How You Can Help

November 8th, Zonta International celebrates its 99th Anniversary

Celebrating Women in November Highlights:

• November 1, 1848 - First medical school for women, the New England Female Medical School, opens, in 1874 it merges with Boston University to become one of the world's first co-ed medical schools
• November 8, 1910 - The state of Washington passes a constitutional amendment to guarantee woman suffrage
• November 11, 1993 - The Vietnam Women's Memorial is dedicated in Washington, D.C. after being conceived by former army combat nurse Diane Carlson Evans and sculpted by Glenna Goodacre to honor the 265,000 women who voluntarily served during the Vietnam era
• November 14, 1903 - The U.S. Women's Trade Union League is established
• November 14, 1946 - Emily Greene Balch, co-founder of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
• November 28, 1881 - The first organizational meeting is held for the predecessor group to the American Association of University Women (AAUW)

The Zonta Club of Washington, D.C., invites you to join in our various programs, community service, and advocacy activities. Anyone who shares our goal of empowering women through service and advocacy is welcome.

Monthly Educational Programs

Our club members are always looking to learn about issues that impact the welfare and empowerment of women. If you know someone who would be an excellent program speaker, please let us know. Use the Contact Us page to send us your suggestions. See our list of past speakers from 2001-2016.

Support Kakenya Center - become an Ambassador for the school!

Kakenya Ntaiya, the founder of our service project, Kakenya Center for Excellence (KCE), was a finalist as a 2013 CNN Hero. You can help by being an ambassador for the school. Visit KCE's website www.kakenyasdream.org. Four of Network for Excellence girls were selected to take part in the July 2015 Civil Society meeting with President Obama in Nairobi, Kenya. One of the girls was given the opportunity to address the President. click here

Cities for CEDAW

Our Club is now an official supporter of the United Nations Association - National Capital Area (UNA-NCA) campaign for Cities for CEDAW. CEDAW stands for the Convention on the Elimination on All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which defines what constitues as descrimination against women and was adoped by the United Nations General Assembly in 1979. The Cities for CEDAW campaign focuses on implementing CEDAW at the municipal level as city ordinances. More than 250 U.S. mayors have supported CEDAW resolutions and several have already passed local laws. The long-term goal is to ensure that CEDAW at the local level is integrated in the United nations' sustainable development agenda.

Recognizing Veterans for their Service

Club members and supporters donated ten patriotic wreaths handcrafted by club members. Seven veterans were recognized for their service to our country with the presentation of a wreath at the 8th Annual Tribute to America's Veterans Concert on November 10, 2016 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. Others were recognized individually with the presentation of a wreath. See photos

Advocacy

Nearly 70 Zontians from 22 countries represented Zonta in New York at CSW61, where Member States agreed on the need for promoting decent work for women.

Sharing Zonta's vision for gender equality and sustainable development #CSW60 #SDG5
More than 50 Zontians gathered in New York City for the CSW60. This year's theme was women's empowerment and its link to sustainable development with a review of the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls and agreed conclusions from the CSW57.

The 59th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Zonta International issued a written statement to the Commission. More than 70 Zontians attended this event.

On June 24, 2014, the US Senate Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy, and Global Women's Issues held a hearing titled "Combating Violence and Discrimination Against Women: A Global Call to Action". Zonta International has signed a joint statement to the Subcommittee, joining other NGOs in urging the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to move forward with the ratification of CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) and passage of IVAWA (International Violence Against Women Act).