Zonta Clubs around the world unite for 16 Days of Activism, 25 November to 10 December each year, to highlight the Zonta International Campaign to eliminate violence against women and girls. 25 November each year is the United Nations Day for the elimination of violence against women and 10 December, United Nations Day for Human Rights

In the lead up to and during the 16 days of action, clubs take to the streets of their neighbourhoods, towns and cities organising a wide range of “orange events” to emphasize the importance of individual and community activism to end violence

WHY THE COLOUR “ORANGE”?

The United Nations Secretary-General’s Campaign UNiTE to End Violence against Women has proclaimed the 25th of each month as ‘Orange Day’, a day to raise awareness and take action against violence against women and girls.

WHAT ARE THE KEY MESSAGES OF THE CAMPAIGN?

  • Both men and women experience substantial levels of violence;
  • Domestic, Family and sexual violence is overwhelmingly committed by men against women;
  • The majority of people who experience domestic violence are women; and
  • DV knows no boundaries and occurs in all strata of society.

We need to change our attitude about women and our behaviour to build respectful and positive relationships.

2023 ZONTA SAYS NO (ZSN) CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES BY DISTRICT22 CLUBS

In 2023 Clubs across District 22 undertook many and varied activities to support the campaign.  Activities included displaying large ZSN banners in prominent positions, lighting infrastructure orange, placement of “Orange” women (plywood cut outs) in prominent locations e.g. businesses, ferry terminals, libraries etc (these silhouettes have information on violence against women as well as safety information for victims of domestic violence) holding function with special guests speakers, seeking publicity in local media and conducting a major social media campaign.  The social media campaign showcased Club activities and provided information and statistics on the incidence of domestic and family violence and the support services available to victims of violence.

Clubs are congratulated on their achievements during the 16 Days of Activism.

During and in the lead-up to the 16 Days of Activism Zontians issued press releases and received media attention via interview and articles in the press and a pod cast. A webinar was also open and open to the public.  All Clubs were active on social media posting statistical and general information on domestic and family violence in Australia. Examples of the coverage are below:

22 November 2023 – Article in The Echo

2 December 2023 – Podcast ZC Bundaberg https://youtu.be/cteEzBRBUqA?si=z8pOitOxHRCxMFEc

Since 2017 Zonta Clubs in the southeast corner have had a Committee to coordinate and promote actions.  The first major initiative was to arrange a walk around the Brisbane CBD to view the infrastructure lit orange.  The walk, organised by the Zonta Club of Brisbane Sunrise Inc, lasts from between 30 minutes (short version) to a longer walk lasting about 90 minutes allowing for photo opportunities.  The walk is open to all Zontians, friends and family and is followed by an informal fellowship activity.  Numbers have grown each year.

A SUMMARY OF ACTIONS OF BRISBANE AND NEAR BRISBANE ZONTA CLUBS:

  • A large Zonta Says NO banner hung across the Storey Bridge for two weeks (the Bridge is a major gateway to and from Brisbane City;
  • A LightBox in King George Square;
  • City Hall and King George Square lit orange
  • Sandgate Town Hall lit orange;
  • The Story Bridge, Victoria Bridge, Sir Leo Hielscher Bridge, Reddacliff Place sculptures Donna Marcus: Steam ,  Wickham Terrace Car park, Tropical Dome and Breakfast Creek lit orange;
  • The Treasury Casino lit orange;
  • St Stephens Cathedral lit orange;
  • A Paint the Bayside Orange” Breakfast with Guest Speaker, Wynnum Manly Leagues Club; and
  • A massed display of the orange silhouettes and information stall in Bunyara Park, West End.

A SUMMARY OF ACTIONS OF ZONTA CLUBS OUTSIDE THE BRISBANE METROPOLITAN AREA:

ZONTA CLUB OF BEAUDESERT AREA INC

  • ZSN Stall in town centre;
  • Orange silhouettes displayed;
  • Large Banner displayed in town; and
  • A Walk Against Violence starting from Beaudesert Police Station

ZONTA CLUB OF BOWEN INC

  • Large Banner displayed at the Whitsunday Regional Council;
  • Banners displayed;
  • Static display of ZSN materials in prominent town window location; and
  • Movie Night – “Time of the Butterflies”

ZONTA CLUB OF BUNDABERG INC

  • Sugarland Shopping Centre buy your ribbon/badge;
  • Brunch at The Waves Club with Guest Speaker to launch the campaign;
  • Following Brunch Zonta Says NO walk around soccer ground adjacent to The Waves Club;
  • Lighting of the Fig Trees, Multiplex Centre, Auswide Bank in Orange;
  • Produced a booklet with activities programmed for each of the 16 Days of Activism – Zonta Club of Bundaberg;
  • Walked in the Pageant of Lights;
  • Orange women silhouettes hosted by Bundaberg City Council, Bank of Queensland (BOQ), IGA Local Grocer Burnett Heads, Tom Smith MP, Stephen Bennett MP, Priceline Pharmacy Bundaberg, Brothers Sports Club, Bundaberg Regional Libraries;
  • Participated in a Park Run; and
  • Christmas Tree at “Across the Waves” with names of women and children (75 lives) lost this year to D&FV.

