The Zontian April 2007, Issue 4

Economic Securityfor Women –One approach:

Economic Securityfor Women –One approach:

MicrofinanceMicrofinance

The

Zontian The Membership Voice of Zonta International2006-2008 Biennial Issue Four • April 2007

Advancing the Status of Women Worldwide

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The

Zontian2006-2008 Biennial Issue Four • April 2007Volume 88 • Number 1

I N TH IS ISSU E

3 President’ Message

4 Women and Microfinance

8 Foundation President’s Message

9 The World of Zontian Giving

10 Zonta International Programs: ZISVAW

11 Zonta International and the United Nations

12 Membership

13 Zonta Action

14 Zontians in the News

15 Convention 2008: Rotterdam

16 Welcome New Clubs

World Headquarters557 West Randolph StreetChicago, Illinois 60661 USATelephone: +1 312-930-5848Fax: +1 312-930-0951www.zonta.org

Janet Halstead, Executive DirectorCathe Wood, Director of Development and CommunicationsEmily Aughinbaugh, Communications Manager

Design: Meyers Design, Inc.Printing: ABS Graphics, Inc.

Photo Credits: Cover: CARE/Suzanne Porter

The Zontian (ISSN 0279-3229) is published quarterly by Zonta International. AsZonta International’s official publication, this magazine carries authorized articlesregarding the organization’s programs and activities. No responsibility is assumedfor opinions of other authors. Annual subscription rate: $8.50 (USA, Canada,Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland) $17 (individual airmail outsideUSA). Publication office address for the publication listed above. Periodicalspostage paid at Chicago, Illinois USA and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Zontian, Zonta International, 557West Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661-2202 USA.

31 Mayis Zonta’s fiscal year end.

�You can now make contributions to theZonta International Foundation

ONLINE.Go to www.zonta.org and click on

Contribute Now.

DID YOU KNOW…

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www.zonta.org 2006-2008 BIENNIAL ISSUE FOUR 3

Zontians are amazing! Around the world we are engaged in amazing thingsthat generate amazing results. The scale and scope of Zonta’s service activitiesaround the world are now reported quarterly by Zonta clubs in terms of the

type of service provided, the number of hours spent and the amount of moneyraised.

During just the first quarter of the biennium, based on a fraction of the clubsaround the world reporting, Zontians donated 61,500 local service hours equatingto 1.92 hours of service per Zontian, and raised US$473,991 for local serviceequating to US$14.79 per Zontian. These numbers compare favorably to the2004-2006 benchmark from the Footprint of Service report that recorded Zontiansdonating 228,000 service hours, and raising US$3.8 million for local servicebased on just 24.4% of our clubs reporting.

If your club has not submitted a quarterly return this biennium, please be sureto check the ZI Web site and report your club activities to your District Governor.Reporting not just your service activities but also your advocacy actions andmembership information will help Zonta International profile the organization’sactivities and track progress towards the achievement of our biennial goals. Youwill also have data to manage your clubs, areas and districts and help Zonta validateour role as the organization that improves the status of women around the world.

This biennium, we want to listen to our members more. It is part of our bottom-up strategy to guide the future direction of the organization. I would like tothank the clubs that participated in the UN survey on violence against women,the members who completed the member satisfaction survey, the districts thatsent photos of public places displaying the Zonta logo, the Zonta leaders whoprovided inputs into the development of our position paper on Human Trafficking,the members of the International Board and International Committees whoworked on special task force duties, and the many others who walked the extramile to make Zonta a listening and knowledge-sharing organization.

Additionally, I wish to thank our Thai Zontians for graciously accepting theZI Board’s action rescinding its prior decision to hold the 2010 Convention inBangkok, on account of the current uncertainty in the political situation intheir country. The Board went through a very difficult and painstaking decision-making process, but in the end concluded that given its fiduciary responsibility,it is obligated to consider the potential negative effect this could have onConvention attendance, the financial and long-term ramifications, and the needto make the best decision for Zonta as a whole

In this issue of The Zontian magazine, we focus on women and economicsecurity. I wish to highlight the critical role of education and micro-credit inpoverty alleviation, refining the concept of economic security and sustainabledevelopment to include experiences in skills training and micro-entrepreneurialeducation, and integrating considerations pertaining to population, health,finance and economics, social and human development, and peace and security.The interrelation of these factors is fundamental to the development of a new andbroader perspective on poverty alleviation rooted in the values of sustainability,which is key to creating a viable future and the deployment of economic andfinancial resources for the world’s poor.

As Zontians, we have the rare opportunity to participate in establishing thebuilding blocks that will help women win the war against poverty. Let us con-solidate our collective efforts towards winning our own small battles on theground, in our communities, within our national borders, and around the world.

PRESI DENT’S MESSAGE

Olivia Ferry

“As Zontians, we have

the rare opportunity

to participate in

establishing the

building blocks that

will help women win

the war against

poverty.”


4 THE ZONTIAN APRIL 2007

What does US$100 mean to you?For Nigerien Shaudi Illo it means a profitable groundnutoil business. Shaudi is a participant in one of the MataMasu Dubara (MMD) savings and loan groups funded byZonta International in the poor West African nation ofNiger. A small loan from her MMD group has made itpossible for her to support her family and return a profit toher savings group every month.

