WHAT IS ZONTA’S ROLE AT THE UNITED NATIONS?

1. ZONTAINTERNATIONAL UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE 2012-2014 WHAT IS ZONTA’S ROLE AT THE UNITED NATIONS?

2. YOUR UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE • In New York City: • Mary Ann Tarantula, Chairman Patricia Latona, Susan Westerberg, Staci Alziebler • In Geneva: Simone Ovart, Vice Chairman-Geneva Regula Danaka • In Vienna: Eva-Maria Kodek-Webra, Vice Chairman-Vienna Ingeborg Geyer, Eveline Hejlek • In Paris: Janine N’Diaye, Vice Chairman-Paris Jacqueline Besnard, Monique Vernet

3. What are the issues we are most concerned with? Violence against Women Trafficking Female Genital Mutilation Violence against Women in Conflict and Post Conflict Areas Women’s Health

4. How do we influence these issues? • In all our locations, committee members belong to NGO Committees on the Status of Women, the NGO Committee on Trafficking, the Working Group on Girls, the Human Rights Committee, the Committee on Aging, and the NGO Committee on UNICEF. • By working together in collaboration with other NGOs, we have more strength to influence member states and their missions to the United Nations. • By making statements to Commissions and Bureaus such as the UN Commission on the Status of Women and the CEDAW Committee. • By making statements to High Level Meetings on issues that are of importance to Zonta.

5. 2012-2014 Goals • Going forward we will continue to monitor situations and will make Zonta’s voice heard while continuing, as well, to make sure that human rights violations are punished. • We will monitor the countries that have agreed to CEDAW to assure that they are living up to the protocols they promised to uphold. • We will continue to meet with member states’ ambassadors and missions to assure that they will bring our concerns to the various United Nations Committees that they sit on.

6. We will continue to increase Zonta’s visibility and credibility at the United Nations so that it is understood that we will not be ignored. • We will continue to monitor the progress, or lack of progress, on the Millennium Development Goals. • We will work to help set the agenda for 2015(when the MDGs expire) so that gender is mainstreamed into development goals going forward. • We will continue to advocate and lobby for those issues which the members of Zonta International are most concerned with.

7. How Can Districts and Clubs get Involved? • Support the international “16 Days of Activism” campaign – beginning on November 25th and ending on December 10th • Learn how you can make a difference internationally through your support and activism of these programs • Partner with like minded organizations to increase your visibility and credibility • Communicate with your District United Nations Chair and with your Zonta International United Nations Chairman – both can give you valuable information that you need in order to have your advocacy make a difference.

8. All Zontians know that women are not property and must be allowed to enjoy their human rights, for, as we know, women’s rights are human rights • We should no longer tolerate violence against women, female genital mutilation or trafficking. • What we must have is empowerment for women through access to education and training for jobs.

9. They must have access to health care. • Women must be guaranteed participation in peace-building and reconciliation programs once conflicts have ended. • More women must be given the opportunity to participate as legislators. • All governments must comply with all the commitments made in International Conventions, Treaties and Resolutions on the Human Rights of Women and girls. • Forced Marriage or child marriage must be abolished. • Together we will accomplish our mission.