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Inspiring Impact: Zonta Foundation for Women Quarterly Report - Volume II | November 2024
Gender-based violence is a pervasive global issue that disproportionately affects women and girls. It takes many forms, including physical and sexual assault, domestic violence, child marriage and femicide. It knows no national or cultural barriers and affects millions in peacetime and in conflict.
One of the most pressing forms of gender-based violence for adolescent girls is child marriage, a practice that robs an estimated 12 million girls annually of their childhood, education and agency. The Zonta Foundation for Women has supported efforts to end child marriage since 2014, first working to delay early marriage in Niger from 2014-2018.
Since 2018, the Foundation has funded the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage as the first private-sector donor to the Global Programme This project works to bring together governments, civil society, families and young people in a collective effort to prevent girls from marrying too young and to support those already married as girls
By investing in programs that address the underlying causes of child marriage, the Zonta Foundation for Women is helping to break the cycle of violence and create a more equitable world for all Ending genderbased violence requires a collective effort from individuals, communities, governments and organizations. Through its annual Every Member Every November fundraising campaign, the Foundation mobilizes its global network of members to contribute to vital initiatives that advance gender equality and benefit women and girls worldwide. And, during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, observed annually from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day), all Zonta clubs and districts are encouraged to take part in the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign to raise awareness, advocate for change, and promote a future free from discrimination and abuse for all women and girls. Let us use these campaigns and beyond to raise our voices, demand justice and work toward a future free from gender-based violence.