For Habse Isaka, the US$100 she borrowed from herMMD group means the ability to purchase a half bag ofhenna and other ingredients, more than the 2 to 3 cups shecould afford before her participation in the group.

For the Zonta Club of Lansing, Michigan, US$100 isthe minimum balance they are required to maintain in aGhana bank for their account to remain active – anaccount the Club established two years ago to fund fourpoverty eradication projects that distribute small loans toimpoverished Ghanaian women. The Club initially raisedUS$2,130 to launch the first phase of a micro-enterpriseproject aimed at helping women entrepreneurs in Ghana.Using that money and networking with the Zonta Clubs in Accra, Zontians from Michigan took trips to severalcommunities in the West African nation to first determinewhere and in what ways their money could have the greatest impact.

Economic Security for Women – One approach:

MicrofinanceEconomic Security for

Women – One approach:

Microfinance

Why should microfinance programs care about women?

■ Women make up a disproportionate share of thepoor.

■ Women’s access to microfinance not only benefitswomen but also their families and communities.

■ Women’s multiple roles require gender-sensitivityand innovation.

■ Sustainability and gender equality are compatiblegoals.

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2006-2008 BIENNIAL ISSUE FOUR 5

“We were very clear that we didn’t just want to give moneyto start a business, we really wanted to give the money inthe context of overall well-being – so that we address theissues of family stability, security, health, education, anderadication of poverty,” said Gwen Taylor, Zonta Club ofLansing member and project co-founder.

With a clear vision outlined, funds raised and people inGhana mobilized, the Club was able to offer small loans toone already established urban woman seamstress and threerural agricultural-based business groups, each supporting15 to 20 poor women.

Naa Dakua Djoleto is the sole supporter of herfamily – she earns a meager income makingdresses in her home. With the small loan ofUS$400 the Zonta Club of Lansing extended toNaa, she was able to purchase an industrialsewing machine. With the machine she producesmore pieces at a faster rate, but more importantlyshe has trained 15 other women who now workfor her. In addition to skills training, Naa providesthe women basic entrepreneurial training andlessons in self-esteem with assistance from alocal Community Development Officer assignedby the government of Ghana, which recognizedthese rural and urban initiatives as being vitalpoverty eradication models.

Microfinance and MicrocreditMicrofinance programs have historically targeted womenbecause women have proven to be more financially respon-sible with better repayment performance than men.

The Grameen Bank project has been working since 1976and has been a for-profit, member-owned bank since 1983.The Bank has demonstrated that providing microcredit tothe poor can be done in a suc-cessful and profitable manner.The Bank has more than sevenmillion borrowers – 97 percentof whom are women – and hasdisbursed US$5.95 billion – 58percent of borrowers have nowcrossed the poverty line. TheBank’s loan repayment rate is99 percent.

“Conventional banks areowned by the rich, generallymen. Grameen Bank is ownedby poor women,” says Dr.Muhammad Yunus, founder ofthe Grameen Bank and recipi-ent along with the Bank of theNobel Peace Prize in 2006.“Grameen Bank works to raisethe status of poor women in their families by giving themownership of assets. It makes sure that the ownership of thehouses built with loans remains with the borrowers, i.e.,women. It is a composite objective, coming out of socialand economic visions.”

Women entrepreneurs are more likely to be widows,female heads of household, or younger, childless womenwho are either the sole income earners for their families orsources of much-needed supplemental income. They aremore likely than men to invest increased income in thehousehold and family well-being.1 Research in Ghana hasfound that women allocate a greater share of their incometo basic needs for themselves and their children, despiteearning less money than men. And in Jamaica, a study foundthat the presence of a female decision-maker generally raisesthe share of household budget on goods for children andthe family.2

Women’s expenditures on the health and education oftheir families enhance the human resource base, thus con-tributing to national development goals. Women’s businessesalso strengthen local economies through their involvementin trade and marketing activities. In West Africa, womencontrol the distribution channels for most foodstuffs, andin the Caribbean they are responsible for nearly all localmarketing.3

The income women derive from these businesses canenhance a society’s resilience in the face of economic crises,as was the case in Niger during the most recent food short-age. Many communities relied heavily on the MMD cerealbanks as the only source of food available to them. In thisway, microfinance services elevate women’s status withintheir communities. Project participants report increasedconfidence, assertiveness and status in family and communitydecisions.

“If the goal is tomove as many people

out of poverty as possible, the focus

should be on thepoorest of the poor,

because then you canhelp more people by

investing the sameamount of money.”

Dr. Muhammad Yunus


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Access to creditThere are many potential benefits of women’s access tomicrofinance, however, simply making microfinance servicesavailable does not mean they’re accessible to women. A WorldBank study of microfinance programs in seven MiddleEastern countries revealed an average female participation

rate of only 36 percent; andfigures from the MicroBankingBulletin put average participa-tion rates for women in LatinAmerica, Africa and EasternEurope between 29 and 47percent.

