What is Zonta?

Zonta’s Mission

Zonta International is an

international service organization

of executives in business and the

professions working together to advance

the status of women through service and

advocacy

The Meaning of “Zonta”

• Not an acronym

• Lakota Sioux Indian Word

• Means Honest and Trustworthy

• Logo represents radiance, banding together,

and shelter or support

History

• March 1919 Zonta Founded in

Buffalo, NY

• November 1919 Confederation

of nine clubs, including Detroit

• 1929 Ottawa Club established

• 1930 Became Zonta International

with Vienna, Austria

Guiding Principles

• Women’s rights are human rights

• Advancing the status of women improves

society as a whole

• The key to change is the combination of

service and advocacy

• International friendship encourages

understanding and peace in the world

Long History of Service

• 1923 Financial contributions to support

115,000 orphans in Turkey

• 1928 Equal education for girls

• 1938 Amelia Earhart Fellowships

• 1944 Opposed gender discrimination in

employment

• 1946 Consultative status with UN

Today• 68 countries

• 31 Districts, 2 Regions

• 1,250 clubs

• 33,000 members

• HQ in Chicago

Why Zonta in 2009?• 70 % of world’s 1.3 billion poor are

women

• 2/3 of world’s illiterate adults are women

• 60 million women “missing” due to violence of gender discrimination

• Trafficking in women is a lucrative global industry

Who Are Zontians?

• People committed to our mission• Non-partisan and non-sectarian• Decision makers in business and

professions• Primarily women• Classified for diversity• From late 20’s to 100+• High school students in Z clubs• College students in Golden Z clubs

Service Project

THE ZONTIAN , January, 1935 continued:

Proposal by Ann Arbor Club:

Standards by which all Zonta Service work [should] be measured,

i.e.:- a project should have the element of permanence

- it should be in the nature of rehabilitation- it should have possibilites for growth- it should attain measurable results

- should fill a definite community need

International Service

• Anti-tetanus and Health Education for Women in rural Afghanistan—AIL/UNICEF

• Anti-Trafficking in Bosnia-Herzegovina—STAR Network

• Micro Credit project for HIV/Aids affected women in Niger—CARE International

• ZISVAW-Preventing Violence Against Women--UNIFEM

International Service

• Amelia Earhart Fellowships

• Jane M. Klausman Women in Business

Scholarships

• Young Women in Public Affairs Awards

Local Service Zonta Club of Ottawa

• Human Trafficking – PACT-Ottawa – December 2

• New focus on immigrants and credentials.

• Scholarships: Higher Education Scholarship / Arts Awards / Youth Awards

Structure

• Biennial Convention – San Antonio, Texas

• International Board

• Foundation

• HQ - Chicago

• Districts – [District 2]

• Areas – [ Area 4]

• Clubs

2009/2011 Program

Financial support• Fundraising• Jams and Jellies• Bequests• Investments

New Program • Professional Women

and Immigrants• Red Tape and

Worries…

Zonta

Working together to make a better world