About Zonta

Zonta International

is a leading global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. More than 28.000 members belong to more than 1,200 Zonta Clubs in 61 countries and geographic areas. (www.zonta.org)

What do we do?

Recognizing that 70% of the 1.3 billion poor people in this world are women, we are committed to expanding women’s access to skills that lead to sustainable livelihoods and economic independence by supporting relevant programs.

We also help women overcome gender barriers to careers, through the Amelia Earhart Fellowships and the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Awards. We are aware of the fact that of the 93 million children not in school, 48.4 million are girls!

Zonta International is also contributing towards health issues by supporting programs that address the unique health issues of women. Today, more than 15 million women have HIV and approximately 530,000 women die each year during pregnancy and childbirth.

Recognizing that our children are the future, we encourage young women to participate in public and political life, through the Young Women in Public Affair Awards.

Lastly, as women rights are human rights, Zonta International makes countless efforts to prevent violence against women worldwide, in cooperation with the United Nations.

This is what we do!

ZONTA INTERNATIONAL History

HISTORY TIMELINE

1919 – Confederation of Zonta Clubs founded in Buffalo, New York, USA. Mary Jenkins is elected first president.

1920 – Zonta colors and emblem are adopted and the first issue of The Zontian is published.

1923 – The first international project is funded to care for 115,000 orphan children and women in Smyrna, Turkey.

1927 – The first club outside the U.S. is formed in Toronto, Canada.

1930 – “Zonta International” name is adopted as the first European club is established in Vienna, Austria.

1938 – The Amelia Earhart Fellowship is established in honor of the Zontian after her disappearance in 1937.

1948 – The first Z and Golden Z clubs are founded in Burbank, California, USA.

1963 – Zonta International is granted roster-level status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

1968 –  Zonta International elects Helvi Sipilä as the first International President outside of the US. Contributions reach 1 million USD.

1970 – Zonta International elects Angie Brooks-Rudolph as its first International Honorary Member.

1975 – Zonta International President Eleanor Jammal and UN Committee Chairman Harriette Yeckel serve as Zonta’s official delegates to the UN International Women’s Year Conference in Mexico City, Mexico and Helvi Sipilä serves as secretary-general.

1983 – Zonta is granted consultative status with the Council of Europe.

1984 – Zonta International Foundation is established.

1986 – Zonta International becomes the first NGO to support UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) and continues to support.

1987 – Zonta International dedicates their first world headquarters building in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

1988 – Zonta welcomes its 1,000th club, Lome, Togo.

1990 – The Young Women in Public Affairs Award is established.

1998 – Zonta International Strategies to End Violence Against Women project (ZISVAW) is adopted as an ongoing program. The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship is established.

2012 – Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women annual campaign launches.

2014 – “Empowering Women Through Service and Advocacy” slogan adopted.

2018 – Zonta International adopts its signature project to end child marriage at the Zonta International Convention in Yokohama, Japan.

2019 – Zonta International celebrates 100 years on 8 November. A pilot for a new scholarship, Women in Technology, launches.

Z Clubs and Golden Z Clubs

  • The Z and Golden Z Clubs offer young adults the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills and to explore career alternatives. The commitment deepens the awareness and understanding of gender equality.
  • Die Z und Golden Z Clubs bieten jungen Erwachsenen die Möglichkeit, Kommunikations- und Führungsqualitäten zu entwickeln und Karrierealternativen zu erkunden. Durch das Engagement vertieft sich das Bewusstsein und Verständnis für die Gleichstellung der Geschlechter.

Z und Golden Z Clubs Kurzinformation

Z and Golden Z Clubs brief information

Präsentation Z und GoldenZClubs

Presentation Z and GoldenZClubs engl.

Where can I find a Z or Golden Z Club?

The Zonta Emblem

Zonta Emblem Information

Zonta and the UN

There is a longtime engagement of ZI  with the UN and adjoint agencies to fund  international projects and create the important synergy to empower women with advocacy and service in the world.

Zonta International hat seit vielen Jahren weltweite Projekte aufgelegt, die zusammen mit verschiedenen UNO Agenturen durchgeführt werden.

More about the relationship see under “tools“.

Weitere Informationen über die Zusammenarbeit und Ziele unter “tools“.