EMPOWERING women has always been at the forefront of any advocacy work undertaken by Zonta across the world. In the face of a family violence epidemic, Zonta Club of Ballarat Secretary Hilary Pope says there has never been a more pressing time to reach out to women.
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On local, national and international platforms, the organisation is campaigning to raise awareness of violence against women and girls. Later this year, The Zonta Says No campaign will kick off again, focusing strongly on White Ribbon Day – November 25 – the United Nations day for the elimination of violence against women.
Ms Pope said a holistic approach was needed to combat family violence and the women were focusing on creating awareness of the issue not only across the city but in neighbouring regions. “Everybody from police to the welfare area in Ballarat and across the state are flat to the boards and strung out,” she said. “Facilities are needed, money is needed and workers are needed.”
She said to completely eradicate violence against women, a society where gender inequality no longer existed was needed. On November 27, Ballarat Zonta club will join forces with its Melton branch to hold a candlelight vigil, shining a light on violence against women.
They will also work in conjunction with the Zonta Geelong branch to hold a domestic violence forum in Geelong on November 4. The event will be lead by Noelle Dickson, mother of murdered Bacchus Marsh woman Sarah Cafferkey.
Closer to home, the group is hopes to raises thousands of dollars for WRISC Family Violence Support, when it holds a theatre production fundraiser night in December.
Ballarat members are also working with Vietnamese schools to roll-out a $640,000 program in Hanoi set to reach 30,000 adolescent boys and girls. The aim of the program is to eradicate gender-based violence.
The initiative was sparked by a national study which revealed almost 60 per cent of married women in Vietnam had experienced violence by partners at least once in their life.
Details: zontaballarat.com
