Background of Topic:

The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, managed by UN Women, has proclaimed every 25th of the month as “Orange Day” – a day to take action to raise awareness and prevent violence against women and girls.

Initiated and led by the UNiTE campaign Global Youth Network, Orange Day calls upon activists, governments and UN partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls, not only once a year, on 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every month.

Organization Tie-in: Unite To Say NO: http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence

Ideas for the Day:

• Organize a walk with your club. Include local government officials and relevant stakeholders to mark the 16 Days of Activism. Wear orange t-shirts, and carry Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women signs, banners and posters. Visit zontasaysno.com to get ideas from other Zonta clubs.
• Educate members of your local community about the importance of ending violence against women and girls. Share statistics and invite them to support the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign.
• Twibbon your profile picture: http://twb.ly/2HECCO1R or change your profile picture to the Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women campaign logo that can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9lw6yqpqsk7hp0j/AACwkKUzDkG7BbGd_VZzF8bSa?dl=0
• Wear orange all day to show your support!
• Get together with club members and form the word “NO” with your bodies. Take a picture, and share it on the Zonta Says No Facebook page. See the image below as an example.

Hashtags:  #ZontaSaysNO #OrangeUrHood
Images/Videos to Share:

• A Promise is a Promise: UN-Secretary-General’s Campaign UNiTE to End Violence Against Women: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yvT85TitEI
• Click the image below to open, then right click to save.
  
  

Yesterday, the UN Trust Fund collaborated with the city of New York to light the city orange. Beginning with the lighting of Times Square and the Empire State Building, and culminating with a reception at the UN, with the donation of a “big check” to the Trust Fund and the lighting of the UN orange as well.

The program continued to 25 November with a celebration of the international day and a dialogue about best practices.

Launching the events was the Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, the Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and other dignitaries, including Mrs Ban and Ambassadors from Suriname and UAE.

Chirlane McCray, First Lady of the City of NY, announced the new collaboration to end violence against women.  Actors and performers have come out as well. See the videos at UNiTE website.

– Leslie Wright, Chairman of the Zonta International UN Committee

 
Please view below special messages from President Maria Jose to launch the Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women campaign this biennium. This letter can be read by clubs at their planned activities and their opening day events.

The short message can be included on the web, and the larger message can be read out loud, if needed by club presidents, Governors or the coordinators of a Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women event.

25 November Message from President Maria Jose Landeira Oestergaard (short) | message
25 November Message from President Maria Jose Landeira Oestergaard | message

From the Port Lincoln Times:
by: Billie Harrison

LOCAL White Ribbon Ambassador Bruce Green has called on men not to tolerate or be quiet about domestic violence.

Speaking at the opening of an exhibition in Port Lincoln to highlight the impact of domestic violence, Mr Green said it was an important issue in the community but it was a difficult issue for men to think about.

“Men try not to think about it much, we try not to accept that it’s an ongoing issue and that it’s largely our issue, a men’s issue.

“We know the damage it does in our community … but it’s an issue that sits back behind the bright lights.”

The Walk In My Shoes exhibition celebrates the courage of women who have walked out of a violent situation, in the words of the women themselves.

Mr Green said he had read a couple of the women’s stories, which are attached to a different pair of shoes for each story, and they had brought him to tears.

The women’s names have been changed to protect the authors and their privacy but their stories give a clear insight into the thoughts, dilemmas and actions to keep themselves and their children safe in their decision to escape a partner who is violent towards them.

The stories have been written by women who have had extensive support and counselling to ensure the writing process does not open up old memories and cause pain.

People experiencing domestic violence in an emergency situation should call the police.

People in the community who require support with how to deal with domestic violence, counselling or safe accommodation options call Yarredi Services on 1800 110 617 or 8683 0311 or visit http://www.yarredi.org.au

The exhibition is part of the Zonta Says No campaign and has been on display in Adelaide and other regional areas.

It will be at the Port Lincoln Bank SA branch until September 5.

http://www.portlincolntimes.com.au/story/2495141/domestic-violence-victims-tell-their-stories/?cs=1500

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.

From the Longview News-Journal:

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.