The reality is that women’saccess to credit is greatly lim-ited because of inequalitieswomen face at every level. Thepermission of male villageleaders is still needed to startMMD groups in Niger. Men

remain key decision-makers in many rural areas around theworld. At the national level, women account for just 16percent of parliamentarians worldwide. And though morethan 52 percent of the world’s population is female, only 1percent of the world’s land is owned by women. Womenalso still lag behind in pay and account for the majority ofinformal, often unpaid laborers.

Even when a woman obtains a small loan, the benefitsare not guaranteed. Several studies have shown that the

impact of microfinance programs correlates strongly withthe person’s initial amount of assets owned. Women’s lowerlevel of asset ownership works against them in this regard.4

Forty-year-old Amina Ango’s life is a testament tothe cycle of poverty that exists in Niger, where aUS$100 loan can go far, but without a system ofestablished and enforced laws to protect andempower her, it will not and cannot sustain heror her children. Amina had 8 children, but threehave died. Several times a day she fetches waterabout 1 kilometer away. Her two boys go toschool, but two of her older daughters have nowjoined her in daily chores. They are not in schooland Amina is not happy about it. Amina oncesold cassava to earn an income, but has had tostop. Giving Amina a small loan and expectingher to pull herself and her family out of poverty,send her daughters to school and continueshouldering her family responsibilities is notrealistic.

Women micro-entrepreneurs face complex, formidableobstacles that cannot be overcome with a simple moneysolution alone. Research has shown that women’s economiccontributions are particularly important to poorer house-holds; as the poverty of a household increases, so does its

reliance on women's income toensure survival. Women have anarrower set of business opportu-nities than men do because theyencounter such barriers as culturalnorms, mobility constraints andlimits on free time. Such structuralinequalities affect their level ofeducation and training, the levelsand types of risk they can bear,and market sectors and potentialinvestments open to them.5

The Role of Governments,NGOs, LendersThere are several ways govern-ments, non-government organiza-tions and lenders can help womenlaunch and sustain entrepreneurialactivities while balancing the productive, reproductive andcommunity roles assigned tothem. First, lenders must take agendered approach to micro-finance. Because a great percentageof poor women are semiliterate orilliterate it is imperative to make


“The poor stay poornot because they arelazy, but becausethey have no accessto capital.”Milton Friedman, 1976 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences

Advancing the status of women and sustaining communitiescontinues to be the focus of the Zonta Club of Lansing as theylaunch the second phase of their micro-enterprise projects in

Ghana. Following their initial success, the Club has decided to keepgenerating new ideas to grow this project and now plans to focus onvictims of domestic violence – funding small loans, education andself-esteem building directed toward breaking the cycle of inequalitythat makes these women so vulnerable to domestic violence.

Advancing the status of women and sustaining communitiescontinues to be the focus of the Zonta Club of Lansing as theylaunch the second phase of their micro-enterprise projects in

Ghana. Following their initial success, the Club has decided to keepgenerating new ideas to grow this project and now plans to focus onvictims of domestic violence – funding small loans, education andself-esteem building directed toward breaking the cycle of inequalitythat makes these women so vulnerable to domestic violence.


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loan applications, lending procedures and repayment planseasily understandable. Further, nontraditional forms of collateral should be accepted, like the mutual guaranteethat accompanies the MMD group structure, where womenvillage agents make a formal agreement with group membersregarding repayment and are then paid a regular fee to bal-ance the group’s finances. When possible, women should beallowed to sign for their own loans, without the permissionof husbands or male relatives. Also, the scope of acceptableactivities for which women can obtain loans should bebroadened to include unregistered businesses, or if a businesslicense is required by law, the loan structure should includeassisting the women with acquiring licenses.

Beyond MoneyMicrofinance services must include a social componentthat empowers women to be successful, as evidenced by theMMD project in Niger and the Zonta Club of Lansingproject in Ghana.

The Zonta Club of Lansing project demonstrates theneed for a broad approach to women's economic stabilityto help women launch and sustain entrepreneurial activities.“What we’re trying to sustain is community education,”Gwen said. “We’re looking to really improve the educationalopportunities for young women so they can do more thanhave marginal success. A business can start up today and begone tomorrow – but you can’t take a person’s educationaway.”

In Niger, the MMD groups provide HIV/AIDS education,prevention and treatment. Poverty and HIV/AIDS are thebiggest social issues plaguing the people of Niger. With thewomen in the MMD groups becoming key cereal bankowners, micro-entrepreneurs and outspoken advocates forAIDS education, they have gained greater visibility andrespect in their communities – helping them to achieve alouder voice in decision-making capacities and giving themthe confidence to take advantage of markets opened tothem through the MMD project.

Oma Anan’s MMD group is a story of such success. Oma was the only woman from her village who could afford travel to Nigeria to buyand sell goods before the growth of the MMDproject. Now, seven women from her MMDgroup travel with her to buy and sell animalhides, plates, utensils, and spices in variousmarketplaces in Niger and Nigeria.

Opening markets to these women will certainly helpthem earn more, so hopefully they and their families canmaintain their current standard of living.

