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.

WHAT ACTIONS DO CLUBS TAKE?

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.

Hold functions with special guest speakers to provide information and statistics on the incidence of domestic and family violence and the support services available to victims of violence.Print and distribute community Information (Safety Cards) with emergency phone numbers for those who may be in a violent situation

Displays in Libraries, shopping malls and sporting venues during November/December

Sponsor the training of facilitators to conduct the school based “LoveBites” program which covers respectful relationships

Ask Government and Councils to support the campaign by lighting buildings and bridges orange during the campaign

SEEK PUBLICITY DURING THE CAMPAIGN  


2023 ACTION- THIS LIST IS BEING UPDATED REGULARLY 

Brisbane

A major fellowship and advocacy walk on 22 November through the streets of Brisbane to highlight the campaign.  Zontians, friends (including four-footeds on leashes) and the wider community are invited to attend this Advocacy and Fellowship walk commencing from King George Square at 6.00 pm.    The full walk should take between 1.and 1.5 hours and the half walk 2.3km about 30-45 minutes.

  • 14 November – 12 December 2023 – LightBox in King George Square
  • 8 December 2023 – “Paint the Bayside Orange” Breakfast with Guest Speaker, Wynnum Manly Leagues Club
  • 20 November -3 December 2023 – Zonta Says NO Banner hung across the Story Bridge inbound
  • 21-22 November 2023 – City Hall and King George Square lit orange
  • 21-22 November 2023 – Sandgate Town Hall lit orange
  • 21-22 November  2023- Story Bridge, Victoria Bridge and Reddacliff Place sculptures Donna Marcus: Steam ,  Wickham Tce Car park, Tropical Dome and Breakfast Creek)
  • 22 November 2023 – Zonta Says NO Walk around the City commencing from King George Square at 6.00pm followed by fellowship at the Pig and Whistle, King George Square
  • DATES TBA – Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges lit orange
  • DATES TBA – Treasury Casino lit orange
  • Social Media Campaign
  • Over 3 weekends a mass display pf orange silhouettes and stall in local park
  • Place orange silhouettes in the Orange PAH week activity.

Beaudesert

  • ZSN Stall in town centre
  • Orange silhouettes displayed
  • Large Banner displayed in town

Bowen

  • Post for 16 days a ZSN message on club’s Facebook page
  • 25 November -10 December 2022 – Banners displayed
  • Static display of ZSN materials in prominent town window location
  • Movie night “In Time of the Butterflies”

Bundaberg

  • 18-19 November 2022 – Sugarland Shopping Centre 10am-1.00pm buy your ribbon/badge
  • 26 November 2022 – Brunch at 9.30am-12pm Campaign launch at The Waves Club Bundaberg
  • 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
  • Produce  – Zonta Club Bundaberg 2022 16 Days of Activism Magazine
  • 25November-10 December 2022 – Visit our Facebook page for releases

Burdekin

  • Banner displayed on St Francis’ school on main highway
  • Water in the fountain on main street turned orange
  • Photos taken in participating local businesses with orange lady cut out. The business owners will hold a sign showing their support for the Zonta Says No campaign
  • Article with photos in the local newspaper during the 16 Days of Activism

Caboolture

  • Zonta Says No Banners displayed at Apex Park and at Sheep Station Creek
  • Caboolture Square lit up with Orange lighting
  • 46 orange figures allocated to local libraries, 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
  • 26-27 November 2022 – stall and display at Morayfield Shopping Centre
  • 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
  • Promotional interview on local radio

Cairns

  • 14 November 2022 – Banner at the Health & Well Being Expo, Bentley Park College
  • 25 November -10 December – Banner display 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 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
  • Interview on community radio
  • Social Media campaign

Charters Towers

  • City Hall lit orange
  • Displays of orange silhouettes

Gladstone

  • 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 Facebook
  • Club dinner member meeting with an Orange partial theme in November to promote for the 16 days of Activism
  • 27 October 2022 Reclaim the night wearing orange shirts, banners and signage
  • Beginning of October sending out community engagement packages by email to Previous and New organisations/businesses
  • Press release information sent out September
  • 16 days of posts over Facebook of organisations/community engagement with the orange silhouettes
  • Pre-posts of Zonta 16 days of Activism of events and supporters
  • Video recorded messages from leaders in the community around what 16 Days of Activism against gender violence means to them and the theme UNITE.

Golden Z Club, USC Moreton Bay

  • Static Library display
  • Pledge and Candle Lighting Ceremony
  • Orange Hand Says No wall
  • 10 December 2022 Light up the front of University Orange
  • 10 December Light up street lights and splash Orange

Ipswich

  • 24 November 2022 Campaign Launch, Tulmur Place with speaker and invited dignities
  • Council Building in Nicholas Street lit orange
  • Red Bench placed in Tulmur Place

Mackay

  • 28 October 2023 – ZSN Dinner, Ocean International
  • Mackay Regional Council Building lit orange
  • Orange silhouettes displayed at Mackay Hospital, Mackay Regional Libraries, Trudy Cowley Foundation, The Neighbourhood Hub
  • Newspaper column Mackay Whitsunday Life (see article above)
  • Social Media campaign
  • Maryborough
  • Banner displayed Wallaroo Hockey Club
  • 26 November 2022 – Walk Against Violence 9.00am City Hall to Elizabeth Rose Gardens
  • Unveiling of Orange Bench in Elizabeth Rose Gardens
  • Buildings lit orange

Mount Isa

  • 18 November 2022 White Ribbon Day Breakfast, Terrace Garden Mt Isa
  • ZSN Coffee cups

