Zonta Club of Makati Central Business shines the spotlight on abuse and violence faced by overseas Filipino workers

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To spotlight the abuse and violence overseas Filipino workers (OFW) face, Zonta Club of Makati Central Business, the Philippines, hosted a holiday party for the OFWs. More than 50 women attended.

According to the country’s data, most Filipinos working abroad are women and single mothers. With a dream to have the best education for her children and to secure the family’s future, the mother will strive to work overseas. Around the world, Filipinos are considered to be the best nannies, caregivers, nurses and teachers. OFWs are the unsung heroes of their country.

The club prepared simple meals and gifts for the OFWs. Former Philippine Senator Nikki Coseteng gave a brief talk about the status of women. The event was made possible through the generosity and kindness of the club’s charter President Lita Lee, Past President Lina Bagsic, Zontian Yves Mendoza, Zontian Melinda Go, and Zontian. Roda Tanco.

The holiday event allowed the club to introduce the organization and Zonta’s advocacy to a broader audience.

Zonta Club of Oil City-Franklin lights Center Street Bridge in orange

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The Zonta Clu of Oil City-Franklin, USA, kicked off their Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women club action at the Center Street Bridge, where they lit the bridge in orange.

Zontians in District 17, Area 5, rally together for Solidarity Walk

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Through the initiative of the Zonta Club of Makati and Environs, the Philippines, Zonta clubs across District 17, Area 5, came together for a Solidarity Walk to culminate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign on 10 December. More than 300 women, girls and men gathered together and stood as one to say NO to violence against women and girls.

The club invited 25-year-old Katya Lichauco as the Solidary Walk’s guest speaker. Katya is the editor of Big Deal: An Anthology of Filipino Women’s Stories and Art and co-author and managing editor of Fearless Filipinas II. She is currently a Content and Social Media Associate at Kindred Health, the first hybrid women’s clinic in the Philippines. In her simplicity and honesty, Katya inspired the audience.

District 32 holds Build a Better World for Women and Girls walkathon in Seoul

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To kick off the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, District 32, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), held a Build a Better World for Women and Girls Walkathon on 26 November.

District Governor Unna Huh organized the walkathon; Zontians and gender advocates met at Seoul Forest Gunma Statue wearing orange t-shirts to promote a meaning of solidarity that transcends gender and generations.

“Let’s work together to create a better world by utilizing Zonta’s spirit of dedication and passion for service. This event is the beginning of a small volunteer service for neighbors suffering from violence, poverty and disease in celebration of the Week for the Eradication of Violence against Women,” said Unna. “We stand against all violence against people.”

The walkathon was held simultaneously across the country, including Seoul Forest in Seoul, Haeundae in Busan, Daejeon Museum of Art, Suseongmot Lake in Daegu, and Jangdo in Yeosu.

Throughout the rest of the 16 Days of Activism, the district held a “Zonta for Women” program during South Korea’s special week on sexual violence for women living as victims of poverty, sexism, violence and defenseless girls from vulnerable groups around the world.

Zonta Club of Central Tuguegarao Says NO on the 16 Days of Activism

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The Zonta Club of Central Tuguegarao, Philippines, planned an activity for each day of the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence.

Day 1

The club kicked off the 16 Days of Activism by releasing a special episode about ending violence against women and girls in their “All About Eve” podcast.

Day 2

The club conducted the Zonta Info Caravan in a local neighborhood to capacitate barangay officials in preventing and responding to gender-based violence through a series of lectures on laws focused on women’s rights, redress of violence against women and girls and human trafficking. 

Day 3

The club put up orange-themed tarps and social media profiles and expressed their stag against gender-based violence on social media.

Day 4

Partnering with the Department of Trade and Industry and the University of Cagayan Valley School of Business Administration and Governance, the club conducted a seminar on consumer patron and anti-violence against women and children and the Consumers Act. The seminar aimed to spread awareness of consumer rights and the salient provisions of the law in the Philippines against gender-based violence.

Day 5

In honor of the women and girls who died due to gender-based violence, the club released a video montage of members wearing red dresses as a part of the Red Dress Campaign.

Day 6

In collaboration with the Tuguegarao City Cagayan Dental Chapter and Rotary Club of Tuguegarao Rainbow, the club brought “Kalinga Kay Juana” to the Tuguegarao City District Jail’s female dormitory. The activity aims to raise mental health awareness and oral hygiene among 20 participating female inmates. At the end of the talks, two female detainees had one-on-one counseling sessions, and the club passed out hygiene kits for all inmates.

Day 7

On Giving Tuesday, the club donated US$3,600 to the Zonta Foundation for Women and attended the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women Online Summit.

Day 8

As a Day of Advocacy, the club created a video featuring local leaders, such as Mayor Maila Ting Que, to show their support against gender-based violence.

Day 9

Through its Fundraising Committee, the club partnered with the Young Moms Empowerment Program to cook delicious chicken longganisa. The program is an-ongoing livelihood program to help young mothers with their financial needs.

Day 10

The club released an article about the pervasiveness of gender-based violence, which you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/zccentraltuguegarao/posts/pfbid0hPjH4Bs4t2aAYHbpKZmaTo86ot9TVBgSAC5yyZHf66X8keNiBXLVbSD54Wujs7Kml .

Day 11

Standing in unity and paying tribute to all survivors of gender-based violence, the club invited strong women who bravely share their stories of pain, survival and healing. 

