Club History (updated 07-2019)
Mission: Zonta International is a leading global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy.
Vision: Zonta International envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential.
In such a world, women have access to all resources and are represented in decision making positions on an equal basis with men.
In such a world, no woman lives in fear of violence.
Founded in 1919 in Buffalo, New York, USA, Zonta takes its name from the Lakota Sioux Indian word meaning “honest and trustworthy.” Zontians volunteer their time, talents and energy to local and international service projects to advance the status of women.
Zonta is committed to women’s development. Between 1986-90, Zonta worked with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) supporting sustainable, self-help projects for women in ten developing nations. This successful partnership continued in 1990-92 with projects in Egypt, India, and Toga.
Zonta has consultative status with international agencies: Category I Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); Consultative Status with the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF); the International Labor Organization (ILO); and the Council of Europe. Zonta also maintains representatives at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland; New York, USA; Paris, France; and Vienna, Austria.
History of Zonta International Service Projects
2016-2018 Towards Elimination of Obstetric Fistula and Reduction of Maternal and Newborn Mortality in Liberia; and Let Us Learn Madagascar: An Integrated Program for Adolescent Girls
2014-2016 Towards Elimination of Obstetric Fistula & Reduction of Maternal & Newborn Mortality in Liberia; Working Toward an HIV-Free Generation & Effective Prevention & Response to Gender Based Violence in Rwanda; and Gender Responsive Schools Pilot Model in Vietnam
2012-2014 Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Gender-Based Violence in Rwanda; Towards Elimination of Obstetric Fistula and the Reduction of Maternal and Newborn Mortality & Morbidity in Liberia
2010-2012 Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Rwanda; Safe Cities for Women Project in Guatemala City, Guatemala and San Salvador, El Salvador; Reduction of Obstetric Fistula in Liberia.
2008-2010 Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Rwanda; Safe Cities for Women Project in Guatemala City, Guatemala and San Salvador, El Salvador; Reduction of Obstetric Fistula in Liberia.
2006-2008 Poverty and HIV/AIDS in Niger; Education and Health in Afganistan and Bolivia; Economic Self-Sufficiency in Sri Lanka.
2004-2006 CARE International: Mata Masu Dubara Women on the Move MicroCredit and Health Education for HIV/AIDS-Affected Women in Niger STAR NETWORK Anti-trafficking Project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Phase II AFGHANISTAN: Improving Womens Lives and Afghanistan Institute of Learning (UNICEF)
2002-2004 Reinventing India: Preventing Violence Against Women and Children Phase II (UNIFEM) STAR Network of World Learning: The Bosnia-Herzegovina Anti-Trafficking Community Mobilization Project Afghanistan: Improving Womens Lives
2000-2002 Prevention of Female Genital Circumcision in Burkina Faso (UNICEF) Eliminating Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus in Nepal (UNICEF) Reinventing India: Preventing Violence Against Women and Children (UNIFEM)
1998-2000 Prevention of Female Genital Circumcision in Burkina Faso
1996-1998 Education of the girl child in South Africa (UNICEF) and Zonta Internatioal Strategies to Eradicate Violence Against Women and Children (worldwide)
1986-1996 Women’s development projects in Argentina, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Comoros Islands, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, Uruguay and Zimbabwe (UNIFEM, UNICEF, INSTRAW, UNESCO)
1982-1986 The Well Water Project in Sri Lanka provided safe drinking water to 350,000 Dry Zone Area settlers (UNICEF)
1976-1982 Health and education centers in Colombia (UNICEF)
1974-1976 Pan African Training & Research Center (UNICEF)
1972-1974 Mobile medical units for rural Ghana (UNICEF)
1962-1974 United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA), Women’s Vocational and Teacher Training Centre in Jordan
1959-1961 Anne Frank Village to aid refugee familes in the Federal Republic of Germany with UN
1956-1961 Aid for refugees in Europe
Membership Statistics
More than 1,200 Zonta Clubs in 66 countries with approximately 30,000 members