Focusing on Zonta’s Mission

Focusing on Zonta’s Mission Zonta International seeks to improve the legal, political, economic, health, educational and professional status of women through service and advocacy. At the international level Zonta supports educational scholarships, violence prevention programs and international service projects with funding from the Zonta International Foundation. At the local level Clubs support Zonta’s mission through service and advocacy projects that serve the needs of women in their local communities.

International Service Projects 2008-2010 Safe Cities for Women in El Salvador and Guatemala (US$600,000) with UNIFEM Reduction of Obstetric Fistula in Liberia (US$450,000) with UNFPA Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Rwanda(US$600,000) with UNICEF

ZISVAW Projects 2008-2010All ZISVAW grants support the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Womenadministered by UNIFEM Ending Violence Against Women through Community Action in Cambodia(US$300,000) Combating Violence Against Women and Supporting the Implementation of Protective and Anti-discriminatory Laws and Policies in Egypt (US$200,000) Community-based Center for Housing and Rehabilitation of Women Victims of Violence in Syria (US$100,000)

International Service Projects International Service Projects seek to improve the • Economic • Educational • Health • Legal • Political status of women in developing countries or countries in transition.

International Service Projects 2008-2010 • Guatemala and El Salvador • Liberia • Rwanda

Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Rwanda By the numbers: 190,000 Rwandans, including 27,000 children, are HIV positive… 90% of children with HIV contracted the virus from their mothers during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Almost all of these cases could have been prevented if the mother had access to proper medical treatment.

Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Rwanda UNICEF (US$600,000) This project can virtually eliminate the passage of HIV from mother to child by providing: • HIV testing and counseling • Health care • Prenatal and obstetrical services • Antiretroviral medications during pregnancy • Nutritional support • Income-generating activities

Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Rwanda • Action: advocacy and sensitization campaigns among religious leaders and local authoritiesResult:more women are expected to deliver at the health facility. • Action: increased male participation in PMTCT + servicesResult:more women, children and families will be reached and services will be more effective. • Action: improve skills of existing anti-AIDS clubs in 7 secondary schoolsResult:improved quality of messages shared with peers for appropriate behavior change.

Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Rwanda Project Update With Zonta International’s support, UNICEF and its partners have been able to: • Expand PMTCT+ services at 20 sites. • Of the 20 PMTCT sites, 18 (90%) are providing early infantdiagnosis services; all 20 sites are providing on-site rapid HIV testing. • Develop capacity of health care workers to provide the most efficacious PMTCT services. • Continue to promote HIV counseling and testing in the community, mobilizing male partners to encourage their peers’ participation. • In 2009, among 399 exposed children expected at 18 months for HIV testing, 276 (69%) were tested; among those tested, 7.9% tested HIV positive. • Empower women living with HIV at seven PMTCT sites by providing 30 sewing machines and 120 pieces of cloth for start-up of income generating activities.

Safe Cities for Womenin Guatemala and El Salvador UNIFEM (US$600,000) In El Salvador an estimated 1,000 women were murdered between 1999 and 2005. More than 3,200 Guatemalan women have been kidnapped, murdered, and in many cases, raped, tortured and mutilated in the last seven years.

Safe Cities for Women UNIFEM will make these dangerous cities safer for women by: • Focusing on urban violence as a gender issue, • trengthening women’s rights to active citizenship, • educating the public about violence against women, and • helping women collaborate with the local government and urban planners to create public policies that decrease the risk of violence against women.

Safe Cities for Womenin Guatemala and El Salvador • Negotiations with local women’s organizations and authorities are in process. • UNIFEM willdevelop and implement policieson urban violence that specifically address the needs of women and the prevalence of violence against women in this environment. • The women’s organizations willidentify risks and potential solutions, advocatefor more effective anti-violence policies andparticipate in urban planningaimed at making the cities safer. • They willlaunch sensitization campaigns and stage local interventionsin order to educate the public and to decrease violence against women.

