Z clubs in Hong Kong celebrate Zonta Says NO at installation ceremony

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Five of the Zonta Club of Hong Kong’s, Hong Kong, Z Clubs, the Z clubs of Hong Kong International School, St. Mary’s Canossian College, St. Paul’s Convent School, St. Stephen’s Girls’ College and True Light Girls’ College held a joint installation ceremony on 9 December.

New officers were installed, and new members were inducted. At the end of the ceremony, Zontians, teacher advisers and Z Club members all joined in to recognize the 15th day of the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women advocacy campaign by coloring the group photo with orange using gold letter balloons with the letters “Z,” “S,” “N” and “N” “O,” and bright orange balloons to border the letters!

Zontians and teachers wore an orange flower corsage, and everyone decorated their wrists with a Zonta Says NO orange bracelet.

Zonta Club of Lafayette brings Zonta Says NO awareness with yard and window signs

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The Zonta Club of Lafayette, USA, spread awareness of the Zonta Says NO and 16 Days of Activism campaigns by creating yard and window signs and decorating a Christmas tree at a public park.

Yard and Window signs

The club posted orange Zonta Says NO yard and window signs at homes and businesses. They also discussed and shared their Zonta Says NO advocacy goals and literature with many of their Zonta friends, who displayed the signs at their homes and offices in Lafayette, LA, surrounding cities and states to support the Zonta Says NO to Violence against Women and 16 Days of Advocacy campaigns!

Club members took pictures for each of the 16 Days to post on the club’s Facebook page. Many Zontians and Friends read and shared our posts to spread awareness. 

Christmas tree

On 25 November, the club decorated a Zonta Says NO Christmas tree at the public Parc International Park in Lafayette. They sent an email with a picture of their tree, asking Zontians and friends to vote for it as the best.

This project helped the club bring awareness to Zonta and their projects. At their monthly meeting on 4 December, they discussed Zonta Says NO information and took a group picture holding their window signs.

On the 16th Day of Advocacy, the club posted a composite of all their displayed yard and window sign locations on their Facebook page. 

Zonta Club of Fredericksburg, Texas partners with Grace Center for 16 Days Campaign

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The Zonta Club of Fredericksburg, TX (ZCF) is taking part in 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence—an international campaign that aims to inspire activism and end violence against women and girls around the world.

Local activities include a banner over Main Street, a display at the Girl Scout Cabin on the corner of Crocket and Austin, a service project to benefit domestic violence victims, and a celebration at the Schatze Haus Resale Boutique—which benefits the Grace Center—on Wednesday, 29 November from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.

The Grace Center of Fredericksburg provides shelter, offers guidance, and schedules free and confidential services to empower those who have been impacted by domestic violence and seek to escape their abuser.

“Zonta envisions a world where no woman lives in fear of violence. Through the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign, our members and allies stand together, uniting our voices to advocate for all those who have suffered gender-based violence,” says Zonta International President Ute Scholz.

“Zonta is needed now, more than ever, to continue its work to end violence and build a better world for women and girls.” The 16 Days of Activism campaign begins 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends 10 December, International Human Rights Day.

Zonta International encourages its clubs to participate in advocacy efforts that focus on prevention, protection, and prosecution.

ZCF activities include:

• A “ZONTA SAYS NO” banner over Main Street at CrockeX Street and the Girl Scout Cabin display show off orange (the color for domestic violence awareness) and #16DaysofActivism information. The corner display also provides QR Codes for more information about the campaign and Zonta efforts.

• A service project to make 50 hygiene bags for The Grace Center. These bags are filled with a variety of basic toiletries to be offered to women entering The Grace Center aker fleeing a violent domestic event.

The 29 November reception at the Schatze Haus Resale Boutique brings attention to its great work to support the Grace Center.

Join us to learn more about domestic violence in our community and how these organizations work together to fight it.

ZCF president Elizabeth Wunderlich said, “the Grace Center gives hope by offering local domestic violence victims a place to seek shelter from their abuser.”

She added, “Supporting the Schatze Haus and the Grace Center is in perfect alignment with our Zonta mission and 16 Days of Activism. We encourage the community to join us on Wednesday to learn more about what this amazing organization is doing for our residents affected by violent trauma at the hands of a domestic partner.”

