of gender-based violence. This campaign runs from November 25th, which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until December 10th, International Human Rights Day. This time period is in conjunction with the United Nations 16 days of activism. Zonta member Lucy Contois says this anti-domestic violence effort is represented in two ways.
“Zonta has taken on two symbols, the lantern and the umbrella. The lantern is an orange-lit lantern that symbolizes shedding light on the issue, spreading the word, and educating the umbrella as a symbol of protection and shelter. I think it also tells the community when you have to participate in businesses in a close area, and this displays I think it helps the community to understand it’s a caring community. It’s hard to convince somebody who’s been through abuse for a long time. It’s hard to break that because there’s a lot of fear. They’re isolated economically, and physically. And so, it’s hard to know that they can count on somebody outside of that place. So, it’s very difficult and the only thing we can do as a community, one of the things we can do as a community is all of us understand that.” Said Contois.
Contois urges everyone to take a selfie with one of the lanterns or umbrellas and post it online. You can do so at either The Masonic Mall or at the display inside Diggs in downtown Marquette.
Eliminating violence against women is the focus of Zonta’s upcoming 16-days of activism that will see Zonta Orange Ladies in key locations around the Northern Rivers.
You will find them in libraries, sports centres, cafes and elsewhere. From November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women the Zonta Orange Ladies will be in the region for 16 Days of ‘Activism against Gender-Based Violence’ that will wrap up on Human Rights Day observed on December 10.
‘It is an awareness raising campaign for our region,’ says President of the Zonta Club of Northern Rivers, Bobbi Crane.
Look out for our Orange Ladies in Ballina, Alstonville, Lismore and Casino from November 25. Source: The Echo
‘Violence against women is the most pervasive human rights violation around the world. There is more proof than ever that violence against women and girls is preventable. The bright Orange Lady is the global symbol for Zonta’s anti violence message.’
Zonta International is an organisation which helps ‘Build a Better World for Women and Girls’. We are committed to providing life-changing opportunities for women and girls through international and local service. Zonta has helped in 66 countries to: improve women’s health; provide better economic and educational opportunities; and campaign against gender-based violence.
Source: Noosa Today
Zonta Club of Noosa will be holding a walk against gender-based violence on Sunday 26 November from 8.30am starting at Lions Park soundstage, Gympie Terrace.
The walk is an annual event held by the club as part of Zonta International’s 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender based violence.
The public event aimed at raising awareness of the risks, impact and dangers of gender-based violence, will begin with guest speakers, followed by the walk along Gympie Terrace and will be attended by police and Noosa councillors.
Trees in Wallan, Kilmore, Broadford and Seymour are set to be ‘yarn bombed’ in orange blankets by the Zonta Club of Mitchell as part of activities for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. Source: The North Central Review
The Zonta Club of Mitchell is gearing up to ‘yarn bomb’ the region as part of its activism efforts against family violence. Trees in Wallan, Broadford, Kilmore and Seymour will be wrapped in orange woollen blankets as a symbol of Zonta’s support for victims of gender-based and family violence.
Zonta members, their friends and community members have been knitting up an orange storm in preparation for the yarn bomb, each making woollen squares in their own time before stitching them together at meetings.
The yarn bomb is one of the many activities taking place throughout the region as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which calls to eliminate violence against women and girls.
The campaign commences on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and concludes on December 10, Human Rights Day.
Zonta Club of Mitchell president Robin Audehm said the Zonta network would wrap trees in each town on November 24 and 25, in line with the commencement of the campaign.
“The wool will represent a warm and supportive environment for people who have been victims of family violence,” she said. “It raises awareness that family violence is all around us and people who are facing family violence [can access] support within the community in a number of different places.”
Zonta supports victims of family violence throughout the year with small service projects, including the distribution of ‘dignity bags’, which are filled with toiletries to give to those who left their residence quickly in search of refuge from violence.
The club will also host its Art Show and Craft Market at Broadford Gavan Hall on December 2 and 3 to fundraise for future projects. The exhibit ‘Walk in My Shoes’ will feature once again at this year’s show and in libraries, sharing stories of women who have survived family violence.
Ms Audehm assured that Zonta had received permits for the Yarn Bomb activity and the material would not harm the trees. The woollen blankets will be taken down at the end of the 16 Days campaign to be recycled on either December 11 or 12.
The trees set to be blanketed in orange include one at the median strip near Wilson Partners in Wallan; outside Kilmore library; at Goulburn Park in Seymour; at the pedestrian crossing on High Street in Broadford; and potentially near the historical society in Broadford. The Seymour yarn bomb will form part of Mitchell Shire Council’s annual Step Towards Change Walk on November 29.
Did you know the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence originated from a petition circulated during the 1991 United Nations World Conference on Human Rights? This petition called on the conference committee to address women’s human rights and recognise gender-based violence as a human rights issue.
Three decades on, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is a widely recognised global campaign that encourages action to prevent and end violence against women and girls.
The 16 Days of Activism begins on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25) and ends on International Human Rights Day (December 10). The dates for the campaign were chosen to link violence against women and human rights.
During this time, organisations and individuals from around the world raise awareness that women’s rights are human rights, and that violence against women is a fundamental violation of those human rights.
This year, the Zonta Club of Kyneton continues working with several other community organisations, through Macedon Ranges, to raise awareness of gender-based violence, challenge discriminatory attitudes and encourage community-based support for those living with violence.
During the 16 Days campaign, the club has static displays at the Kyneton Community Window (Mollison Street) and Macedon Ranges Libraries. The Kyneton Town Hall will be illuminated orange each night for 16 Days (the colour for 16 Days).
The club will join others in the shire for the MRSC Walk Against Family Violence at 11am on Thursday November 30 in Woodend. Community members are invited to join Zonta at a special pop-up event to close the campaign at the Social Foundry Café in Kyneton on December 9 at 10am. Go along and learn more about Zonta and 16 days of Days of Activism against Gender- Based Violence, while sharing a cuppa and cake with the passionate club members.
If you would like to know more about the Zonta Club of Kyneton and the service and advocacy work it does locally for women and girls, contact the club via secretary@zontakyneton.org.au or through its socials.
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