LAA – How can legislative, awareness and advocacy be translated into action ?

Some thoughts by Magdalena Weidenfeller, Chair LAA, District 28:

L = legislative, means to act as an supporting and advisory capacity to a legislative body

A = awareness, should be used in the sense of making someone aware of something

A = advocacy, means to support someone or to speak out in favour of something

Some examples for LAA in District 28:

In Germany Zonta is represented by Zontians in the “Women’s Council of Germany” (Deutscher Frauenrat) and in the Women`s Council in some federal states of Germany. These councils participate in various legislative processes concerning maintenance of industrial health and safety standards, job sharing, working hours, nursery etc.

ZC Trier invited a female judge of the German supreme court (Bundesverfassungsgericht), Dr. Homann-Dennhardt, to speak about the history and the future of women’s movement in Germany.

ZC Wiesbaden supports a service project “Silberstreifen” which makes aware of poverty of elderly women in the community and searches for sponsors for a classic concert once a year,  the repair of their only watch, new eye glasses etc.

ZC Gießen-Burg Staufenberg took part in the “equal pay day” to make aware that a lot of women are paid less than men in comparable jobs and that the majority of women are working in low-pay jobs like nursing staff or as shop assistant.

ZC Club Hanau organized, in cooperation with a local school, a discussion about integration of immigrants, especially muslims. As a keynote speaker they invited Seyran Ates, a famous German-Turkish female lawyer and writer.