Zonta says NO to violence against women

Every week at least one Australian women dies from domestic violence.

To me, that's an astonishing statistic. Like the rest of the world, approximately 1/3rd of Australian women will report at least one incident of domestic violence. Something has to change. Women deserve to live with safety and respect. 

And so it is with excitement ..... and honour .... and pride ... and humility ....and and and .... I was given the privilege of planning our contribution to changing this horror situation.

This week Zonta said NO to violence against women here in Canberra. And I believe we did it in the most powerful way possible .... by sharing our message with impressionable 14 year old boys.

So all my convention planning had to go on hold for a couple of weeks, whilst I went out and planned this:

Clubs all over the world are currently delivering an enormous variety of Zonta says NO events - linked to the UN Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25. Go to the Zonta says NO website and watch all the stories start to appear. For now, here's a quick glimpse into my club's event.

Here in Canberra, a fortuitous meeting at the CSW 57 Briefing started it all off. It was over drinks and nibbley things I bumped into Stephen - the Australian National Co-ordinator for the White Ribbon Ambassadors. Next thing you know - we're putting on a show!

I asked Stephen my favourite question: if you could have your way, what would this event be? Stephen had the best answer: go to Namadgi High School, where one of the teachers, Matt, is also an Ambassador, and run an interactive, participatory, learning event with the young male students. 

Lots of emails, lots of committee meetings and finally on Monday, 18 November I found myself in here:

Matt making magic managing the Monday morning male menagerie

Over three hours, the boys explored topics such as:

• What does it mean to be a man?
• What do they think a woman is looking for in a man?
• What happens to lead people into being violent?

 The boys explored Sting's ideas about what it means to be a man

Interspersed between these workshop pieces, the boys were given lots of opportunities for movement and releasing their energy.

Alistair, Ambassador and from ACT Men's Centre and Faye, Zonta Club of Canberra Breakfast - play air arm wrestling

Alistair wrangles with one of the kids

 We were blessed with on-the-spot portable BBQ magic from the Rotary Club of Tuggeranong

Zonta Club of Canberra Breakfast do their best work: supervising

Not being a parent, I wasn't really sure what the kids would be like. I kinda knew they would eat a lot - but they kids must have been hollow! They munched through 150 sausages and a morning tea designed for twice the number of people.

The Rotary chaps have their production line methodology all worked out.

In running this event, we were very careful about appearances - we wanted to make sure the Zontians did not stand behind the cake stall, while the men did all the carrying heavy stuff around. The Zontians participated in the workshop, were part of the group discussions - and of course we were an equal partner in the organisation.

Stephen, White Ribbon Campaign, opens the day - all the pink shirted Zonta ladies are WAAAY OVER THERE...

Matt designed a beautiful, insightful program - he slowly led the boys deeper and deeper into the topic. Taking them finally, to an explicit conversation of violence against women, set against the White Ribbon advertisements and other videos acknowledging the need for more respect in our world.

This advertisement is a reenactment of an actual conversation ex-White Ribbon Chair, Andrew O'Keeffe overhead in a pub.

I was deeply impressed that we didn't have to tell anything to these kids - deep down they knew.  I like to think what this event did was confirm their thinking about how how to live an honorable life, no matter where they end up, no matter what life they will live. Despite how rough and tumble these boys come across right now, I know for certain that many of these boys 'get it'.

So how did it end?  Take a look:

Don't adjust your set - I put in some blurry bits to try prevent identity of the boys

That's all that needs to be said.

We're making a difference in Canberra and in the world.

This will be an annual event in our calendar from now on, as we slowly expand this into a new education program for Canberra schools.

Emma knows what we're doing - I love this photo of her!

What are you doing for Nov 25 - Zonta say NO Campaign? Share you story and inspire us all with your ideas. Individually each of our actions may feel like a drop in the ocean, but together they create the waves of change.

I admit - I am yet to type up the full story including the ideas the boys shared at the workshop. I wanted to share these photos with you to acknowledge Nov 25. So keep your eyes on Zonta says NO where we will post our report.

Zonta International and White Ribbon Campaign, together, say NO to Violence against Women.

Imagine this ..... suburban Canberra, a high school full of boys and Matt Hollis is wondering if any of them are going to turn up.