Noosa

  • Banner displayed in street
  • Tree in Hastings Street lit orange
  • 21 November 2022 – 10 December 2022 PowerPoint display Bendigo Bank Tewantin-Noosa with Zontians staffing stall during lunch hour
  • 25 November -10 December Display in Noosa Library
  • 27 November 2022 – Riverside Walk and Candlelight Vigil – River Stage, Lions Park, Noosaville
  • Social media positing throughout the 16 days

Northern Rivers

  • Banner on the Bruxner Highway in Lismore
  • 20 orange silhouettes displayed in shops, business and cafes
  • 8 December 2022 a NORWACS and GADAus 16 Days of Activism event at Southern Cross University will focus on response to violence against women in disasters, and specifically in the aftermath of the 2022 Lismore and Northern Rivers Region floods – on line and in person. Registration is free.
  • Social media campaign

Northside

  • 25 November – 10 December 2022 Orange silhouettes at Bracken Ridge Tavern, Aspley Hornets & Bonnyview Hotel
  • Billboard message Salvation Army Taigum
  • Large Banner outside Bonnyview Hotel, Bald Hills
  • 12 November 2022 – stall at Bracken Ridge Plaza Community Day

Paradise Point

  • Orange Silhouettes in businesses, organisations, MPs offices
  • Social Media Campaign
  • Attend screening of “The Fort”

Pine Rivers

  • 28 November-11 December 2022 – Large banner Leis Park Lawnton near the entrance to the University and Leslie Patrick Park, Arana Hills
  • 26 November 2022 -Birthing Kit Assembly Day
  • 11 December 2022 – Bunnings Sausage Sizzle, Carseldine
  • 10 Christmas Hampers to the Centre Against Domestic Abuse, Strathpine
  • Social media campaign

Redcliffe

  • 10 October 2023 – Moreton Bay Say NO to Violence Walk
  • 21 November 2023 – Orange Activism Breakfast, The Komo, Redcliffe
  • 21 November – 11 December 2023 Banners displayed at Redcliffe Youth Space Cnr Anzac Ave and Oxley Ave Redcliffe; Bi-Centennial Park Hornibrook Esp Clontarf; Mango Hill Light Horse Monument – Anzac Ave Mango Hill and John Neumann Hall Deception Bay Rd Deception Bay
  • 25 November – 10 December 2023  Redcliffe Administration Building; Caboolture Hub; Humpybong Fountain; Scarborough Beach Park and Various Trees around the Peninsula lit orange
  • 9 December 2023 – Flag raising ceremony -Redcliffe Administration Building
  • 25 November – 10 December 2022 Displays in Redcliffe Library, Deception Bay Library, North Lakes Library and orange silhouettes in various businesses
  • Social media campaign involving businesses and individuals

Rockhampton

  • Orange lighting of heritage buildings in Rockhampton
  • Orange lighting of structures on the Capricorn Coast
  • ZSN banners hung in strategic positions in Rockhampton
  • Distribution of ‘The Little Book of Healthy Relationships “ – a booklet with information about DFV, produced in conjunction with CQ Healthy Families
  • 24 November 2022 Event at the Blue Illusion store in Stockland shopping centre
  • Social Media campaign

Stanthorpe

  • 25 November 2022 -afternoon tea for members providing a briefing on the newly released National Plan to End Gender-Based violence and reviewing what communities can do
  • 2 December 2022 – webinar on forced marriage in Australia with Professor Jennifer. Go to Upcoming Events on this site for details.
  • 25 November – 10 December – display of banner for ZSN
  • 25 November – 10 December – social media campaign, with a post every day during the 16 days

Toowoomba

  • 25 November-10 December 2022 Zonta Says No banner to be displayed over Margaret St
  • 25 November 2022 – Walk Against Domestic Violence, Victoria Street Bridge, 5.00pm
  • 26 November 2022 – Zonta Community Market Stall, Toowoomba Farmer’s Market
  • Victoria Street Bridge lit orange
  • 25-10 December 202216 white ladies with message will be displayed in business houses and this year with white veils advocating the message: Girls not Brides Zonta Says No to Child Marriage.
  • Flag Raising ceremony to be held on 9 December 2022 from 7am to 8.30 am on the Village Green, Ruthven St, Toowoomba to commemorate Human Rights Day. Go to Upcoming Events on this site

Townsville

  • Banner displayed at the Cowboys Club

Warwick

  • 25 November -10 December 2022 – Banner displayed at Town Hall25 November -10 December 2022 – Town Hall lit orange
  • 30 November 2022 – DV Support Training Day
  • During the 16 days of Activism the Women’s Advocacy and Action Team Southern Downs is holding a Common Risk and Safety Framework (CRASF) Roadshow information session, aimed at assisting integrated service system stakeholders to understand the CRASF and how to use the CRASF tools.  This will be attended by Warwick Zontians
  • Members will attend the Warwick Anglican Church Service remembering victims of Domestic and Family Violence
  • 10 life size orange women silhouettes (made by the Warwick Men’s Shed) will be placed in businesses around town displaying Zonta’s brochures / bookmarks / DV business sized cards
  • 15 small orange women silhouettes will be placed on counters in hairdressers, coffee shops etc displaying DV cards
  • Display in the shopping centre
  • Updates and photographs will be taken of all large orange silhouettes in the businesses in town and posted on social media / Facebook page
  • Interview with Community Radio before the launch to highlight what will be done in the area
  • An article and photos will be provided for the local newspaper during the 16 days campaign

Wynnum Redlands

  • 25 November – 10 December 2022 Cleveland Lighthouse lit orange
  • 30 November 2022 – handing out information at Cleveland Train Station
  • 7 December 2022 – handing out information at Manly Train Station

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