Observing the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the globally recognized service organization Zonta International began its annual “16 Days of Activism” campaign against gender-based violence on Saturday. All six Zonta Clubs in Bangladesh observed the day.
The campaign will include a number of events and activities aimed at eliminating violence against women and girls in society and advancing women’s rights – beginning on November 25 and running through December 10, International Human Rights Day.
Read: Zonta Clubs of Bangladesh commemorate UN day
Members of all Zonta clubs in Dhaka gathered and held a rally on Saturday at Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed Park in Gulshan to advocate for women’s rights, eliminating child marriage, and raising awareness for gender-equal climate action.
Wearing the thematic orange t-shirts with the Zonta logo and carrying banners and placards in English and Bangla, Zonta Club members held a procession in the park and shared their viewpoints and agenda.
It was followed by a discussion programme held at the Gulshan Ladies Community Club which was addressed by Nilufer Zafarullah, Chair of the Zonta District 25 Area 2 Advocacy Committee; Dr Zareen Delawar Hussain, District 25 Governor-Elect; Farahnaz Qaiyum, Area Director of D-25, Area-2; Zaheda Samdani, Vice Area Director of D-25, Area-2; and Dilruba Ahmed, District 25 Rules and Resolutions Committee Chair.
Talking about the initiatives, Nilufer Zafarullah said, “Zonta District 25 is made up of four neighboring countries: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Area 2 of this unit is made up of Bangladesh and Nepal, and the same activities are being held in Nepal.”
Describing the mission, vision and activities of the club, District 25 Governor-Elect Dr Zareen Delawar Hussain said, “As of now, Zonta International is globally operating with more than one thousand club units which build a supportive community of more than 0.2 million like-minded professional women around the world. In Bangladesh, we have five clubs in Dhaka and one in Chattogram.”
Read: First Area meeting of Zonta International District-25 held in Chattogram