Members of the Zonta Club of Columbus, OH, USA commit to saying no to violence against women by wearing an orange Zonta Says NO ribbon and distributing two Zonta Says NO ribbons in return.
Area 4 Clubs in District 17 gathered 16,000 signatures for their “A Thousand and More Signatures” campaign to raise awareness and increase activism to end violence against women.
The Zonta Club of Rockhampton, District 22 Australia, launched the Domestic and Family Violence Safety Card at the Zonta Says NO Information Booth at the Rockhampton Heritage Markets on 24 November as part of the Zonta Says NO Campaign. The cards were produced by the Women’s Health Centre in Rockhampton and sponsored by the Rockhampton Zonta Club.
A joint effort at the information booth by members of the Zonta Club and representatives of Women’s Health focused on promoting the safety of individuals and families, believing that it is a person’s right to be safe from violence and abuse.
A large number of brochures, cards and posters were made available detailing a lot of information regarding the problem. The very popular Heritage Markets boast a passing traffic of 6,500, so the opportunity to spread the word was significant.
The Zonta Club of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario wanted to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign in a way that would resonate with the community. Sixteen members of the Club are hoping to make a difference by speaking out on an aspect of violence against women and children that is particularly meaningful to them.
Make a sound that will be heard around the world: Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women and Girls
From 25 November until 10 December, the Zonta Club of Ipswich, Australia and its community sponsors, will place 16 orange ladies at locations around Ipswich.The Zonta Club of Ipswich president, Karen Newton, said the activity acknowledged the international campaign of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence and the Zonta Says NO campaign.
In addition to supporting its international projects, the Zonta Club of Ipswich has financially supported organisations such as the Ipswich Women’s Centre Against Domestic Violence and Hannah’s House.
To show your support for this campaign, the Zonta Club of Ipswich is inviting you to post your photograph with at least one orange lady on the club’s Facebook page or by using the hashtag #orangeladies. You may also wish to write a message of support on one of the orange ladies near you.
Click here (http://www.qt.com.au/news/zonta-campaign-says-no-to-violence-threat/2094103/) to read the full story.
Zonta clubs Tampere I and II from the town of Tampere, Finland organized on 25 November, the seminar “Say NO to the violence against women and girls”. Psychotherapist Marketta Suontakanen-Kamaja, Candidate of Social Sciences Eija Eronen and Police Officer Anna-Kaisa Heinämäki told what they have learned about violence against women through their jobs and research.
For the panel discussion they were joined by MP, Zontian Sofia Vikman, Specialist of Safety, Zontian Tarja Ojala and Project Manager Satu Hintikka. Television journalist, Zontian Helena Itkonen hosted the panel. The panelists thanked Zonta International for the great campaign Zonta Says NO. Zero tolerance is the only way to stop the violence, they pointed and encouraged us everyone to step in if we experience violence or see it or even suspect someone has experienced it.
The seminar also demanded that the society must secure enough shelters and other services for the victims of violence.
Above photo: Panelists from the left: MP Sofia Vikman, Specialist of Safety Tarja Ojala, Psychoterapist Marketta Suontakanen-Kamaja, Journalist Helena Itkonen, Police Officer Anna-Kaisa Heinämäki, Project Manager Satu Hintikka and Candidate of Social Sciences Eija Eronen. Photo: Tuija Heikkilä.
It’s official – the 16 Days of Activism have begun! While the International Directors were at Zonta Headquarters for the recent meeting of the Board of Directors, they shared their thoughts on Zonta Says NO. Check out this video to see what they had to say, and feel free to share it on your social networks.
“Violence against women is not just any problem to be approached in just any way; men and women together against feminicide, against any form of violence against women: this is Zonta’s strategy to fight an emergency which in Italy kills a women every other day” – with these words Zonta Clubs started the campaign “HANDS OFF OF WOMEN” in 2012 in Area 03 of District 30, as the first step of the international campaign ZONTA Says NO.
A year has gone by and the initiative has been perfected and broadened to cover the whole national area.
Two important events are planned.
The first on 17 November, anniversary of the signing of Resolution 54/134 by the United Nations on 1999 proclaiming the 25 November International day for the elimination of violence against women.
Promoted by Zonta Club Torino and the Association “OVALE oltre le Sbarre”, the Italian Rugby Federation has followed the appeal to involve all teams of every championship played in Italy in a minute of silence before kick-off of all games played on 17 November. The clou moments will be held in Turin ( Area 03 D30) and in Frosinone ( Area 03 D28).
Very significant what will happens in Turin: a cooperation between Zonta, the Department of Administration of the Penitentiaries and the Association “Ovale oltre le sbarre” has made it possible to involve once again La Drola Rugby, the first Italian team to be made up of prisoners to play in a championship (regional C series). Before the kick off against Ivrea on 2:30 PM inside the penitentiary “Lorusso e Cutugno”, the athletes – all wearing a bib with the slogan “Giu’ le mani dalle donne” (Hands off of women) – will propose a minute of silence for all, audience included, as a moment of consideration about the topic of violence against women, during which the representatives of Zonta International will unfold a banner of the international campaign.
Other interventions on the playing fields are being organized in cooperation with the regional committees and will involve all of the more than 40 Italian Clubs of Districts 30 and District 28 of Zonta International to heighten awareness and to particularly involve the male population. The initiative also strengthens the campaign against domestic violence, organized under the patronage of F.I.R. together with Avon Cosmetics, and the anti-violence centre Cooperativa Cerchi d’Acqua.
“The Italian Rugby Federation’s availability, the involvement of all rugby team in Italy give to Zonta International the opportunity to have a popular attention in regard to any kind of violence against women, showing the willingness to bring about a cultural change, without which the requirements for eliminating violence against women couldn’t exist.” The promoters of the events being held during the next days underline this fact and the events will highlight the dramatic consequences on society of the violence against women in Italy.
http://www.zontadistrict30.org – http://www.zonta-distri
ct28.com
The Zonta Club of Innsbruck I in Austria spreads the word about Zonta Says NO by distributing flyers with important contact information for female victims of violence. These contacts include women’s shelters and organisations that counsel women after rape across the province of Tyrol, Austria. Furthermore, the flyers contain brief information about Zonta International and the Zonta Club of Innsbruck I. The flyers are distributed in restaurants, cafés, retail shops, hospitals, doctors offices, pharmacies, etc. all over the area.
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