Listen below to Kay Meyer, Chairman of the Zonta International Advocacy Committee describe the role of advocacy in the prevention of violence against women in the local and global level. She also shared ideas and advice on how each and every Zontian can get involved today and continue their efforts beyond the 16 Days of Activism.

 

 

 

From the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC):

There were no words suitable to what happened on December 6, 1989: a man with a legally obtained gun specifically targeting female engineering students, killing 14. There was only terror.

December 6 has become a National Day of Remembrance and Action for Violence against Women: it is the day to say NO.

Each year on this day, the Zonta Club of Victoria says NO by participating in a local action. This year, the club was honoured to be asked to join in the tribute to the women whose lives were taken in 1989. Several members, each with a poster of one of the women, placed a candle and a rose in memory of her. The candle and rose were not placed in sadness, but in hope: violence was wrong in 1989, and it is wrong today. Therefore members distributed brochures explaining elder abuse and how to take action against it…. because December 6 is the day to say NO.

From the Prowers Journal:

Sixty orange silhouettes lining one wall inside the Lamar City Complex are the first of 318 that will be displayed from now until December 10.  The 318 represent the number of victims of violence in the 15^th Judicial District for the current year.  Members of the Lamar Zonta Club are raising awareness for the 16 Days of Activism against gender violence, beginning this past November 25 with a proclamation sanctioned by the Lamar City Council. Local businesses are displaying signs, posters and orange and purple ribbons highlighting the 16 days between International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, to International Human Rights Day n December 10.  Individuals are also wearing distinctive orange bracelets.

Debbie Reynolds, Lamar Librarian said the 318 victims will be represented on the Complex walls with the representation of victims as 120 women, 19 men, 98 girls and 81 boys.  A banner has been draped across Main Street in Lamar stating, “Zonta Says No” regarding an end to the violence.  It’s hoped that attendance for this year’s Zonta Holiday Home Tour will surpass last year’s numbers.  The proceeds help support the work of the Domestic Safety Resource Center which serves four counties in southeast Colorado, including Prowers County.

http://theprowersjournal.com/2013/12/05/zonta-helps-bring-message-for-gender-violence/

The Zonta Club of Fort Smith is, according to president Judi Hansen, “orange-ing” the world as a sign of commitment to the Zonta Says Oo and 16 Days of Activism campaigns.

Starting the local campaign, the club provided orange ribbons and bracelets to club members, local international university students and other citizens. Another early action was the presentation of US$1,000 to the club’s local Crisis Intervention Center, as well as a tour for club members.

Additionally, using the club’s international flags to emphasize the international nature of the two campaigns, advocacy chairman Sheryl Flanagin prepared a library display.

To increase impact, the club purchased a large Zonta Says No banner. Bookmarks and other information about the campaigns were also made available to library patrons. To further increase community awareness, Sheryl participated in two local radio interviews.

As a result of one of these interviews, a grass-roots activism campaign occurred. In preparing for this interview, Sheryl discovered that the station’s website contained photos that objectify women.

Club members quickly emailed and called the managers to express disapproval. The “Babe of the Day” photos were removed within three days on one of the sites. However, the members are continuing to protest these degrading photos that remain on another site.

Clear Channel has over 1,200 stations throughout the US. Ideally, all US Zontians will check out their radio websites and take action if necessary. Obviously, reducing women to sexual objects contributes to violence against women.

As a final action, daily tweets and Facebook posts with the hastags #zontasaysno, #16days, and #orangeurworld have been shared.

Vaw Facts:

The Zonta Club of Savannah has been working on many events through the 16 Days of Activism. Read below of how they have engaged their community in how to say NO to violence against women.

On 19 November, the Zonta Club of Savannah appeared before the Savannah City Council to promote Zonta Says NO and deliver lapel ribbons for each alderman.  The club was well received and the visit was broadcast on the local government channel.

On 22 November, the club appeared before Chatham County Commission with their presentation and lapel ribbons for each commissioner.  Members were given a Proclamation from Chatham County in support of Zonta Says No. Read about this event here.

On 25 November, the club met for a press conference in Forsyth Park in Savannah and received a Commendation from the State of Georgia.  The presentation was done by State Representative Al Williams.  Following the press conference, members put up orange ribbons, that had ZONTA SAYS NO on the ribbon, on the large oak trees in the park.  The ribbons were up for 7 of the 16 Days of Activism (the maximum days for display).