Day 12

The club conducted a seminar on cyber violence with the Cagayan State University’s College of Business Entrepreneurship and Accountancy Golden Z Club and the school’s student council. Zontian Maria Milagros “Mitoy” Cayosa lectured the students about cyber violence, its impact on the victims and how to address and reduce cyber violence. 

During the open forum, students share their experiences, both personally and as a bystander. 

Day 13

As a day of outreach, the club reached out to their local legislators to regard gender-based violence as a social problem and to urge them to pass and improve anti-violence against women ordinances. They also collected letters from their Z and Golden Z clubs and delivered them to their local representatives.

Day 14

The club launched its 2022-2023 “Search for the Most Violence Against Women (VAW) -Responsive Barangay” program in Tuguegarao City. About 29 Barangays will be participating in the year-long event to shed light on issues concerning the approach to VAW and make the city move towards a 100% VAW-responsive community.

Past Area Director Mila Catabay Lauigan also proposed a women’s shelter for the area. Zontian Maria Milagros Cayosa gave an update on the establishment of a permanent gender and development center.

Day 15

As the Day of Service, the club donated birthing kits to multiple birthing centers and clinics in the area.

Many birthing centers have good facilities, and the donated kits ensure a clean and safe experience for low-income expecting mothers. The kits include underpads, receiving blankets, sterile gloves, maternity pads, sterile gauze pads, sterile scalpel blades, biodegradable plastic bags, bar soaps, umbilical cord clamps, alcohol pads, bulb syringes and diapers. 

Through this project, the club promotes the well-being of newborns and the equally important health of marginalized women who enter motherhood, for they will take on a great responsibility as they hold their babies for the first time.

Day 16

On the last day, the club gathered with the Z Club of Cagayan National High School and members of the soon-to-be-established Golden Z Club of Cayan State University – College of Engineering and Architecture to visit the Zonta Forest and Garden. 

Everyone planted 576 Narra wildlings have a higher survival rate as they are being transplanted from the wild and into more conducive parts of the forest. 

This event is one of the many tree-planting activities in the 5-hectare area under the club’s care in partnership with the Metropolitan Tuguegarao Water District. To date, more than 2,000 trees have been planted. 

President Ute Scholz joins District 10 Zontians in spreading awareness of gender-based violence during 16 Days of Activism

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As it was planning its annual “Skydance Bridge Lighting,” the Zonta Club of Central Oklahoma, USA, discovered Presidente Ute Scholz and Executive Director Allison Summers would be in town. The club invited them—and all District 10 members—to the event, which also included a proclamation by Midwest City Mayor Matt Dukes.

  • About 50 local and district Zontians attended.
  • Midwest City Mayor Matt Dukes reads a proclamation.
  • Inspired by Oklahoma’s state bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher, Skydance Bridge is a 380-foot-long pedestrian bridge with a 197-foot-tall sculpture.

Hong Kong Z clubs involve classmates in advocating for ending gender-based violence

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The Zonta Club of Hong Kong’s Z clubs used unity chains to join students and their schools in making a powerful statement about uniting in the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women global campaign.

  • More than 400 students at St. Mary’s Canossian College wrote words of encouragement on orange strips of paper. Strips were connected to form the word “NO.”
  • Members of the True Light Girls’ College Z Club asked their classmates to write their thoughts about violence against women and girls on orange strips of paper. Each class then joined their strips to create their own unity chain and took a picture holding the chain.
  • Members of the Good Hope School Z Club hung unity chains around the school to remind and connect students to the issue of violence against women in the world. The executive committee also created the word “NO” with their unity chains.
  • The St. Paul’s Convent School Z Club created a unity chain with each member expressing their feelings about violence against women by writing meaningful words on orange strips of paper. The strips of paper were joined to create unity chains.

Zonta Club of Hong Kong partners with a crisis center for peer counselor program to help gender-based violence survivors

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The Zonta Club of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, joined with the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Cease Crisis Center to kick off “V4V Survivor-mentors Endorsement Ceremony.” Fifteen women were appointed as peer counselors to encourage and support women who are facing domestic violence and crisis.

The V4V (Victim for Victim) project’s objective is to provide shelter and care for women who are experiencing domestic violence and support them after they have left the center so that they can adapt to the changes in their lives, rebuild their confidence and reestablish themselves in society.

Zonta Club of Adelaide Hills Inc spreads awareness of gender-based violence in local businesses and holds a vigil of remembrance

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For the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, members of the Zonta Club of Adelaide Hills Inc, Australia, canvassed local businesses. As a result, 18 businesses and two state politicians’ offices displayed a total of 37 orange ladies with accompanying flyers and countertop information sheets on the 16 Days of Activism.

A boutique effectively dressed their window in all orange items for the 16 days and a bakery made orange iced donuts and displayed the countertop information appropriately. In addition, two orange ladies were displayed in the local Federal Member of Parliament’s office in Canberra. One particular orange lady that drew attention was displayed atop a crane at an Equipment Hire facility. All the orange ladies were modeled on actual people and used with their permission.

The club also hosted a vigil at the iconic Windy Point, overlooking the city of Adelaide, to remember women who have lost their lives in domestic violence.

Zonta Club of New Territories II adds men to the conversation on violence against women

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To maximize the effect of He for She, the Zonta Club of New Territories II, Hong Kong, made a 2 minutes Youtube video featuring 15 successful men in Hong Kong sharing their secrets to success. The secret lies in working hard, being dedicated to their profession, and not perpetuating violence against women.