But how do they guard themselves against future financialruin because of death in the family, natural disaster orpolitical conflict? Who will perform the women’s domestic

chores when they are away buying and selling goods? Inmost cases, their daughters will be forced to leave school toperform these tasks. How will their daughters then gain theeducation that is crucial to improving their access to healthcare, lessening their chances of becoming victims of gender-based violence and increasing their chances of overcomingpoverty?

These women contemplate financial challenges as allwomen do, but for the poorest of the poor, the consequencesof their decisions are more dire and complex, and thereforerequire a more urgent and multi-faceted solution from governments, the private sector and NGOs.

Poverty will never be consistently reduced nor will economic growth be achieved without the empowerment ofwomen. Women must gain control over the use of theirloans, the nature of their investment activity, and access tomarkets, social services and business support services. Andmost importantly women must be granted equitable seatsat tables where social welfare legislation, trade agreementsand economic reform are decided upon.

“By focusing on women’s empowerment, credit for themajority of women borrowers becomes much more thanaccess to money. It is about women achieving economic andpolitical empowerment within their homes, their villagesand their countries,” said Noeleen Heyzer, ExecutiveDirector of UNIFEM. “Ultimately, it is about womenchanging their lives and the lives of those around them.”

For more information, go to www.zonta.org.

ENDNOTES1. “Supporting Women’s Livelihoods – Microfinance that Works for the Majority,”

United Nations Capital Development Fund, January 2002.2. Carol E. Levin, Marie T. Ruel, and Saul S. Morris, “Working women in an urban

setting: traders, vendors and food security in Accra,” World DevelopmentNovember 1999.

3. “Supporting Women’s Livelihoods – Microfinance that Works for the Majority,”United Nations Capital Development Fund, January 2002.

4. Ibid.5. Ibid.

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Dear Zontians and friends,

We are rapidly approaching the midpoint of the 2006-2008 Biennium.The fundraising goal of US$3.8 million for this Biennium is a challenge.To date donations total around US$900,000 – we have some way to

go to reach our overall goal!It is what we really believe in that matters most – advancing the status of

women worldwide. Data indicates that women makeup one third (1/3rd) of thelabour force but perform two thirds (2/3rd) of the working hours for just onetenth (1/10th) of the income.

The Zonta International service projects, awards and scholarships aim for abetter life for women and children and in the future Zonta’s aim is for womento achieve in life a better outcome than the above statistics reveal.

However, to achieve better outcomes in this journey, the financial supportgiven to Zonta’s international service projects, awards and scholarships by Zontiansand Zonta Clubs is crucial. Each Zonta Club is encouraged to donate one third(1/3rd) of annual service funds raised to the Zonta International Foundation.Just imagine what Zonta can do if there is 100% financial support from allZonta Clubs around the world!

We belong to an international service organisation and over the years, Zontahas funded and supported many worthy and needed projects that have added tobetter lives for women and girls in different parts of the world. No matter howsmall the amount given to the Foundation, in the end it accumulates into some-thing larger to fund the needs of women – in education, health, economic securityand prevention of violence against women.

The Foundation’s International Service Fund has received donations totalling12 percent of its Biennial Goal of US$1.5 million. In the 2006-2008 Biennium,four projects are under the umbrella of and funded from the International ServiceFund. There are two new projects – one to provide education for girls and womenin Bolivia, where 50 percent of rural women are illiterate and Zonta partners thisproject with CARE International. The other new project relates to economicsurvival and security for women in rural communities in Sri Lanka, where the2004 Tsunami wrecked havoc and Zonta’s partner in this project is United NationsIndustrial Development Organisation.

The two continuing Zonta international service projects are having successfulimpacts in their respective communities. One is Phase II, Mata Masu Dubaraproject (economic security and health) in Niger, a country where 50 percent ofpeople live on US 40 cents a day and Zonta’s partner in this project is CAREInternational. The other is the continuation of the community-based programsto educate Afghan women and girls. Here Zonta’s partner is the Afghan Instituteof Learning.

From time to time we are asked: “How does the Foundation find the projectsit funds?” The answer lies in the working relationship of Zonta International andZonta International Foundation.

Some needy projects come to the attention of the Zonta Leadership by referral,influenced by Zonta International’s consultative status at the United Nations;other needy projects emerge from research, investigative efforts and just plainhard work from the international service selection process directed through theZonta International President-Elect as to the geographic and program focus ofthe coming Biennium.