Safe Cities for Womenin Guatemala and El Salvador Project Update In Guatemala City: • Trained women to conduct a local diagnosis on urban security and violence against women in public spaces and neighborhoods, resulting in a series of proposals that were presented to municipal authorities to inform the development of a guide to improve public spaces. • Conducted workshops to raise women’s awareness of their rights as human beings and citizens, particularly their right to use public spaces without fear of being victims of violence. Implemented a Women’s Forum where women can discuss issues and make their voices heard in the community. • Focused on the recovery of public spaces for women resulting in the creation of “Bikes and Steps,” organized with the Women’s Office of the Municipality of Guatemala City; every Sunday cars are prohibited in some streets to allow citizens to have fun and enjoy the city.

Safe Cities for Womenin Guatemala and El Salvador Project Update Continued In San Salvador: Conducted workshops in San Salvador that resulted in: • The Salvadoran Women’s Organization for the Peace developing a Social Watch, or Observatory, on violence against women to disseminate strategies on VAW prevention and a series of indicators on violence against women in public spaces which was posted on a website. • A diagnosis of unsafe spaces, highlighting the perception of places where women feel they may suffer violence and presented the results to local authorities, the Minister of Justice and Public Security and the National Civil Police. • Developed advocacy strategies in collaboration with the National Civil Police, the Municipal Major, Unit of Health, Salvadoran Children’s and Youth Institute and schools, among others.

Reduction of Obstetric Fistula in Liberia UNFPA (US$450,000) What is obstetric fistula? Obstetric fistula is a hole in the birth canal caused by prolonged labor without prompt medical intervention, leaving women with: • chronic incontinence, • a stillborn baby (in most cases), and • the continuous smell of leaking urine or feces, or both. Left untreated, fistula can lead to ulcerations, kidney disease and nerve damage in the legs.Source: http://www.endfistula.org/fistula_brief.htm

Reduction of Obstetric Fistula in Liberia UNFPA will contribute to the elimination of obstetric fistula and the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality by ensuring: • Access to quality fistula treatment and improved emergency obstetric care • Supporting women socially and economically to start a new life in their communities.

Reduction of Obstetric Fistula in Liberia LAUNCHED IN 2009 • Outreach activities have been initiated • 36 Fistula cases were repaired • Dignity kits were provided for patients in Lofa • Fistula surgical repair kits were provided to Hospitals • Vocational and literacy skills training were conducted • Starter kids were procured and shared with 17 Fistula survivors after skills training.

Reduction of Obstetric Fistula in Liberia Project Update • Conducted ongoing media campaign, resulting in an increase in the number of patients treated and an increase in community receptiveness to women living with fistula. • 197 women received treatment in 2009 with more than 520 women treated since the start of the program. • In 2009, 12 doctors and 30 nurses/midwives received training in fistula prevention and treatment, strengthening the capacity to address obstetric fistula. • In 2009, 44 fistula survivors who received rehabilitation services were reintegrated into their communities. • With Zonta’s support, the Fistula Project provided treatment to 197 patients, with an 81% rate of complete closure and dryness.

Zonta International Strategies to End Violence Against Women (ZISVAW) ZISVAW projects seek to reduce the incidence of violence against women and girls by changing the personal and/or political knowledge, attitudes and behaviors contributing to violence against women.

ZISVAW Projects 2008-2010 In partnership with UNIFEM, administrator of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, Zonta will support projects in: • Cambodia • Egypt • Syria

ZISVAW Projects 2008-2010 • Ending violence against Women through Community Action in Cambodia • Combating physical violence against women and supporting the implementation of protective and anti-discriminatory laws and policies in Egypt • Community-based center for housing and rehabilitation of women victims of violence in Syria

Ending Violence Against Women through Community Action in Cambodia(US$300,000) This project works with women’s and men’s community groups to: • change harmful attitudes and behaviors through education and counseling, • advocate for the enforcement of laws that protect women, • teach women their legal rights and assist them in accessing the legal system and social services, • provide counseling to perpetrators and potential perpetrators to change them into non-violent male role models.

