Thirty-five percent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.
As part of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence—an international campaign that aims to inspire action and end violence against women and girls around the world—the Zonta Club of east Auckland, along with members of Shakti raised awareness of the International campaign in Howick recently.
The 2018 Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women campaign will match Zonta International’s efforts to help end child marriage which, this year alone, will affect more than 12 million girls worldwide, according to Girls Not Brides. At the local level, Zonta clubs across the world have organised activities and events as part of the Zonta Says No to Violence Against Women campaign, which focuses on the service and advocacy actions of Zonta clubs and districts to prevent and end violence against women and girls in their local communities.
“Early marriage is probably the most appalling act of violence against girls. It is closely associated with and often triggers other forms of violence,” says Zonta International President Susanne von Bassewitz.
“Under the umbrella of Zonta Says No, Zonta members and clubs around the world will not only provide funding, but engage in advocacy activities as well to end child marriage.”
Each year during the 16 Days of Activism campaign, which runs from November 25 –December 10, Zonta International encourages its clubs to participate in advocacy efforts that focus on prevention, protection and prosecution.
This year, the Zonta Club of East Auckland is focusing on ending child marriage, a national and global human right’s violation as the centerpiece.
A display highlighting the issues was showcased recently at the Howick Library. A speaker from Shakti also made a presentation. Shakti is a Women’s Refuge associate member that provides culturally appropriate domestic violence intervention services to women of Asian, African and Middle Eastern origin and their children regardless of age, immigration status, religion and sexual orientation.
Zonta East Auckland meets monthly, for fellowship with a purpose – the purpose being improving the status of women and girls on a local level, nationally and internationally through service and advocacy.
