Advocacy Initiatives

The 16 Days of Activism run from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25) through to Human Rights Day (December 10). Each year our club hosts a walk along the Noosa River to promote awareness of this vital issue.

In 2024, the SDG Gender Index found that not one country is on track to attain gender equality by 2030. The Global Gender Gap Report 2023 estimates at the current rate of progress, it will take 131 years to reach full parity. While the global parity score has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, the overall rate of change has slowed down significantly. Zonta International has spent more than 100 years advocating for gender equality and continues to fight for the cause. Zonta International also invests in education programs and international services projects to empower women and provide them opportunities to live on an equal basis as men.

Zonta and its clubs advocate on a variety of issues related to gender equality and women’s empowerment through:

• The United Nations and the Commission on the Status of Women

• The Council of Europe

• Zonta Says NOW to Gender Equal Climate Action

• Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women

Why Does Zonta Say NOW? Climate change is a 'threat multiplier' - making bad situations worse for vulnerable people. In 2022, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres said, "the climate crisis is a human rights crisis-and a women's rights crisis."

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Around the world, millions of people have already lost their homes and livelihoods due to extreme weather events caused by climate change. Most of them are women.

When extreme heat, drought, fires, storms, floods, and sea-level rise disrupt lives and livelihoods, women are less likely than men to recover. Why? Because systemic gender inequality has led to women having fewer resources and choices than men.

Better Together Housing brings together like-minded women in a safe and secure way to find shared accommodation. Created by women, for women, we welcome women who own or rent their home and are wanting to find women to share with, women who are looking for a new place to live with one or more women, or women who are uncertain about sharing, but want to connect with other women to explore the possibilities of shared housing.

Zonta Noosa helps to facilitate a monthly coffee morning at the Noosa Library for women looking to join Better Together, or just needing a safe and welcoming place to share their story.