Ending Violence Against Women through Community Action in Cambodia Project Update • Conducted survey of perceptions of violence against women in 33 households, confirming that legal awareness of among men and women is very low. • Shared survey data with public officials, police officers and local residents which led to public officials and police taking more prompt and appropriate action to address violence against women. • Established community-based women’s core groups who reached out to more than 3,000 women in the target areas, resulting in 27 cases of violence against women being brought to the attention of local authorities. • Community-based men’s core groups organized a white ribbon campaign focused on the enforcement of existing laws that address violence against women • Organized workshop on Domestic Violence Law for local authorities, leading to collaboration between men’s and women’s core groups and local authorities in identifying cases of violence against women

Combating Physical Violence Against Women and Supporting the Implementation of Protective and Anti-discriminatory Laws and Policies in Egypt (US$200,000) • Supports the implementation of laws prohibiting the performance of genital mutilation, • provides legal, medical and psychological aid to women, and • helps shelters better respond to needs and rights of women survivors of violence.

Combating Physical Violence Against Women and Supporting the Implementation of Protective and Anti-discriminatory Laws and Policies in Egypt Project Update • Developed capacity of One-Stop Centre to provide quality services to women survivors of violence, using a human rights approach. Five workshops were held to train staff on active listening skills, communication and networking skills, international conventions and human rights of women, violence against women and research methodology. • Organized two workshops for women to help them become more aware of their human rights, more critical about cultural justifications of violence against women, and more knowledgeable about the means to access the justice system.

Community-based Center for Housing and Rehabilitation of Women Victims of Violence in Syria(US$100,000) A “one-stop centre” providing: • legal advice for women, • access to education, and vocational training, • family counseling, and • counseling for perpetrators of violence against women.

Community-based Center for Housing and Rehabilitation of Women Victims of Violence in Syria Project Update • The Centre provides counseling, housing and vocational training services to approximately 1,000 survivors of violence each year. • The project focused on strengthening the capacity of the Centre and its staff and volunteers to provide quality services to survivors. • Established a telephone hotline at the Centre to reach women throughout Syria and to ensure privacy and confidentiality to avoid stigma attached to survivors.

Identify and respond to local opportunities to prevent violence against women and advance women’s education, health care, legal rights and economic security. For example: What can you do in your community? • Work with local authorities to reform public policies to make neighbourhoods and campuses safer for women. • Increase women’s and girls’ access to local preventative health care programs (e.g., mammograms, vaccinations and Pap smears).

What can you do in your community? • Support local HIV/AIDS testing, counseling and treatment programs for pregnant women. • Collaborate with local media, healthcare professionals and police officials to prevent and respond to violence against women. • Participate in the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign (25 November - 10 December).

What can you do in your community? • Advocate for the implementation of local and national policies, laws and action plans on ending violence against women. • Mentor girls interested in fields in which women are under-represented. • Encourage women to apply for an AE Fellowship, JMK Scholarship or YWPA Award.

Zonta International Commitments Our success depends on contributions to Annual Funds to support the charitable and educational programs of Zonta International. • International Service Fundsupports projects that seek to improve the economic, educational, health or legal status of women. • ZISVAW Fundsupports projects that seek to reduce the incidence of violence against women and girls. • Amelia Earhart Fundsupports graduate (PhD) fellowships for women studying aerospace-related sciences and engineering. • Jane M. Klausman Fundsupports scholarships for young women pursuing careers in business management. • Young Women in Public Affairs Fundsupports awards to encourage young women to participate in public and political life.

Zonta International Commitments • Fundraising Commitments 2008-2010 • Every Zonta Club contributes at least one-third of all service funds collected to the Zonta International Foundation. Where this is not applicable, other ways should be found to contribute “your portion.” • Every Zontian makes an individual annual gift to the Foundation. • Every Zontian investigates and considers a planned gift to our Foundation.

Focusing on Zonta’s Mission