Zonta International

Zonta International is a leading global organisation of professionals, empowering women through service and advocacy.

Zonta, established in 1919 in Buffalo, New York, USA, has nearly 30,000 members belonging to nearly 1,200 clubs in 67 countries and geographic areas. The Zonta International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Zonta International, raises and oversees funds to support and promote Zonta’s global service and advocacy programs.

Zonta International and the United Nations

Zonta International has been closely associated with the United Nations since 1962. It maintains representatives at UN sites in New York, Geneva, Paris and Vienna. Zonta has general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), consultative status with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), participatory status with the Council of Europe, and special relationships with United Nations entities promoting women’s rights.

Service Projects

Over the years, Zonta’s Foundation has funded projects to improve the health, educational and economic status of women in several countries throughout Africa, Asia, and North and South America. Zonta’s financial support for UNICEF campaigns has helped to reduce female genital mutilation in Burkina Faso and maternal and neonatal tetanus in Nepal and Afghanistan. During the 2020-2022 Biennium, Zonta will support 4 projects: the Adolescent Girls Protection Program in Peru, Strengthening Response to GBV Survivors in PNG & Timor, Let us Learn Madagascar and Ending Child Marriage.

The Zonta International Strategies to End Violence Against Women (ZISVAW) Fund, another fund supported through the Zonta International Foundation, awards grants to UN agencies or recognised NGOs for projects that seek to change personal and/or political knowledge, attitudes and behaviour contributing to gender-based violence. During the 2014-2016 Biennium, Zonta will support the UNFPA Delaying Early Marriage in Niger project and the UN Women Voices against Violence project in 12 Countries.

Education, Leadership and Youth Development Zonta International funds educational programs in three different fields:

The Amelia Earhart Fellowships for doctoral study in aerospace-related sciences and engineering, established in 1938 to honour the famed pilot and Zontian, have awarded US$8.6 million for 1,438 fellowships to women worldwide.
The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship program, established in 1998, enables women to pursue undergraduate and Masters degrees in Business Management has awarded 357 scholarships totaling US $778,800.
For youth development, Zonta funds the Young Women in Public Affairs Award program which encourages young women to engage in public service has granted 721 awards totalling more than US$600,000 since its inception in 1990. The second program for youth development is Zonta’s Z clubs for high school students and Golden Z clubs for college and university students which encourage leadership skills development, career exploration and service.

Local Zonta club projects are chosen by each Zonta club to empower women, reflect Zonta’s international projects with the United Nations and serve the needs of the local community.

You can learn more about Zonta International and programs funded through the Zonta International Foundation at www.zonta.org.