Matt is a teacher at this school and he is also an Ambassador for Australia's White Ribbon Campaign. He is working hard in the school to raise awareness with the boys and his fellow teachers about having respect and care for the women in their lives. Matt has a special event planned and is hoping he'll get enough of the students to show the school that the effort is worthwhile.

So what is Matt's purpose?

To help these young men to grow up creating a world of safety and respect for others. Because currently, Australia is like most western nations - living with an approx. 30% of women reporting some form of domestic violence incident in their lives.

1 in 3

I'll stop for a moment to let that sink in.

That means in our daily lives, going to work, sport, Zonta - where ever - we are mingling with both the victims and the perpetrators. Just as White Ribbon suggest, it is likely we will come across such violence.

White Ribbon is the world's largest male-led movement to end violence against women. Launched in Canada in 1989, White Ribbon was brought to Australia by the then UNIFEM in 2003.

Today in Australia the White Ribbon Campaign is well established and is fast making in roads in supporting men to help their mates understand and live in respect. Of course, Aussie blokes make it their own with their "Hey Mate" campaign.

Stephen Carter, the White Ribbon Organiser here in Canberra tells me that the script for this commercial was from a real conversation overheard down at the local pub.  ummmm ..... struth!

The Zonta Club of Canberra Breakfast has linked up with the White Ribbon Campaign to plan a joint event to recognise November 25 - the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - a day important to both organisations.

All Zonta Clubs across the world are joining together in 2013 as a united front in our Zonta says NO campaign. 

Here in Canberra we are hoping to join with White Ribbon in the conduct of an awareness raising event with some of the local boys schools, local White Ribbon Ambassadors and our Zonta club members.

I wonder if our kids will be as inventive as these Canadian school students?

EHHHH! Respected Ladies!! Wow!!

So I can hear you saying ... But Mrs Banks! What happened to Matt and his school students??

OH - yes Matt! Matt visited our Club monthly meeting and shared this story with us. Matt had arranged a large long sheet of black fabric and tins of white paint. The young men would leave their white hand print on the sheet as a pledge that hand would never be raised in violence against women.

The school had to delay classes.

Matt ran out of paint.

Kids were queued down the corridor and painted both hands.

All the male teachers then joined him on stage at the school assembly and together recited the White Ribbon Oath.

I am SO thankful to have Matt in Canberra, doing the work he is doing, changing the lives of these young people and making the world a better place.

What is your club planning for the Zonta says NO Campaign?

One Million Birthing Kits

How you feel about giving birth in a hut, on the dirt, miles from a hospital and perhaps with a half trained midwife?

Many women and babies suffer from neo-natal tetanus, and through no fault of their own. Naturally occurring soil bacteria can affect the mother and baby during the birthing process and be potentially fatal for both.

I've told you on numerous occasions about Birthing Kits, and these cheap and simple collection of just a few items can make an enormous difference to the cleanliness of a birthing site.

Last Saturday, both Zonta clubs in Canberra hosted our 8th annual public birthing kit packing day.  Once again, over 200 women donated their time; friends of the club, including Rotary, donated cash; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints donated their hall, chux cloths, cake and hands to help successfully pack 3000 kits for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Go and check out the photos on flickr.

What I really wanted to tell you is that in August, a Zonta club in Brisbane will pack the 1 millionth Birthing Kit!

Over the past 12 years,  all over Australia, small and large groups of Zonta clubs; nurses and midwives; uni and high school students have come together to hand pack these birthing kits and send them around the world.

In September, the Birthing Kit Foundation (Australia) will celebrate with events across the country.

Here in Canberra, there will be a breakfast on 11 September.

In Canberra we will be breakfasting with Dr Luc Mulimbalimba Masururu from the Democratic Republic of Congo and hear first hand about conditions for reproductive health in that country.

There are also celebration events in other States. Check your diary and see if you can make yourself available to celebrate this unique service project.

Zonta Birthing Kits - Canberra midwives helping babies around the world

Zonta wise I am kept fairly busy. However, most of my Zonta work is boring admin stuff. I am about to start as District Secretary for this upcoming biennium. I could post photos of me taking minutes. I suspect there are already enough blogs about that sort of thing.

Yesterday, I got out from behind the computer and went out to a Birthing Kit packing session. I had the magical opportunity for a bit of 'drive-thru' service. I pulled up in my car, ran in, did some work, ran out, drive off. Such a luxury! 