After an initial search for projects and potential partner organisations, someorganisations are asked to present proposals for grants for projects in the formof proper business submissions. On the Zonta side, the proposals presented gothrough a review process and may involve other Zonta leaders and staff. The


FOU N DATION PRES I DENT’S MESSAGE

Anne Silvester

“No matter how small

the amount given to the

Foundation, in the end

it accumulates into

something larger to fund

the needs of women –

in education, health,

economic security and

prevention of violence

against women”


District Foundation Ambassadors are here for you, tohelp you get to know and get involved with theZonta International Foundation. These knowledge-

able, committed Zontians have gone through special train-ing to help them promote the goals of the ZontaInternational Foundation. Chosen for their dedication toZonta, their familiarity with members in their District, andtheir ability to make public presentations and work withvolunteers, these dedicated women can come to your Club,Area, or District meetings to give presentations that willmotivate club members and help you to understand andtake pride in the great work of the Zonta InternationalFoundation. Ambassadors are knowledgeable about projects

and activities of the Foundation. Because Ambassadorsreceive monthly updates on the various projects that theZonta International Foundation funds, they can giveinformative and up-to-date presentations explaining thevarious Funds and the current projects that they support.Ambassadors can also explain the variety of ways an indi-vidual can give to the Foundation, and how theFoundation helps to fulfill the mission of ZontaInternational. Many Ambassadors promote the Foundationthrough District newsletters or at special events, so keep aneye out for information from your District FoundationAmbassador – see if she can make a visit to your club.Remember, Foundation Ambassadors are here for you!

Article submissions and storyideas from Zonta Club members are vital to ensuring

that The Zontian magazine representsZonta’s internationalism, diversemembership and professionalism.Share your club’s successes with your

fellow Zontians through The Zontianmagazine and the Zonta InternationalWeb site. Go to the Zonta InternationalWeb site, click on Zonta Action, and“Share Your Club Story today!” Justfollow the three simple steps to submityour story for publication. You can

even include a picture!In our next issue, we will look at

ways Amelia Earhart Month was recognized. Send us your stories.*Because space in The Zontian is limited, it may notbe possible to include all submissions. When spaceprevents inclusion in the magazine, stories will beshared on the Zonta International Web site.


How Can My District Foundation Ambassador Help?

See Your Club Name in the Headlines

final outcome of project research and review results in proposed International Service Projects for the comingBiennium. Proposed projects are presented by the ZontaInternational President-Elect for consideration andapproval by the Board of Directors of Zonta Internationaland then to the Zonta International Foundation, where thefunding and approval process progresses through theDevelopment Committee and Finance Committee to finalapproval by vote of the Board of Directors of the ZontaInternational Foundation.

At Convention, the International Service Projects arepresented as part of the Biennial Goals. After Conventionlegal contracts for each project are jointly signed by thePresidents of Zonta International and Zonta InternationalFoundation. During the duration of each project the

Foundation applies strict and prudent monitoring guide-lines to each the project and is provided with progressreports prior to the release of each agreed portion of fundsfor each project. Zontians are able to view the progress ofthe Zonta international service projects on the Zonta Website. (www.zonta.org)

So here we have it! The success of these InternationalService Projects comes back to the monies the Foundationreceives from Zontians, Zonta Clubs and other donors.

Please give generously to your Foundation and theInternational Service Fund.

Thank You.


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It is a tragic fact that after a naturaldisaster such as the devastatingtsunami in December 2004, vio-

lence against women increases greatly.In the aftermath of the tsunami it wasquickly determined that women andgirls accounted for the largest numberof deaths by far – an early indicator ofthe difficult road ahead.

While women were the group inmost need of assistance in the initialrelief efforts, the initial disasterresponse did not take into account theparticular requirements of women andgirls. Issues of sanitation, privacy, andsafety were largely neglected, leadingto an environment in which womenare especially vulnerable to sexual andGender-Based Violence (GBV).

Relief organizers were soon facedwith recognition of the need to specif-ically respond to the unique ways inwhich a natural disaster affectswomen. Early efforts by these workersincluded improving protective meas-ures for women in camps and sheltersand setting up 27 Women’s Centers –safe, accessible spaces for women andgirls – in four tsunami affected dis-tricts. These achievements helped tolay the groundwork for the Zonta-funded United Nations PopulationFund project aimed at preventing

GBV in post-tsunami Sri Lanka.Over the past nine months, much

preparatory work to strengthen thehealth sector response to sexual andgender-based violence has been initiat-ed. A feasibility study analyzing howbest to integrate GBV programs intohealthcare services was completed, andas a result, organizers have workedwith the Ministry of Health to launcha pilot program for the on-site treat-

ment of victims ofsexual and gender-based violence inthe Matara hospi-tal. This initiativeincludes trainingon GBV issues forevery category ofhealthcare staff,helping them toprovide propercare to victims ofGBV, includingmedical treatmentand counseling. Ascreening systemhas established to

help trained staff identify and supportvictims of GBV and women at risk.Healthcare workers have the resourcesto refer women to other systems withintheir communities, including supportgroups and other services providedthrough the Women’s Centers.

Awareness and advocacy efforts arebeing implemented to educate com-munities and individuals about GBV.

Challenges have arisen from theescalation of hostilities in the NorthEast region, slowing some activities,however, project partners have adoptedflexible strategies to work around theproblems.

ZISVAW: Preventing Gender-based Violence in Post-Tsunami Sri Lanka, an Update

The ZISVAW Program is a Zonta InternationalProgram funded by your voluntary contributions tothe Zonta International Foundation ZISVAW Fund.



