Vulnerable women and girls in PNG and Timor Leste will benefit from US$1 million in funding under new Zonta Foundation for Women 20-22 projects.

 Zonta Foundation for Women has a globally recognized mission and commitment to women and girls worldwide.

The US$1 million grant will go to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to help ensure that all women and girls in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste live life free from violence.  It will provide funds to help survivors of DFV in these two countries which both have some of the world’s highest number of domestic violence victims.

For Zonta Club of Brisbane this funding marks a continuation of a strong link with PNG which began way back in 2003 through the club’s association with Monica Otto.

Zonta Club of Brisbane sponsored her women in agriculture NGO for many years, providing funds to support coconut oil presses so that the women could “downstream” making coconut oil creams and soaps; then we sponsored containers for the products next and more presses and some funding for education. More than 17 years later it’s good to know that good deeds done together are never forgotten!  

Overall the 2020-2022 grant cycle from Zonta Foundation for Women will provide US$5,280,000 for programs that address the root causes of gender discrimination and have the potential to bring about positive and sustainable societal changes.

• Adolescent Girls’ Health and Protection in Peru: A US$1 million grant to UNICEF USA will help improve the capacity of services to respond to the health needs of adolescents.

• Delivering Survivor-Centered Response to Gender-Based Violence Survivors in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste: A US$1 million grant to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will help ensure that all women and girls in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste live life free from violence.

  • Let Us Learn Madagascar:  US$500,000 grant to UNICEF USA will address education and gender inequity in Madagascar through approaches targeted toward adolescent girls.

• The Global Programme to End Child Marriage: A US$1.5 million grant to the joint UNFPA and UNICEF program will address the complex sociocultural and structural factors underpinning early marriage and engage adolescent girls as key agents of change in 12 countries with high prevalence of child marriage.

• The Amelia Earhart Fellowship: US$700,000 (70 Fellowships of US$10,000 each)

• The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship: US$224,000 (12 international scholarships of US$8,000 each and up to 64 district scholarships of US$2,000 each)

 • The Women in Technology Scholarship: US$160,000 (20 international scholarships of US$8,000 each)

• The Young Women in Public Affairs Award: US$196,000 (20 international awards of US$5,000 each and up to 64 district scholarships of US$1,500 each)

Zonta Foundation for Women is the fundraising arm of Zonta International, a leading global organization of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy. 

Photo courtesy Partners For Prevention