ZONTA CLUB OF BURDEKIN INC

  • Banner displayed on St Francis’ school on main highway;
  • Water in the fountain on Main Street, Ayr turned orange;
  • Photos taken in participating local businesses with orange lady cut out. The business owners held a sign showing their support for the Zonta Says No campaign;
  • Attend Anglican Church service held for victims of Domestic and Family Violence (D&FV); and
  • Articles with photos in the local newspaper during the 16 Days of Activism.

ZONTA CLUB OF CABOOLTURE INC

  • Local radio interviews;
  • Zonta Says No Banners displayed at Apex Park and at Sheep Station Creek;
  • Caboolture Square lit orange;
  • 46 orange figures allocated to local libraries, swimming pools, Burpengary Police Station, Planet Fitness, World Gym, charity organisations and businesses with the name and age of a woman or child who died as a result of domestic violence in the past 12 months;
  • Stall and display at Morayfield Shopping Centre; and
  • In collaboration with Bunnings Morayfield planting a garden with a floral shaped orange ”Z” at the Burpengary Police Station supporting the survivors of Domestic Violence.

ZONTA CLUB OF CAIRNS INC

  • Training session “Its a Man’s Issue” by Curtis Raymond at Cairns Regional Council Building;
  • Banner at the Health & Well Being Expo, Bentley Park College;
  • Banner display at the Cairns City Council Library & The Raintrees Library;
  • Displays in all libraries across Cairns region from Mossman to Gordonvale;
  • Media messages across neon signs in front of Joe Vella’s Insurance Office and The Jack;
  • Distribution of information and safety packs to high school Youth Support Co-Ordinators;
  • Displays in hairdressers and coffee shops;
  • Brochure display in Breast Screen Cairns;
  • Orange silhouettes displayed at Hambledon House and Bentley Park College; and
  • Interview on community radio.

ZONTA CLUB OF CHARTERS TOWERS INC 

  • City Hall lit orange;
  • Sausage Sizzle at Mitre 10; and
  • Displays of orange silhouettes

ZONTA CLUB OF GLADSTONE INC

  • Display on Hockey Fields Fencing Central Gladstone displaying the number of women deaths for the year;
  • 10 Corflutes Distributed to prominent locations;
  • Over 35 Orange silhouettes displayed at Organisations/Businesses throughout Gladstone;
  • Orange light-ups at Gladstone Regional Council and Gladstone Ports Corporation;
  • Club Breakfast at the end of 16 Days celebrating Orange and 16 Days Social Media sharing, hashtags, tagging and scheduled community awareness;
  • Video Recorded Messages leading up to and over the 16 days regularly posted on social media;
  • Club dinner member meeting with an Orange partial theme in November to promote the 16 days of Activism;
  • Participate in the walk “Reclaim the Night “event wearing orange shirts and displaying, banners and signage;
  • Pre-posts of Zonta 16 days of Activism of events and supporters; and
  • Video recorded messages from leaders in the community around what 16 Days of Activism against gender violence means to them and the theme UNITE.

IPSWICH ZONTA INC

  • Campaign Launch, Tulmur Place, City Centre with speaker and invited dignities;
  • Council Building in Nicholas Street lit orange;
  • Red Bench placed in Tulmur Place; and
  • Placing emergency contact phone numbers on back of toilet doors.

ZONTA CLUB OF MACKAY INC

  • ZSN Dinner at Ocean International;
  • Mackay Regional Council Building lit orange;
  • Orange silhouettes displayed at Mackay Hospital, Mackay Regional Libraries, Trudy Cowley Foundation and The Neighbourhood Hub; and
  • Newspaper column in the Mackay Whitsunday Life.

ZONTA CLUB OF MAROOCHY INC

  • Community Awareness Project – Buhk Park, Alexandra Paradise

ZONTA CLUB OF MARYBOROUGH INC

  • Promotion ay Maryborough Speedway & Burnout;
  • Banner displayed at Wallaroo Hockey Club;
  • Walk Against Violence from City Hall to Elizabeth Rose Gardens;
  • Unveiling of Orange Bench in Elizabeth Rose Gardens; and
  • City Buildings lit orange.​

ZONTA CLUB OF MOUNT ISA INC

  • White Ribbon Breakfast at Terrace Garden, and
  • ZSN Coffee cups distributed to the community through coffee outlets.

