The Zonta Club of Hilo hosted a reception Nov. 25 at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to say thank you to members of the community who have helped women by taking a stand against violence and mark the beginning of “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.”
The Zonta Club of Hilo hosted a reception Nov. 25 at the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to say thank you to members of the community who have helped women by taking a stand against violence and mark the beginning of “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.”
“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. “It’s in our backyard. In 2013, as the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women focuses on fighting violence against women, we support the initiative with ‘Zonta Says NO.’”
Displayed at the Hilo event were shoes, with each pair representing someone in the community who died at the hands of domestic violence.
“When you see the display of shoes and recognize they represent someone in our community, someone’s mother, daughter, sister, son, brother or father, it is a somber realization” said Zonta Club of Hilo president Tonya Ozone.
The first Zonta International Strategies to end Violence Against Women was administered in 1996. By 2000, Zonta International, through its ZISVAW program, provided more than $3.5 million to support anti-violence projects in 32 countries.
To learn more about “Zonta Says NO” and join the campaign, visit zontasaysno.com.
For more information about the Zonta Club of Hilo and opportunities to join this global organization of executives and professionals working to advance the status of women worldwide, visit www.zontahilo.org.