In the last few years, the United Nations has beenundertaking a comprehensive review of every aspect ofits work to meet the challenges of the 21st century.A key element of thisprocess was the establish-

ment of a High-Level Panel onUN System-wide Coherencewhose mandate was to suggesthow UN programs on sustainable development, theenvironment and humanitarianassistance could work moreeffectively together. Womenvigorously protested the absenceof gender equality concerns in the original mandate of thePanel. As a result that mandate was soon broadened toinclude the “gender equality architecture” of the UN andgender mainstreaming as well as to encompass genderequality, human rights and sustainable development ascross-cutting issues for consideration.

The Panel’s report, presented at the UN on 9 November2006, contains many bold ideas, but it will not be discussedby the General Assembly until some time in 2007 and itsfuture is perhaps complicated by the change in the SecretaryGeneral.

UN reform, in the context of economic security forwomen, is an important issue. While the UN has been aleader in the establishment of global norms and standardsfor women’s rights, its programs addressing women-specific

needs are largely marginalized and under-funded.Economic security in the form of employment is one

piece of delivering effective development. UNIFEM hasbeen a leader in working withgovernments at all levels todevelop gender-responsivebudgets that help to ensure andto track that money is directedat programs that benefit women.UNIFEM has an EconomicSecurity Programme that worksto change laws that discriminateagainst women workers, tobuild networks and partnerships

that offer more livelihood choices to women, and to ensurethat women have access to technology.

A recent publication of UNFPA and the MicrocreditSummit Campaign, “From Microfinance to Macro Change…”suggests that reproductive health education integrated ona mass scale with microfinance services for the very poorcould expand the “potential of microfinance to empowerwomen and offer a dignified route out of poverty…”

As over half of the world’s poor are women, and womenare more insecure in the working world – unemployedlonger and more frequently, and employeed at lowerwages – women have a tremendous stake in UN reformthat strengthens the women’s component of its structureand in development initiatives that focus on targetingand supporting women at the ground level.

Gender: A key to effective developmentWe consider gender equality to be central to the deliveryof effective development outcomes, and the Secretary-General tasked us with a specific mandate to suggestradical changes to improve performance. We thereforepropose a step change in the UN’s delivery of genderequality and women’s empowerment, by:

■ Consolidating the three existing UN entities into anenhanced and independent gender entity, headed byan Executive Director with the rank of Under Secretary-General, appointed through a meritocratic competitiondemonstrably open to those outside the UN.

■ The gender entity would have a strengthened normative and advocacy role combined with a targetedprogramming role.

■ The gender entity must be fully and ambitiouslyfunded.

■ Gender equality would be a component of all UNOne Country Programmes.

■ The commitment to gender equality is and shouldremain the mandate of the entire UN system.

Excerpt from Delivering as One, Report of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel

UN Reform: the Stakes forWomen’s Economic SecurityJackie Shapiro, Chairman, United Nations Committee

Zonta International and the United Nations

“Our most important constituency are the billionswho do not enjoy the prosperity and well-being thatmany of us take for granted and whose deprivationinspired a global call to action – the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. It is for the sake of the poorand the destitute that we need an efficient UnitedNations, one that is well governed, well funded, andone that will remain a global repository of hope.”

Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel


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MEM BER SHIP

We want ourclub to belarger; wheredo we start?

The firstquestion youmust ask your-selves is “why arewe not growing?”

Is it becauseyou are notrecruiting? Onaverage clubs

recruit 10% of their membership eachyear. If your percentage is less thanthat, you can start by increasing yourrecruiting efforts.

Is it because you are not retainingyour members? The Zonta averageattrition rate is 13% per year. Ourgoal is to lose no more than 10%. Ifyour club’s attrition is over 10%, askyourself why? Use a club survey or justtalk to members about what they likeand dislike about your club. Are yourmeetings dull? Find exciting speakerswho have something interesting to say

on topics related to the status of womenin your local area. Is the businessmeeting too long? Have an agendawith times and control the meeting soit doesn’t “wander.” Whatever youlearn, takes steps to improve your clubso people want to stay involved.

Can we get some practical information?Yes. The Zonta International Web site(www.zonta.org) has tools for your use.Log in, look under Member Resources,Tools for Clubs, MembershipRecruitment and Retention. You willfind a club self-audit, a membershipplanning tool, sample recruiting materials, retention ideas and successstories. There’s also a place to shareyour story!

The “Membership Matters” news-letter was distributed in January. Ifyou haven’t seen it, use the link fromTools for Clubs to go to the OMC(Organization, Membership andClassification) Committee page anddownload it.

Are there other places to get help?Yes. There are many Zonta leaderswho are willing, able, in fact, eagerto help you. Have you talked to yourArea Director? Your Lt. Governor orDistrict Membership Chairman? YourGovernor? Centurions in your District?

The members of the OMCCommittee are assigned geographicallyto assist Districts. Please use theassignment list below and ask for theirhelp. Their contact information is in“Membership Matters.”

Districts 1-12 and 15Tebbie Clift

Districts 13-14, 20-21 and 27-30Marie-Helene Mallet

Districts 16 and 23-24Maxelyn Tudman

Districts 17, 25-26, and 31-32Emiko Ohga

Districts 18 and 19Annette Binder.

Or get in touch with me.With a little effort, you can succeed!

