Zonta International Demands Action: End Gender-Based Violence Now - Men Must Speak Up and Stand With Women

Zonta International proudly joins the global community today in beginning the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign. This annual campaign is a powerful reminder that despite decades of advocacy, gender-based violence remains one of the most persistent and devastating human rights violations worldwide.

As an organization committed to building a better world for women and girls, we demand immediate, decisive action to end gender-based violence in all its forms. And we call on men everywhere to speak up, take responsibility, and stand as allies in this fight.

The crisis is urgent and unacceptable

The scale and urgency of the crisis cannot be overstated. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 840 million women—nearly one in three—have endured physical or sexual violence in their lives. In 2023 alone, an estimated 51,100 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members, representing an average of 140 lives lost every day. These are not statistics; they are human lives stolen by violence, and this global emergency cannot be ignored. They reflect the profound trauma endured by millions of women and girls who continue to face violence in their homes, communities, and societies, hindering their ability to participate fully and equally in all aspects of life.

Gender-based violence is not limited to intimate partner abuse. Child marriage remains a grave global injustice. UNICEF estimates that 650 million women and girls alive today were married before their eighteenth birthday. This practice not only deprives girls of their childhood, but also exposes them to greater risk of violence, early childbearing, and shortened educational and economic opportunities. At the same time, human trafficking continues to reflect and reinforce gender inequality. Trafficking in women and girls persists across regions, with females accounting for approximately 60% of all detected victims and nearly two-thirds of those trafficked for sexual exploitation.

What must be done - now

This global pattern of violence, exploitation, and discrimination demands urgent and collective action. Not tomorrow but today.

Zonta International calls on governments, institutions, and communities worldwide to:

• Enforce and strengthen laws that protect women and girls from violence and exploitation.
• Invest in prevention programs that dismantle harmful norms and support survivors in rebuilding their lives.
• Ensure accountability for perpetrators and systems that enable abuse.
• Fund education and economic opportunities for women and girls to break cycles of vulnerability.

Male allyship is non-negotiable

Male allyship is non-negotiable. Men and boys must step up and challenge harmful behaviors, speak out against violence against women, and model respect and equality. Silence is complicity. Action is responsibility. When men actively reject violence and advocate for equality, they help dismantle the cultural norms that perpetuate abuse. Violence against women is not a women’s issue; it is a human issue, and men must lead alongside women to end it.

We recognize that meaningful progress requires strong partnerships rooted in accountability, collaboration, and shared responsibility. Men and boys who choose to act as allies—who speak out against violence, promote healthy behaviors, and model equality—strengthen global efforts to prevent and ultimately end gender-based violence. These demonstrations of partnership shift cultural attitudes, raise awareness, and accelerate progress toward safer, more equitable societies.

Join us - the time for action is now

Zonta International will continue to lead, collaborate, and hold partners accountable. But we cannot do this alone. We demand that every individual, every organization, and every government join us now. Together, we can and must create a world where every woman and girl lives free from violence, exploitation and fear.

The time for awareness has passed. The time for action is now. Join us. Speak out. Act. End gender-based violence once and for all.

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25 NOVEMBER 2025