President Liz Wunderlich was able to get the word out on the local radio station with a Trish Dwyer-Morgan of KNAF interview about ZISVAW on Wednesday, 22 November.

Kaohsiung American School: Zonta Says NO To Violence Against Women Promotion Video

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To advocate for the “Zonta says NO to violence against women” campaign, Kaohsiung American School Zonta Club hosted a week of on-campus awareness campaign.

An email was sent to the entire KAS high school to inform them of this event, including the cause and aim.

Throughout the week, Zonta Club executives and members filmed video clips of students, teachers, and staffs.

The most creative and powerful ones were chosen and made into a promotion video that we then posted on our Instagram account.

By doing so, we hope to spread awareness of violence against women by letting everyone feel personally engaged to this campaign.

Zonta Club of Makati and Environs joins Zonta Says NO Campaign

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Every November, we raise awareness for our advocacies through 16 Days of Activism.

This year, Zonta Club of Makati and Environs (ZCME), in partnership with the Makati Social Welfare Department, presented “16 Days of Activism: BABAE AKO, HINDI BABAE LANG” (I AM A WOMAN, I am NOT JUST a WOMAN) on 30 November at 1 pm at the University of Makati Auditorium.

The event commenced with a short film presentation depicting different types of Violence Against Women titled “EBAI…Babae Ka Hindi Babae Lang,” an advocacy film for women empowerment and a fight to end Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) written & directed by: Harvie C. Aquino, a joint Project of HCA Production and LGU Lingayen headed by Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil (GAD Chairperson) and Vice Mayor Judy De Leon Vargas-Quiocho (GAD Vice Chairperson).

The auditorium was filled with close to 300 participants, including Grade 11 and Grade 12 students from the University of Makati, women representatives from 33 barangays of Makati, and the Kababaihan’s organization from Taguig City.

Following the film, a riveting panel discussion took place. These panelists were thoughtfully selected to represent the key individuals and agencies that the public can turn to for assistance:

• Judge Elisa R. Sarmiento-Flores, Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 71, Pasig City

• Judge Joe Ricuerdo P. Flores, Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 6, Tanauan City, Batangas

• Atty. Jefferson Gonzales, Senior Lawyer, Makati Public Attorney’s Office

• Ms. Jowie Advincula, RPm, RPsy, CSAP, Clinical Psychologist from the Ospital ng Makati (OSMAK)

• PCPT Jenibeth Artista, Officer-In-Charge, Women and Children Protection Desk

• Ms. Dulce G. Manansala, RSW, Social Welfare Officer II from the Makati Social Welfare Department

The thought-provoking film sparked a panel discussion that lasted over 1.5 hours. Numerous follow-up questions and consultations continued after the discussion, covering topics such as awareness, root causes, support systems, laws & policies, education & prevention, engaging men & boys in preventing VAWC (Violence Against Women and Children), and the media’s role in shaping perception and transforming these channels as a vehicle for change.

The main takeaways were loud and clear:

• Female Empowerment – “Babae Ako, Hindi Babae Lang” (I AM A WOMAN, I am NOT JUST a WOMAN)

• “Walang Over, Walang Under, Dapat Partner” (Women and Men can and must be equal partners)

• “Bawal Bastos Laws” (NO to Violence against Women and Children and VAWC laws simply mean NO to DISRESPECT)

There are key individuals, agencies, and departments one can run to for help. This event played a vital role in creating awareness, fostering dialogue, and inspiring positive change.

ZCME and its partners continue to make a significant impact by addressing these critical issues and encouraging a collective effort towards a safer, more just and equal society.

Zonta Club Herzogenaurach, Germany says NO to violence against women through facts, arts and information

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In August we started to photograph local VIPs on our orange bank and collected their statements against violence against women.

Posters were made of them and shared on social media. We decorated a shop window with posters of the statistics and information about were to find help.

On the promenade of our little river we hang out these facts and statements too. In addition, we hung up paintings of a local artist who works with traumatized women.

The event was announced in radio and the newspaper. A tv spot is being made afterwards.

On 25 November we handed out oranges in paper bags with the emergency phone numbers including information about the situation in Europe and worldwide. People had their photos taken with signs “Stop violence against women.“

Zonta Club of Hong Kong’s six Z CLUBS advocated to Say NO to Violence Against Women

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Zonta Club of Hong Kong’s six Z Clubs advocated to ‘Say No to Violence Against Women’ by creating and submitting digital posters that showcased a visual representation of the ‘Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women’ 16 days of Advocacy Campaign.