Lisa Winter, an accountant, readabout Zonta in a local newspaperin March 2006. Intrigued by the

idea of an international service organi-zation whose mission is to advance thestatus of women, Lisa visited the ZontaInternational Web site – She was compelled to complete the prospectivemember questionnaire, which was for-warded to the then-District Governor,Sandra Cronk. Sandra reviewed Lisa’squestionnaire and sent it to ClubPresident, Joan Kohler. Joan and otherclub members contacted Lisa, and byJune she had joined the Club.

The Zonta Club of Tonawandas,New York, USA has added five newmembers in the last year through a

variety of strategies, giving the club awell-deserved boost of energy for theirrecruitment efforts.

Reaching out to friends and familybrought two new members for the ZCof Tonawandas, Debi Jaeger, a propertymanager, was introduced to Zonta bya family member, and Evelyn Zupo, abanker, was introduced to the club bya friend.

Taking the initiative and approachinga new business owner in the communityresulted in another success for theTonowandas Zontians. Club membersapproached Tracey Miles, the owner of a chocolate shop catering to localbusinesses, during the grand openingof her store.

Delores Saber, a “fixture” in thelocal community was approached byZontians to join when her classificationopened up within the club.

“Looking over the list of formermembers to see if their circumstanceshave changed and they would like toreturn, is also something that could bedone quickly and perhaps bring back amember or two for some clubs,” notedclub member Helen Byrnes.

The Zontians of the Tonawandasare proud of their recruitment efforts,especially considering how these newmembers contribute to the professionaldiversity of the Club, but they recognizethat a focus on membership needs tobe ongoing and proactive.

Frequently Asked Questions about Membership

A Variety of Recruitment Strategies Pays OffLiz Ategou, Coordinator, Membership Development and Communications

Glenne HardingChairmanOMC Committee


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Filipino Zontians

Zontians in the Philippines(District 17) celebrated ZontaInternational’s 87th anniversary

on 8 November 2006 with the launchof a district-wide service and advocacygoal to raise awareness of, and to reduceand prevent violence against women.

In preparation for the 16 Days ofActivism Against Gender ViolenceCampaign that started at the end ofNovember, District 17 Governor VirmaVergel de Dios hosted a day-long pro-gram to discuss Philippine laws thataddress violence against women(VAW) and how those can be appliedat the local level. Carmencita Henson,District 17 ZISVAW SubcommitteeCoordinator, introduced Ako at AkingKaraptan, a publication she spearhead-ed that illuminates the far-reachingand complex topic of gender-basedviolence.

Filipino Zonta Clubs followed thedistrict lead and initiated several com-munity projects. The Zonta Club ofPateros-Taguig conducted a survey thatrevealed the great needs in their com-munity in regards to women’s healthand gender violence. The study foundthat gender violence is not often dis-cussed or addressed by authorities tothe detriment of the women victims.There is, in fact, concrete evidence thatthe deprivation of their rights hasresulted in their low self-esteem and thestunting of personality development.

In response to this, the Club collab-orated with the local government toopen a half-way house where women

and children victims of violence canbe safe while their cases are investigat-ed by the Department of SocialWelfare and Development (DSWD).A Memorandum of Agreement tomaintain these services was signed bythe Club and the Local Governmentof Pateros, including the PhilippineNational Police (PNP) and the DSWD.

This collaborative effort between theZonta Club of Pateros-Taguig and thelocal government is a major achievementfor service and advocacy. The club hasbeen successful in raising funds withthe help of generous donors. Thesefunds will be allocated for the improve-ment of the halfway house, the repro-duction of reading materials, and theconduct of monthly seminars in thecommunities served by the Club.

Zonta Club of St LouisIn St. Louis, Missouri, USA, sevenwomen of South Asian descent, includ-ing Zontian Dr. Jothika Manepalli,came together out of concern for theplight of victims of domestic violence(DV) in their community and thedesire to provide a coordinated com-munity response. They began infor-mally with community outreach andeducation, providing some basic directservices in order to cultivate contactsand allies among key members of theSouth Asian community. In April2002, after nearly a year of researchand planning, SAWERAA, the SouthAsian Women’s EmpowermentRegional Association, was born.

A baseline survey (2002) confirmedSAWERAA’s assessment that a signifi-cant level of DV occurs in the com-munity. It noted that, despitewidespread awareness of individualacts of DV, South Asians, as a com-munity, deny that it happens. SAW-ERAA adopted an empowermentmodel as the basis for its services andprograms and established a telephonehelpline in March 2003.

SAWERAA’s Empowerment ModelAs part of the empowerment model,SAWERAA provides information andconducts outreach through communitypresentations. With a grant from theZonta Club of St. Louis in 2006,SAWERAA was able to purchase a lap-top computer, an LCD projector and ascreen that vastly improved the qualityof their presentations.

Presentations have been made towell over 700 people within the South Asian community, as well as toeducators, social service professionals,and physicians in the mainstreamcommunity.

SAWERAA’s helpline is operated100% by volunteers. In five years over400 helpline calls have provided crisisintervention counseling, legal assistance,and information.

