Zonta Bursary for Australian Indigenous Women Students
This Bursary provides $2,000 in financial support to one female indigenous students at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) each year. Winners are selected in collaboration with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit at QUT. Applicants must have successfully completed at least one year of study towards a degree course.
JMK scholarship
Women make up nearly 50 percent of the global workforce; however, gender equality is not yet a reality in senior management and corporate boardrooms around the world. According to a February 2018 list from Catalyst, 21.2 percent of Fortune 500 companies’ board seats are occupied by women, and just 5.2 percent of the companies’ CEOs are women. To encourage more women to pursue education and careers in business, Zonta International established the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship. Zonta International offers up to 32 scholarships of US$2,000 each at the district/region level and six international scholarships in the amount of US$8,000 each.
More information can be found at www.zonta.org/Global-Impact/Education/Women-in-Business-Scholarship
Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women
For almost 100 years, Zonta International has contributed to help achieve a world free of violence against women and girls through service and advocacy.
Violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive human rights violations and a global epidemic. It knows no national or cultural barriers; it takes place at home, in the workplace and in open spaces, and affects millions of women and girls in peacetime and conflict. It includes psychological, physical and sexual violence, and harmful practices such as rape, female genital cutting, child marriage and human trafficking. Violence against women and girls threatens countries, inhibits economic progress, and prevents women from contributing to their community and creating better lives for themselves and their families.
Our ongoing service efforts are demonstrated through numerous local projects and programs, through the Zonta International Strategies to End Violence against Women (ZISVAW) program and through Zonta’s partnerships with the United Nations and its agencies.
Immigrant Women’s Support Service
The Immigrant Women’s Support Service (IWSS) is a community based organisation which works with women and children of non-English speaking background who are or have been in violent domestic situations and/or have experienced rape and/or sexual assault.
IWSS is a crisis and support service which provides culturally appropriate support, information, short-term counselling and referral. The service employs bilingual, bicultural workers qualified in the social work and behavioural sciences field.
IWSS works from within a feminist framework which values cultural diversity and recognises the disadvantages faced by women and children of non-English speaking backgrounds which arise from the structural inequalities existing in society.
IWSS works to assist women of non-English speaking backgrounds and their children to live in safety and security and access services and facilities to make their independent survival possible.
Women’s Legal Service
The Zonta Club of Brisbane Breakfast is a founding supporter of the Women’s Legal Service.
Women’s Legal Service provides life changing help to Queensland women and their children whose lives are impacted by domestic violence and complex family law matters. Over the past 12 months more than 25,000 services have been provided. Due to resource constraints 40% of calls for help currently cannot be answered (www.wlsq.org.au).
Zonta has provided service project funding for emergency practical assistance to women and children many of whom have left violence. The funds have provided assistance with food vouchers, transport, phone credit, court and transcription fees – reducing the significant financial barriers involved when starting life over. The funds have meant that immediate practical needs can be addressed while Women’s Legal Service domestic violence social workers link women into long term programs including housing support.
The funds have changed the lives of over 200 women and 500 children. Women’s Legal Service is grateful for the important support from all members of the Zonta Club of Brisbane Breakfast.
Sakina Inc.
Sakina Inc. provide safe shelter, empowers, enables independence and advocates for women affected by domestic violence. Sakina Inc. aims to provide a tranquil, safe space where holistic healing begins.
The ugly reality is that 1 in 4 women have faced domestic and family violence and between 80 and 100 Australian women die at the hands of their male partners every year – and a woman in Australia is more likely to be killed in her own home by her male partner than anywhere else or by anyone else.” (The ABS Personal Safety Survey 2006).
Due to these alarming rates of domestic and family violence faced by women, Sakina Inc. was urgently established in June 2014 to provide safe shelter, empower, enable independence and advocate for women affected by domestic violence.
What is the objective?
Advocacy: advocating for the rights of women from culturally and linguistic diverse (CALD) backgrounds who are escaping domestic violence.
Empowerment: Empowering women in making choices that will assist them in the process of independence and liberation.
Independence: Assisting women in becoming free from control, influence and aid by increasing the ability of self- determination.
Sakina do this by engaging with other professionals such as psychologists, doctors, allied health practitioners, social workers, employment consultants, and other relevant government and non- governmental agencies.
Sakina Inc. is a non for profit organisation where all proceeds will go towards the funding of the shelter provided for women escaping domestic violence. Sakina are trying to raise funds to buy the shelter as well as provide essential for the victims.
Birthing Kits
It is estimated that over 300,000 women die annually in childbirth, many from preventable infections. Every 90 seconds, a woman dies of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. For every woman who dies in childbirth, around 30 more suffer injury, infection or disease – many of which are painful, debilitating, embarrassing and lifelong.
A Birthing Kit is a very simple set of items that make an enormous difference in improving hygiene, and consequently mortality rates, for women in many places around the world.
Each year our Zonta groups and friends pack birthing kits for women in third world countries. It’s great for bonding, fun and laughter while making a real difference, potentially saving a life.
This year we are planning to assemble 10,000 birthing kits! How can you help us?
You can volunteer or donate by Joining us on either Wednesday 15th August (EKKA day) 7.30am-12 noon or Saturday 18th August 7.30am-1pm.
No woman deserves to die whilst giving birth
Register to Volunteer Donate Now
Our 2018 Sponsors
Zonta International Projects
Service
Advocacy
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women
- Women’s Empowerment Principles
- HeForShe
Education
1/3 of our fund raising profits go to ZI to help with the global causes
A full coverage of the Zonta International Projects can be found on the ZI website. http://www.zonta.org/WhatWeDo/InternationalPrograms.aspx