This was a small packing session - 600 kits. Small compared to our massive 4000 kits day. The Canberra branch of the Australian College of Midwives organised a packing session held at the University of Canberra - in the midwifery practice room of course.

A couple of us from the Zonta Club of Canberra Breakfast went along to do a bit of training and help out. Kerri did a spot on job at teaching. I worked on post-packing quality control. These ladies were great! Organised, friendly, all got stuck in and completed the session in under 2 hours! They were proud to be part of a bigger, greater outcome.

Primary target for birthing kits is mothers in developing countries who are giving birth on the ground. By providing a few simple items, such soap and a scalpel, that increase the cleanliness of the surrounds, the risk of potentially fatal neonatal tetnus is reduced.

Similar to this Canberra group, the University of Sydney Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery put together a short video of their birthing kit experience, which is up on the homepage for the Birthing Kit Foundation. It is very short and shows the lovely young women with a passion for their profession - go now and watch!

If you are interested in supporting Birthing Kits, the Foundation also maintains this Facebook page, and this list of upcoming packing days being run all over Australia. Here in Canberra, we are packing 3000 kits on 31 July. Come and join us! See the details on my Event Gadget - up there - on the right of this page. There'll be cake.

Karinya House: Advancing the status of our most vulnerable women

This week our Zonta Club returned from our summer holiday break. To open the year we had a great guest: Jacqui Gallagher from Karinya House.

Karinya provides supported accommodation, transitional housing and outreach services to pregnant and parenting women, particularly younger ones, who are in crisis.

So what does that mean in real terms?

Imagine a pregnant teenager - homeless, perhaps the father is gone, perhaps she has problems with her family. Mostly likely she has dropped out of school and at worst may have been involved with drugs or the victim of violence.

Karinya provides a safe place where she can go.

In the past year Karinya hosted 38 women with 37 babies; and provided outreach services to 235. 64% of these women where below the age of 25. Unfortunately 316 young women were not accommodated.

Karinya's clients are truly among the most vulnerable and at risk women in our community. Can you imagine one of these young women without supporters, any possessions, a place to live. Many times she has given birth in hospital and with no where to go, she is referred to Karinya. Young women in such a position rarely have skills in parenting, home life, employment and personal care. Without Karinya's services these young families could face a very uncertain future.

This is where Karinya's outreach services come into play. Their case work support is wide ranging and can include:

• Birth preparation support
• Health care advice
• Budgeting and financial planning advice
• Public housing applications
• Support accessing education to finish school studies
• Referral to other services for medical, antenatal, legal, welfare, and housing organisations
• Assistance moving and maintaining independent living
• Practical assistance with household goods, clothing, baby goods and maternity requirements

Club members Penny (centre) and Ceri (right) deliver kitchen starter packs to Karinya

Karinya's clients provide regular and positive feedback on the services. Jacquie shared a card recently recieved that expressed one young woman's appreciation for the support, care and compassion experienced.

 Jacquie shared another story of "Lisa". Lisa was escaping violence, she had a 2 yr old daughter and had a new baby son recently delivered by caesarian. Lisa was living in a car, had no income and was not a permanent Australian resident so she didn't qualify for welfare benefits. Lisa said she had "no voice and no dignity".

Once moving into Karinya her life instantly changed for the better. Beyond the safe environment, Karinya helped Lisa get a scholarship to a Toddler Parenting course, achieve her drivers license, gain permanent residency and access welfare benefits and now is planning to access independent housing.

"I couldn't imagine Karinya could do what they did. They brought back my dignity as a woman and a mother."

Karinya have a hope for the future. They are currently negotiating with the government to access a tract of land and are developing a plan for a cluster housing project to provide more refuge housing so women and their families can transition into a safe and independent lifestyle.

The Zonta Club of Canberra Breakfast is proud to be among many who have continued support for Karinya House over many years. Our club is supplying kitchen starter packs, ready to go maternity bags, a spring cleaning working bee, financial donations, 2nd hand baby goods and furniture, linen and towels.

Karinya is providing a vital service to so many of the young women of Canberra and helping them move forward and become valuable participants of our community.

How about your club? What are your service projects that support vulnerable young women in your community?

All photos sourced from Karinya House Annual Report 2009/10

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