National Coalition to End Child Marriage
End Gender-Violence Zonta Says NO!
US Women at the UN
Zonta International District 3 Statement – July 22, 2025, Adopted by the Zonta USA Caucus
As Zontians, we stand united in our commitment to empowering women and girls and building a better world for them. We remain non-partisan and steadfast in our dedication to the mission of advancing gender equality, advocating for human rights, and ensuring that a woman’s full potential is recognized and realized.
We urge you to Join Us and ACT to make a positive change in your community and the world.
Over the last several years, we have witnessed a systematic and disturbing rollback of women’s rights. These efforts to undermine the rights of women and girls have been coupled in the US with significant decreases and/or elimination of funding for programs that:
- Promote equity and access to opportunity for all, especially in the areas of education, employment and healthcare.
- Encourage and promote medical research, science, technology, engineering, mathematics and climate sciences for women and girls.
- Ensure freedom to make healthcare decisions.
- Protect and promote human rights and civil rights for all women and girls.
- Protect democracy and the constitution, including voting rights.
We believe in eliminating violence against women, eliminating human trafficking, and ending child marriage. Attacks on women’s rights not only harm individuals, but also destabilize efforts here and abroad to fight poverty, inequality and oppression.
Call for Action in the USA:
We call for the US to recommit to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing that gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but also a catalyst for sustainable development. We believe gender equality is a cornerstone for achieving peace and security worldwide.
Our Call to Action, What You Can Do!
● Advocate! Contact and write your elected officials at the local, state, and federal level. Set up meetings, send emails, attend town halls, and make your voice heard.
● Seek solutions locally. Join with like-minded organizations and establish mutual aid to assist those most vulnerable in your communities, especially women and girls. There is power in coalitions.
● Support and celebrate our differences. Reclaim these principles for creating a more just society.
● Be leaders. Everyone can lead no matter their job. Advocate and champion women to take on elected offices and senior leadership roles.
● Learn more about the UN Sustainable Goals and discuss how they can be included in your local planning.
● Encourage every club/member to continue service and advocacy projects.
We are inspired to be Zontians, and our resolve is strengthened by the challenges we face. We remain steadfast in our commitment to constitutional democracy, to advocate for gender equality, human rights, education, climate justice, and to end violence against women. By standing together, we build a more just and equitable world for all.
Resources:
● Zonta International Statements
● Zonta USA Caucus
● UN Sustainable Goals