Zonta calls for the release of hostages and an end to violence against women in war | LINK
(Statement by Zonta International, January 2024) It is now more than 100 days since the cruel attack of Hamas on women, men and children in Israel. There were brutal crimes against women who were sexually violated and mutilated or killed. With this attack a war started, that caused many thousands of victims and no end of suffering in sight. Still today, the fate of more than 130 Israeli and foreign nationals who were kidnapped is unknown. No one knows if they are still alive, and it is hard to imagine the suffering of these hostages and their families as they wait for their safe return.
Zonta International urges the global community to demand an end to the sexual violence and rape of women as a weapon of war. Zonta International further urges the global community to end this war and to continue its efforts to call for the release of all hostages regardless of age, gender or nationality.
Women and children most at risk in armed conflict | LINK
(Statement by Zonta International, October 2023; reposted December 2023) Nearly two months after Zonta International issued its statement, condemning all attacks on innocent members of civil society and all forms of violence in conflicts, innocent civilians continue to suffer as war rages on, not only in Israel and Gaza, but also in Ukraine and many other countries.
As Zonta, we focus on the rights of women and girls in conflict. Zonta reiterates its call, per UN Security Council Resolution 1325, on all parties to “respect fully international law applicable to the rights and protection of women and girls, especially as civilians.” UN Security Resolution 1325 further “calls on all parties to armed conflict to take special measures to protect women and girls from gender-based violence, particularly rape and other forms of sexual abuse, and all other forms of violence in situations of armed conflict.”
2023 Open Letter to Permanent Representatives to the United Nations in advance of the annual Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security | LINK
(Statement by Zonta International and 617 civil society signatories across 100 countries in advance of the of the October 2023 Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security. The letter calls on the UN, Security Council and Member States to take action to ensure women’s full, equal, meaningful and safe participation in all aspects of peace and security, October 2023)
One year of war in Ukraine has devastating impacts for women and children | LINK | Chinese | French | German | Japanese | Korean | Spanish
(Statement by Zonta International on anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine, February 2023)
2022 Open Letter to Permanent Representatives to the United Nations in advance of the annual Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security | LINK
(Statement by Zonta International and 481 civil society organizations across 92 countries in advance of the Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in October 2022. The letter calls on the UN, Security Council and Member States to take action to defend peace, human rights and gender equality, October 2022)
Women’s Reproductive Health Policy Statement | PDF
(Statement by the Zonta International Convention calling on governments to ensure women's reproductive health, June 2022)
Zonta International Statement on Women's Rights in Armed Conflict and Post-Conflict Settings | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International calls for governments to take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to protect women during and after conflict settings, while including women and women's groups within the peacebuilding process; approved May 2022, published June 2022)
Zonta International Statement on Women Migrants and Refugees | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International calls for governments to ensure at all stages, the human rights, safety and dignity of all migrants and refugees; approved May 2022)
Draw up and enforce legal and moral redlines on crimes against the environment | LINK
(Statement by Zonta International and 45 other non-governmental organizations to assert the imperative for the international community to strengthen the international legal framework and international cooperation in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice, May 2022)
Cease the war against Ukraine and resolve it peacefully and diplomatically | LINK
(Statement by Zonta International and six other non-governmental organizations to call for an immediate halt to hostilities, for all troops to be withdrawn, and for good-faith, peaceful, diplomatic negotiations to begin in a neutral territory, March 2022)
Zonta International Statement to the CSW66 | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International to the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, November 2021)
Zonta International Statement on Trafficking in Persons: A human rights issue | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International calls for governments to take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to suppress all forms of trafficking in women and girls (within or across borders) and to prevent exploitation of women and girls; approved August 2021, published September 2021)
Written Statement to the UN Human Rights Council, and its Special Session on Afghanistan: Call for Immediate action to protect human rights and dignity in Afghanistan with special focus on women and girls | PDF
(Statement by Women's Federation for World Peace International plus Zonta International and nine other non-governmental organizations calling for immediate action to protect the rights and dignity of women and girls in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power, August 2021)
Zonta International Statement on Afghanistan: Girls' education must remain a priority | LINK
(Statement by Zonta International affirming that we will advocate to ensure that women and girls in Afghanistan and elsewhere are able to participate fully in their societies and that girls have access to a quality education and can pursue that education without fear for their safety, August 2021)
Zonta International Statement on Climate Change: A Gender Equality Issue | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International calling for action in favor of a fair and human rights-based approach to solve the crisis of climate change
in the post-pandemic world and achieve greener, cleaner and equal societies, approved April 2021, published June 2021)
Zonta International reaffirms support for The Istanbul Convention | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International reaffirming support for The Council of Europe Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, April 2021)
NGO CSW Vienna Statement to CSW65 | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International and 20 other non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, November 2020)
Statement on making child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting a priority action of the Action Coalition on GBV | PDF
(Statement by Girls Not Brides plus 625 civil society organizations and 75 activists from across 79 countries to leaders of the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence, November 2020)
Zonta International Statement to the CSW65 | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International to the 65th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, October 2020)
WGG Statement to the CSW65 | PDF
(Statement by The Working Group on Girls to the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, October 2020)
Distance learning and digital technologies as a strategical and challenging turn towards inclusive access to education for women and girls | PDF
(Graduate Women International Statement to the 45th regular session of the Human Rights Council, October 2020)
The First 100 Days and Ending Gender-Based Violence Globally | PDF
(Statement by the Coalition to End Violence Against Women and Girls Globally, September 2020)
Zonta International Statement on Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International endorsing the values expressed in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and focusses on status of women issues according to Articles 1-16 of CEDAW, the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women. Every person should have the freedom to make decisions about their bodies and to safely and privately access healthcare , April 2019)
Position Paper on Migration | PDF
(Statement by Zonta International calling on all governments to address the threats to human rights of migrants and migrant workers, February 2016)