Zonta International committed to human rights as 16 Days of Activism wrap up on Human Rights Day

Each year, Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December—the same day the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.

The UDHR proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being—regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

On the 72nd Human Rights Day, Zonta International joins the UN in reaffirming the importance of human rights in rebuilding the world we want, the need for global solidarity as well as our interconnectedness and shared humanity. This year, the UN’s theme is “Recover Better - Stand Up for Human Rights.”

“In order to fully recover from COVID-19 and build a better future for women and girls, we must commit to working together and ensuring that human rights are at the forefront of recovery efforts,” said Zonta International President Sharon Langenbeck.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us apart, the Zonta International community showed up strong for the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Zonta clubs and districts creatively found ways to advocate for women and girls and spread awareness of the dangers of gender-based violence despite the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions in many parts of the world.

10 December marks the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Since the campaign started on 25 November, Zontians in more than 20 countries turned their cities orange, educated children and adults, created public displays, actively advocated and spread awareness on social media, and so much more. Read about these actions at zontasaysno.com/zontiansinaction.

Although the 16 Days campaign for 2020 is over, Zonta International will not stop fighting for women’s rights and human rights. We invite you to join us in our commitment to achieve gender equality and end violence against women and girls. If your club took action as part of the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign, please let us know at www.zonta.org/shareyourstory.

10 DECEMBER 2020