“I was hesitant to approach main-stream agencies for help. I was not surehow to seek help from mainstream socialservice system, even if I wanted to and,due to my cultural beliefs, I felt compelledto uphold family dignity and privacy,regardless of the cost to me. Also I wasafraid that non-Indian service providersmight expect me to take actions that arenot compatible with my upbringing.”

—SAWERAA client

South Asian immigrants, comprisedmostly of highly educated and skilledindividuals, are perceived by the main-stream and themselves as a “modelminority” community. Because theyare generally so high-achieving, thecommunity believes erroneously thatdomestic violence only occurs amongless educated, lower social and economicclasses both here and in their homecountries. They also believe that immi-gration to the US has led to a moreegalitarian family structure, therebyeliminating domestic violence fromtheir ranks. These misimpressions arebeing addressed by SAWERAA.

Focus on Violence Against Women


Dame Silvia Cartwright, a ZontaInternational Honorary member since2001 and Keynote Speaker at theZonta International Convention inMelbourne in 2006, is serving as oneof only two international judges in theTrial Chamber of the Tribunal for for-mer members of the Khmer Rougeregime in Cambodia. The three-yeartribunal is set to start in mid-2007.

“This tribunal is very important forthe Cambodian people who sufferedso much during the Khmer Rougeperiod,” Ny Chakrya, a ranking mem-ber of the Cambodian Human Rightsand Development Association, aPhnom Penh-based non-governmentalgroup, told the Inter Press ServiceNews Agency. “They want to see a fairand transparent tribunal.” As many astwo million people died of starvation,overwork and execution between 1975and 1979 as the communist KhmerRouge drove Cambodia's entire popu-lation onto vast collective farms intheir bid to create an agrarian utopia.

Dame Silvia, whose term asGovernor-General of New Zealandended in August 2006, was not readyfor retirement. She chose instead toreturn to her profession as a lawyerand judge when she applied for theCambodia War Crimes Tribunal posi-tion after the United Nations call forinterest from judges.

“I can’t go back to being a judgehere in New Zealand, so this is myone great opportunity to undertake

some more legal and judicial work in amost unique environment.”

The Tribunal will be drawing onthe experience of other war crimes tri-bunals, but will be guided byCambodian law, she said. This wouldtake Dame Silvia out of her comfortzone.

“It’s going to be quite a challengingexperience,” she said. “Here in NewZealand it’s challenging enough towork under law that I know well.”

Zonta International Honorary Member Selectedas Judge in Cambodian War Crimes Tribunal


Dame Silvia Cartwright

Zontian and past Amelia Earhart Fellow Appointed President of German UniversityMonika Auweter-Kurtz was named the President ofthe University of Hamburg, Germany in November2006. Just prior to this, Ms. Auweter-Kurtz receivedthe Federal Service Cross First Class from the outgo-ing university President Horst Köhler. This awardhonors her achievements in the area of aeronauticsand space technology research and her efforts to pro-mote women in science. Ms. Auweter-Kurtz is thefirst female president of one of Germany’s largestuniversities.

Currently a member of the Zonta Club of Stuttgart,Ms. Auweter-Kurtz was an Amelia Earhart Fellowfrom 1979-80 and 1980-81. She has served on the International AmeliaEarhart Subcommittee since 1990.

Former Amelia Earhart FellowReceives MacArthur Genius AwardDr. Claire Tomlin, an Amelia Earhart fellow from1996-1997 and 1997-1998, has been awarded theprestigious MacArthur Fellowship – more common-ly known as the “Genius Award.” This award is anunrestricted grant intended to allow recipients topursue their own intellectual and professional incli-nations, and is awarded based on a candidate’s“exceptional creativity, promise for important futureadvances based on a track record of significantaccomplishment, and potential for the fellowship to

facilitate subsequent creative work.” Dr. Tomlin is an aviation engineer with appointments as associate profes-

sor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at StanfordUniversity, and associate professor in the Department of ElectricalEngineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Monika Auweter-Kurtz

Dr. Claire Tomlin


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557 West Randolph StreetChicago, Illinois 60661 USATelephone: +1 312-930-5848Fax: +1 312-930-0951www.zonta.org

Welcome New Zonta ClubsThe Zonta International “family” around the world extends a warm welcome to our new Zonta Clubs.

We rejoice in the experience and expertise you will share with us and with those you serve!

As of 1 March 2007, Zonta International has 1,234 clubs in 68 countries and geographic areas.

Nearly 3,000 Zontians are networking online through the Member Networking Directory. Let’s make it 33,000.

The online Member Networking Directory is available to all members who register withthe Web site. Once you register, simply log onto the Web site and select “Directory”under the Member Resources section.

Only the following information is automatically displayed when members search for you:First Name, Last Name, Zonta Club, Country

Visit the Member Networking Directory and choose to share any or all of the followingadditional information:

E-mail Address, Phone Number, Mailing Address, City, State/Province,Primary Language, Professional Classification

Subscribe Today!

PotenzaDistrict 28, Area 3

Martina FrancaDistrict 28, Area 3


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Documents

The Zontian April 2007, Issue 4