Some of the Z Clubs posted physical posters around their school, e-mailed them to fellow students and uploaded them to their respective educational platforms and Instagram accounts where students were encouraged to like and to share the post – all helping to inspire and spread the message.

The Z Club of St. Paul’s Convent School won the Zonta Club of Hong Kong’s ‘Zonta Says No Digital Poster Competition’. In this poster, the cruelty of the issue of domestic violence against women is highlighted through a monochromatic design.

Emphasis is placed on the severity of domestic violence as well as the urgency to spread awareness about this problem and protect women’s rights. The digital poster was promoted to the whole school via the school’s educational platform and is expected to reach at least 750 students and teachers.

The physical poster will be pinned next to the school’s main staircase where most all students and teachers will pass every day and will act as a frequent reminder to violence against women.

Together with our future leaders of tomorrow, say NO to violence against women!

Zonta Club of Jyväskylä alights aircraft park’s Fouga in orange

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To prepare for the orange weeks of advocacy, the Zonta Club of Jyväskylä, Finland, partnered with the Guild of the Finnish Training Air Wing in Kauhava to light up a local aircraft park in orange.

The jet trainer, FM-12 (Fouga CM 170 Magister) was lightened with orange on 25 November in the Aircraft Park in Kauhava municipality in the South Ostrobothnia area.

President Kari Janhunen from the guild found it really important to advocate the end of violence against women and was ready to work right away on this agenda with Area 4’s Director Jenni Koivumäki.

The club’s action was featured in Komiat, a local newspaper, and on the Guild of the Finnish Training Air Wing’s website.

Zonta Club of Kowloon addresses sexual harassment in the workplace

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The Zonta Club of Kowloon, Hong Kong, partnered with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association (HKSME) to co-organized a Sexual Harassment in the Workplace forum on 27 November for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong.

The forum offered participants a valuable opportunity to acquire understanding of the legal protections for sexual harassment. The event highlighted the business advantages for implementing anti-sexual harassment measures, including staff retention, increased productivity and enhanced professional image. Conducted in a hybrid format, the forum attracted more than 80 companies, including employers, management personnel, and human resource staff from SMEs in various fields, including construction, real estate, manufacturing, professional and business services, accommodation and food service industries.

Speakers at the Forum includes:

  • Ricky Chu Man-kin, chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission.
  • Club President Ada Fung.
  • Andrew Kwok , chair of the Hong Kong Small & Medium Enterprises Association.
  • Winnie Teoh, the club’s advocacy committee chair and Past International Director.
  • Wong Lok-yung, the organizer of Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association.

Ricky said, “Combating workplace sexual harassment has always been a priority for the EOC. With enhanced understanding of the issue, we hope more SMEs will adopt a proactive and professional approach to prevent and handle sexual harassment in the workplace.”

Andrew said, “As responsible employers, companies should adopt reasonable measures to prevent workplace sexual harassment. They also want to know practical and feasible ways to implement internal policies to prevent possible legal responsibilities.”

Ada advocated that we should give zero tolerance to any sexual harassment behavior in the workplace. She and the club hope that the forum will strengthen understanding of this issue and encourage the creation of a harassment-free working environment.

Winnie advised findings from a survey sponsored by the club in 2021, that found sexual harassment in the workplace was highly prevalent in Hong Kong. The study recommended that employers should implement anti-sexual harassment policies and provide appropriate training for employees.

Lok-yung offered suggestions on effective measures to prevent sexual harassment in employment.

The three co-organizers will continue to address the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace in the coming years.

Zonta Club of Chia-Yi advocates equal rights for immigrants

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The Zonta Club of Chia-Yi, Taiwan, joined the Festival for Immigrants on 19 November to champion women’s rights and drum up the fight against violence.

About 2.04% of residents in Chia Yi in central Taiwan are immigrants. The festival was organized by the city government to promote harmony and inclusiveness of the multi-cultural city.

Posing with Vietnamese women performing in their traditional outfit, the club held placards which read, “Build a better world for women and girls” and “Say No to Violence Against Women” at the festival. They spread Zonta’s messages while calling for equal rights for immigrants, especially women and girls, who have settled in Chia Yi and made it their home.