ZONTA CLUB OF NOOSA INC

  • Banner displayed in the main street;
  • Tree in Hastings Street lit orange;
  • PowerPoint display the Bendigo Bank Tewantin-Noosa with Zontians staffing stall during lunch hour;
  • Display in Noosa Library; and
  • Riverside Walk and Candlelight Vigil – River Stage, Lions Park, Noosaville.

ZONTA CLUB OF NORTHERN RIVERS INC

  • Banner on the Bruxner Highway in Lismore;
  • 20 orange silhouettes displayed in shops, business and cafes; and
  • Walk Against Violence in Ballina.

ZONTA CLUB OF NORTHSIDE INC

  • Orange silhouettes at Bracken Ridge Tavern, Aspley Hornets & Bonnyview Hôtel:
  • Billboard message Salvation Army Taigum;
  • Large Banner outside Bonnyview Hotel, Bald Hills; and
  • 12 metre Orange Mural on Community Wall, Bracken Ridge Plaza and Nundah
    Community Village.

ZONTA CLUB OF PARADISE POINT INC

  • Orange Silhouettes in businesses, organisations, MPs offices; and
  • Attend screening of “The Fort”

ZONTA CLUB OF PINE RIVERS INC

  • Large banner Leis Park Lawnton near the entrance to the University and Leslie Patrick Park, Arana Hills;
  • Birthing Kit Assembly Day;
  • Free event Movie “The Last Drop”, BCC Cinemas, Strathpine;
  • Bunnings Sausage Sizzle, Carseldine; and
  • Christmas Hampers to the Centre Against Domestic Abuse, Strathpine;

ZONTA CLUB OF REDCLIFFE INC

  • Moreton Bay Say NO to Violence Walk;
  • Orange Activism Breakfast, with Guest Speaker, The Komo, Redcliffe;
  • Banners displayed at Redcliffe Youth Space Corner Anzac Ave and Oxley Ave Redcliffe; Bi-Centennial Park Hornibrook Esplanade Clontarf; Mango Hill Light Horse Monument – Anzac Ave Mango Hill Market Place and John Neumann Hall Deception Bay Rd Deception Bay;
  • Redcliffe Administration Building; Caboolture Hub; Humpybong Fountain; Scarborough Beach Park and Various Trees around the Peninsula lit orange;
  • Flag raising ceremony – Redcliffe Administration Building; and
  • Displays in Redcliffe Library, Deception Bay Library, North Lakes Library and 16 orange silhouettes in various businesses.

ZONTA CLUB OF ROCKHAMPTON INC

  • ZSN Breakfast
  • Orange lighting of heritage buildings in Rockhampton;
  • Orange lighting of structures on the Capricorn Coast; and
  • ZSN banners hung in strategic positions in Rockhampton

STANTHORPE ZONTA INC

  • Official Opening of Remarkable Women in the Granite Belt Plaques, Zonta Rose Garden;
  • Display of banner for ZSN; and
  • Ride Against Domestic Violence Market

ZONTA CLUBS OF TOOWOOMBA INC, TOOWOOMBA GARDEN CITY INC AND ZONTA E-CLUB OF QUEENSLAND INC

  • Zonta Says No banner displayed over Margaret Street:
  • Walk Against Domestic Violence, Victoria Street Bridge;
  • Zonta Community Market Stall, Toowoomba Farmer’s Market;
  • Victoria Street Bridge lit orange:
  • Signage with support service contact details posted on doors as part of the “Behind Closed Doors” project;
  • Orange silhouettes displayed in business houses:
  • “Unmasking Violence Webinar”; and
  • Flag Raising ceremony on the Village Green, Ruthven St, Toowoomba to commemorate Human Rights Day.

ZONTA CLUBS OF TOWNSVILLE INC,& TOWNSVILLE METRO INC

  • Market Day stall at Bunnings;
  • Banner displayed at the Cowboys Football Club; and
  • Participate in the Walk Against Violence.

ZONTA CLUB OF WARWICK INC

  • Banner displayed at Town Hall;
  • Town Hall lit orange;
  • Members attended the Warwick Anglican Church Service remembering victims of Domestic and Family Violence;
  • 10 life size orange women silhouettes  placed in businesses around town displaying; Zonta’s brochures / bookmarks / DV business sized cards
  • 15 small orange women silhouettes placed on counters in hairdressers, coffee shops etc displaying D&FV cards;
  • Display in the shopping centre, and
  • Interview with Community Radio before the launch to highlight what will be done in the area.

ZONTA CLUB OF WYNNUM REDLAND INC

  • Cleveland Lighthouse lit orange

 

To find out more about this global campaign visit the Zonta Says No website.