On 5 December,  the Zonta Club of Savannah was invited to appear before the Savannah Youth Council with a presentation on Eliminating Violence against Women.  This group is high school students meet with government officials for exposure to how government operates.  We used an overhead projector and shared Day 11 emphasis, End The Silence: 15 Ways Men Can Be Empowered Bystanders, with the group.

The club also received a Letter of Support from U. S. Representative Jack Kingston. 

 

The Zonta Club of Birmingham, Alabama, USA joined its sister clubs in the U.S. and around the world in a united effort to stop violence against women and girls.

On 25 November, the club kicked off a 16-day “orange ribbon” campaign to raise awareness about violence against women in general. It also launched a drive to collect no-longer-used cell phones and accessories that will be refurbished for victims of domestic violence. Both efforts were announced at the YWCA Central Alabama.

“The YWCA is thrilled to have the support of the Zonta Club of Birmingham in ending violence toward women,” said Amanda Carmichael, Assistant Director of Domestic Violence Services for the YWCA Central Alabama. “While the YWCA provides direct services to victims and their children, we need many community partners, civic groups and individuals helping in the effort to raise awareness of the impact of domestic violence in our communities.” 

To raise awareness about violence against women, members of of the Zonta Club of Birmingham wore orange ribbons from the start of the campaign, 25 November, through 10 December. The color orange was selected to demonstrate Zonta’s partnership with the United Nations and its agencies, which use orange to draw attention to their ongoing efforts to eradicate violence against women and girls around the world.

The Zonta Club’s “Orange Monday” also was designed as a counterpoint to the traditional “Black Friday”, which took place later in the week and marked the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

“Unfortunately, we know from experience that women don’t get a holiday reprieve from violence,” said Sidney Hoover, co-president of the Zonta Club of Birmingham. “If anything, women are at even greater risk at this time of year. We at Zonta want to seize this opportunity to remind everyone – victims, perpetrators, neighbors, friends – that violence against women is not OK.”

To help promote women’s safety, members are collecting cast-off cell phones and accessories to donate to Verizon’s Hopeline Campaign. The refurbished phones will be programmed to make emergency calls and will be made available to victims of domestic violence.

To donate old phones, go to one of these collection sites: Vital Smiles, 111 B.Y. Williams Sr. Drive, Midfield Vital Smiles, 2302 Center Point Pkwy, Center Point Vulcan Materials Company, Corporate Office, 1200 Urban Center Drive, Vestavia Hills, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“The Zonta Club of Birmingham is a dedicated advocate against domestic violence locally and all violence against women and girls locally and internationally,” said Joan Cardwell, co-president of the Birmingham Zonta Club. “We are asking everyone to take a stand against violence against women and girls. Show your support by wearing orange. There is not a more worthy cause because so many forms of violence against these women and girls are so well hidden.”

A serious topic transported with a twinkle in the eye, that’s what has been achieved by the two Zonta Düsseldorf clubs and the Zonta Club of Niers-Schwalm-Nette. 

The slogan just underneath the campaign logo translates from German with: “Violence against women won’t be put in our paper bags”, meaning: VAW is totally unacceptable for us.

 

On 23 November, the Zontians offered paper bags with sweet rolls to passers-by in return for a donation and engaged them in dialogues about VAW. The proceeds go to a well-known Düsseldorf organization that provides practical help and consultancy for women who experience violence.

 

 

 

 

 

Around 25 November, the top local bakery sold bakery goods in thousands of paper bags with this imprint. The German-wide VAW hotline is also present on the bags.

 

 

 

Watch a video of this event below:

On Sunday 24 November, the Zonta Club of Tübingen  joined an open talk with a social worker, two police officers in responsible positions concerning problems of prostitution, and a filmmaker who showed his movie,’Women as a merchandise’.

The title of the open talk was ‘Forced prostitution because of poorness’, which was chosen because European borders are open between west and east, and some young women especially from very poor regions in eastern Europe, are sent away by their families to make money in Germany through prostitution. These activities are hard to be controlled even through law, but it seems that prostitution exist like in a subculture.

At their own table, the Zonta Club of Tübingen had the opportunity to explain to the public about the Zonta says NO action and Zonta’s regional, national  international activities.