Beryl Sten is Zonta International President
 

Beryl Sten is a member of the Zonta Club of  Vaxjo,  Sweden, and became International President during the Zonta International Convention in Rotterdam, The Netherlands in July, 2008.   Her service projects for her biennium, 2006-2008, were approved by the delegates in Rotterdam. 

Women's equality is not yet a reality. Women worldwide face systemized discrimination - they lack opportunities to live healthy lives, free from legal, social, economic and political inequality.

Zonta International empowers women to overcome barriers to their equal human rights through its International Service Projects funded by the Zonta International Foundation.

Since 1923, Zonta has provided ...more than US$8 million to projects benefiting
millions of women and their families
representing 34 countries.

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Grantmaking Policy
The Zonta International Foundation supports projects that address the education, economic advancement and health of women or prevent violence against women, implemented primarily by United Nations agencies or recognized international non-governmental organizations.

THE NEED:
In April and May of 1994 nearly 1 million Rwandans, a full 10% of the population, were killed in the Rwandan genocide. One third of those killed were children. The genocide, combined with the brutal civil war that continued after, lead to the displacement of 3.7 million people and created hundreds of thousands of orphaned children. Throughout this terrifying time women across the country were repeatedly raped as a weapon of war.

The effects of the war, and of the pervasive use of rape as a weapon, still deeply affect this African Nation. In addition to the terrible trauma inflicted on the victims of rape many contracted sexually transmitted diseases, and half became HIV positive. The wave of HIV/AIDS that swept the nation following the initial massacre has lead to a country where 30% of children are orphans, and 190,000 Rwandans, including 27,000 children, are HIV positive. Women in Rwanda are 1.5 times more likely to be HIV positive than men, and young women are 5 times more likely to contract HIV then young men.

Half of all healthcare workers were killed or displaced during the war, and those who remain must make do with little equipment, not enough medicine and under-funded facilities, many of which don’t even have electricity. Ninety percent (90%) of children living with HIV contracted the virus during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding; almost all of these cases could have been prevented if the mother had access to proper medical treatment.

Far more than just preventing transmission, these efforts will also address the medical, nutritional, psychological and economic needs of HIV positive women and their families through what is known as the Family Package. Women will have access to psychosocial counseling to help them learn how best to live with their HIV status. Education, combined with the mobilization of community and religious leaders, will help reduce the stigma of being HIV positive and prevent discrimination. Income-generating schemes will help HIV positive mothers to care for themselves and their families.

With projects like this, HIV positive women will stay healthier longer and live better more productive lives. 
 

THE NEED:

As Latin America becomes an increasingly urbanized area, violence is escalating at an alarming rate. Recent civil wars, a lack of economic and employment opportunities, the repatriation of gang members and criminals and increased drug trafficking have lead to a culture of violence. The homicide rate in the region is a staggering 114% above the world average, and is even higher in the especially dangerous countries of Guatemala and El Salvador. As conditions worsen and violence increases, women are especially vulnerable to becoming victims due to their traditionally subordinate role in Latin American society.

RESPONSE:
By focusing on urban violence as a gender issue and strengthening women’s right to active citizenship, UNIFEM will work to make these dangerous cities safer for women. As women take on more active roles they will be empowered to more effectively combat the increasing violence in their neighborhoods and communities.

UNIFEM will work with established women’s organizations in partnership with local authorities in order to develop and implement policies on urban violence that specifically address the needs of women and the prevalence of violence against women in this environment. The women’s organizations will identify risks and potential solutions, advocate for more effective anti-violence policies and participate in urban planning aimed at making the cities safer. They will launch sensitization campaigns and stage local interventions in order to educate the public and to decrease violence against women.

THE NEED:
Liberia is a country still recovering from the recently ended civil wars. During the fifteen years of fighting the healthcare system was all but destroyed, and most medical personnel were forced to leave the country. With so few medical facilities available, and access to even these limited, the rate of maternal mortality and morbidity increased dramatically. Currently, 578 out of every 100,000 pregnant women die in childbirth, and many more face severe complications.

Perhaps the cruelest complication is a condition known as obstetric fistula, which is literally a hole in the birth canal. Once common throughout the world, obstetric fistula has been all but eliminated in developed nations. In 87% of cases obstetric fistula is caused by prolonged labor, often lasting two days or more, without medical care or intervention. The child is usually stillborn. Women with obstetric fistula suffer from chronic incontinence caused by urine leaking through the hole in the birth canal. Pain and discomfort are a constant for many of these women, and all are at risk of long-term health complications.

Still, the pain, discomfort and complications are for many women easier to overcome than the stigma and humiliation attached to their condition. Despite every effort the smell of leaking urine is difficult to cover and impossible to prevent, a fact that leads to embarrassment and social isolation. Many women with obstetric fistula are no longer welcome in their own families or communities. Fifty seven percent (57%) of women with obstetric fistula are abandoned by their husbands, and due to their condition, opportunities to make a living are limited, leading many to a life of hard labor and profound poverty.

RESPONSE:
Obstetric Fistula is devastating to the lives of millions of women around the world, but it is also a highly treatable condition. With properly trained surgeons, well-equipped facilities and the necessary aftercare, the treatment of uncomplicated obstetric fistula has a 90% success rate. The cost of all of this is a mere US$300, a small sum to many but well beyond the means of the average woman in Liberia. UNFPA will provide treatment, including medical supplies and equipment, free of cost to women who cannot afford it. Specialty training will be offered to local doctors, raising the quality of care available. Those trained will in turn be able to teach the methods they have learned, increasing the number of people capable of performing the surgery and the number of women who will have access to care.

Many women need help reintegrating into society following treatment, having been isolated and scorned for so long. UNFPA will provide counseling to help with the transition, a new set of clothes for the women to begin their new lives, and an income-generating starter kit to help them learn to support themselves.

One of the difficulties surrounding treatment of obstetric fistula is the culture of silence that forbids its discussion. Many women, while aware of the effects of fistula, are not aware of its causes, and many do not know that there is treatment available. By educating women, future cases of obstetric fistula will be prevented, and more women already affected will seek treatment. Education will also help to lessen the stigma attached to the women affected, as it is still a common belief that obstetric fistula is sent as a punishment for wrongdoing and is not seen as a valid medical condition.

EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

In the 2008-2010 Biennium, the below education programs will be funded by your contributions to the respective Fund within Zonta International Foundation.

Amelia Earhart Fellowships (AE)

In total 700,000 USD is apportioned as 35 international awards at 10,000 USD each year of the biennium. The Fund provides monetary Fellowships to women for graduate study in aerospace-related sciences and engineering.

Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarships (JMK)

In total 120,000 USD is apportioned as 12 international scholarships at 5,000 USD each year of the biennium. The Fund provides scholarships to women undergraduate students preparing for careers in business management.

Young Women in Public Affairs Awards (YWPA)

In total 94,000 USD is apportioned to 32 district awards at 1,000 USD and five international awards at 3,000 USD each year of the biennium. The Award honors young women in secondary level or pre-university schools who demonstrate a com