ZONTA SAYS NO CAMPAIGN IN DISTRICT 17

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.

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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.

 

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.

more:http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/01/syracuse-area_zonta_club_campaigns_to_increase_awareness_of_violence_against_wom.html

From the Philippine Information Agency:

LAOAG CITY, (PIA) – An international women’s group here has gathered a thousand signatures in support of the global campaign to end violence against women and children.

Ilocos Norte’s Zonta initiated the signature drive to raise awareness and increase action to end violence against women and girls through services and advocacy.

The group’s campaign streamers bore the message: “A thousand and more signatures; Zonta says no.”

Marsha Leoncia Aoigan said the campaign began in November 2012 focusing on the service and advocacy actions of Zonta clubs and districts worldwide to prevent and end violence against women and children in local communities.

She said the drive is carried out through the Zonta International Strategies to End Violence Against Women (ZISVAW) program in partnership with the United Nations and its agencies.

The Zonta Club of Ilocos Norte (ZCIN) was established on May 9, 1978.

At present, 49 members work hand in hand with the local governments and other Non – Government Organizations (NGOs) to advance the status of women in Ilocos Norte.

It has chapters in Baguio City, San Fernando City of La Union, Tuguegarao Foundation, Aparri and Central Tuguegarao and in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Hongkong.

In her visit in the province recently, Zonta International District 17 Governor Winnie Teoh based in Hongkong called on women’s groups in the country to act now to prevent violence against women.

She said the prevalence of incidents against Filipino women is alarming.

Teoh compared the 2004 survey report collected by the Philippine Commission on Women showing 6,271 cases of violence against women as against the 2012 report with 15,969 cases of crime against women.

“Prevention is better than cure. Thus, I urge our group, concerned local NGOs and the media to help  us publicize a better awareness of this issue in the community, so as to achieve better harmony in our society,” she said in a press briefing.

She also called the conduct of more seminars and symposium in the local level focusing on the discussion on the rights of women and children. (MCA/FGL PIA- 1- Ilocos Norte)

An exhibition of shoes without a body made by the Zonta Club of Casale Monferrato has been on the road in the North of Italy.

After an event in Chieri by the Zonta club in progress (Zonta Club del Chierese), the shoes arrived in Bordighera. Here, the Zonta Club of Ventimiglia, District 30, Area 03 organized a new silent march of shoes in the main street to seek attention on feminicide.

Two banners in support of the march, a gazebo to collect and to give information and a big exposure on the press showed “ZONTA SAYS NO” action against domestic violence and every kind of violence against women. Now  the  march  will be proposed in another town along the Riviera dei Fiori by the Zonta Club of Alassio Albenga.

As part of the Zonta Says No! Campaign and to commemorate the International day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Cambridge University Student Union (CUSU) Women’s Campaign and the St. John’s Women’s Society, in partnership with Zonta Says No! and Safehands for Mothers, arranged an event to raise awareness of FGM.

The event was started by “The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could” from Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues”, performed by Ifeyinwa Frederick, followed by a poem on FGM by award-winning author Justina Kehinde Ogunṣeitan. The documentary film “The Cutting Tradition, insights into Female Genital Mutilation” was shown and after the screening there was a Q&A session led by leading expert Dr. Helen Watson.

The event was attended by approximately 30 people and raised £100.

The Zonta Club of Piraeus Greece has joined forces to the international campaign “end violence against women” of Zonta international.

From scvnews.com:

Hundreds of shoppers at Valencia Town Center got an up-close look at the problem of domestic violence through a Zonta Says NO display sponsored by Zonta Club of the SCV. The display’s centerpiece was a tower of more than 150 pairs of women’s shoes — each shoe representing a victim of domestic violence and red shoes representing a woman who died as the result of that violence.

The display also featured posters showing the incidence of violence against women and girls on a local, state and international basis. Another poster listed programs that Zonta International supports across the globe in support of women and girls. Guests at the exhibit were encouraged to write their own messages on paper shoes, which were then taped to the wall next to the posters.

“From the comments of people who visited the display, as well as those from Zonta volunteers who staffed the display, I think we made a difference,” commented Chris Miller, who chaired the local project. Many guests were amazed to learn that the local Domestic Violence Center expects to serve more than 3,000 clients this year—in a community where many residents are not aware that domestic violence is a problem.

The Zonta Says NO display in the mall was the focal point of 16 Days of Activism, from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10, declared by Zonta International on a worldwide basis. The period kicked off locally with a proclamation from the Santa Clarita City Council naming Nov. 25 to Dc. 10 as the 16 Days of Activism and encouraging local citizens to take action to become aware of and strive to eliminate violence against women and girls throughout the 16 days and throughout the year.

Barely used shoes that were used in the mall display have been donated to the local Domestic Violence Center for use by their shelter residents. Zonta also sold orange Zonta Says NO wristbands, with proceeds going to the Domestic Violence Center. Golden Oak Adult School and the Drug Free Youth in Town club at Golden Valley High School also participated by offering the wristbands to students at their schools to raise awareness of domestic violence.

http://scvnews.com/2013/12/15/zontians-say-no-to-domestic-violence-with-shoes/

Below is a wallet card that has been produced by the Bendigo City Council along with the support of the Zonta Club of Bendigo.

The card “Breaking the Silence – You’re not alone!” contains a list of resources that are available in the club’s local area.  It also asks some questions that can lead the reader through a list of experiences that can help them in their decision making as to the need to follow up for further assistance. All the local support services are listed along with their phone numbers for immediate assistance.