Responsibilities

- promotes

• awareness of Zonta International and Zonta International Foundation service programs, including ZISVAW (Zonta International Strategies to Prevent Violence Against Women), the Amelia Earhart Fellowships, the Young Women in Public Affairs Awards, the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarships, and the International Service Project(s) adopted by the International Convention for the biennium

• with respect to Amelia Earhart Fellowships, the district status of women service committee:

- arranges for a presentation ceremony to give Fellows who live or attend school in the district their Amelia Earhart Fellowship wings and certificates,

- contributes to the mailing list inviting applications for the awards,

- actively promotes awareness of the fellowships to relevant institutions and candidates in the district

• awareness of Z Clubs and Golden Z Clubs (see the Zonta International Z Club and Golden Z Club Manual for more information)

• in conjunction with the Foundation Ambassador (see below), awareness of programs and projects sponsored and/or funded by the Zonta International Foundation and encourage contributions by all clubs of one-third of service funds to the Foundation

• awareness of local service projects undertaken by clubs in the district and elsewhere

• projects developed by the International Status of Women Service Committee

• legislative awareness, advocacy, and equal rights, following guidelines established by the Zonta International Board (see Advocacy Policy below)

- communicates

• with club status of women service committee chairmen, acting as a resource on service, status of women, and legislative advocacy and awareness issues

• with the International Status of Women Service Committee chairman

• with the governor, sending the governor a copy of all correspondence sent to club or to the International chairman

Advocacy Definition

Advocacy is the expression of support for or opposition to a cause, argument or proposal.

Advocacy may include influencing laws, legislation or attitudes.

Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs are urged to express themselves about and become involved in issues which:

• improve the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women;

• advance understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of executives in business and the professions; and

• promote justice and universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

 

Advocacy Policies

Pursuant to Article III Section 2 of the Zonta International Bylaws, the Zonta International Board, at its February 2000 meeting, adopted the following policies:

1. Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs, shall be nonpartisan and nonsectarian.

2. Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs are encouraged to support legislation submitted to a legislative body for its consideration, which advances the implementation of the Objects of Zonta and the mandates of the Beijing Declaration from the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women.

3. Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs will ascertain if there are other like-minded organizations or individuals researching issues regarding the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women, and form partnerships with these other organizations and individuals when appropriate.

4. Whenever it is more effective to do so, Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs will work in partnership with other organizations to educate people (including ourselves) about the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional issues which affect the lives of women and the actions we must initiate to effect a positive change.

5. When Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs host or sponsor educative activities, every effort should be made for a well-balanced presentation of the facts and viewpoints.

6. Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs may register protests concerning violations of human rights with the Zonta International United Nations Committee.

1. Clubs shall not otherwise express positions on issues involving a country other than their own except with the prior approval of the International President through the International United Nations Chairman.

2. Districts shall not otherwise express positions on issues involving countries other than their own except with the prior approval of the International President through the International United Nations Chairman.

3. Individual Zonta members shall not otherwise express positions on issues involving a country other than their own except with prior approval of the International President through the International United Nations Chairman.

7. Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs shall not advocate on behalf of or endorse a political candidate or party, or any religious denomination.

8. Zonta International, its districts, and its clubs may endorse qualified individuals for nonpartisan positions.

9. Zonta clubs may express their opinion on issues only as clubs. Zonta districts may express their opinions only as districts. The Convention may express opinions on issues on behalf of Zonta International. Between conventions, only the Zonta International Board may express opinions on issues on behalf of Zonta International. Subject to point 6(c) above individual Zonta members may express a position on issues involving a country other than their own providing they use the exact wording of the position as contained in the International President’s approval given through the International United Nations Chairman. Individual members may express their personal views on issues which have not been given prior approval by the International President, through the International United Nations Chairman, only as private citizens, but may not attribute them to a Zonta club or district or to Zonta International.

10. Districts may include guidelines for the process for determining their advocacy activity in their district rules of procedure.