Zonta is active in more than 69 countries and has about 32 000 members.
This organization has a great variety of members mainly women, who lead different lives but share a common goal: to improve the legal, professional, political and economic status of women throughout the world.
Zonta is an international service club, inter professional, apolitical and non- denominational. It provides common ground for members, who have responsible positions in business and the professions. Its members use their abilities in the service of others through programs which promote women’s health, education and their economic, social and cultural lives.
Zonta has three International Service Projects and a number of permanent scholarships supported and financed by the 1250 Zonta clubs around the world. These projects and scholarships benefit women and children, particularly through organizing education and training. Each club also has its own local program.
Zonta is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), and has an advisory position in the Economic and Social Council of UN. It has observers at the United Nations, UNESCO, UNICEF, ILO (International Labor Organization) and the Council of Europe. Zonta International has representatives in the United Nations in Geneva, New York, Paris and Vienna.
Zonta International supports ratification of the UN Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and of
the Optional Protocol to the Convention.
Zonta International is committed to the principle that women’s rights are
human rights.
Membership of Zonta not only provides an opportunity to improve the status of women; it provides fun and friendship with like-minded women.
Zonta International wants to promote a world in which human rights and fundamental freedoms are ensured for all women and the legal, political, economic, educational, health, and professional rights of women are not restricted because of gender.
During the forthcoming biennium, Zonta will emphasize three specific goals.
Zonta International will work to:
– ensure that all women receive basic education and health care and that women have access to higher education on equal terms with men
-eradicate all forms of discrimination and violence against women through prevention and through development of innovative approaches to eliminate abuse
-eliminate trafficking in women in accordance with our support of the UN Protocol supplementing the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.