Wellington Woman Honoured as International Leader

Wellington Woman Honoured as International Leader

Taking a lead on projects working with Unicef in Rwanda to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV and with women suffering from obstetric fistula in Liberia will be all in a day’s work for Wellingtonian Lynn McKenzie who took on the role of International President of Zonta last month.

On Tuesday, The Honourable Hekia Parata, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, will host a reception to honour Lynn and the work of Zonta International, the organisation she is now leading. Lynn was appointed President of Zonta International at a convention in July 2012 in Turin, Italy.

Zonta International is a global organization of executives and professionals working together to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy. With more than 30,000 members from more than 1,200 Zonta Clubs in 63 countries, Zontians all over the world volunteer their time, talents and support, to local and international service projects, as well as scholarship programs for women.

In New Zealand, Zonta has been active for more than 45 years, and has 28 clubs from Northland to Otago, where service and advocacy are combined with fun and fellowship. Awards offered in New Zealand support women in three levels of tertiary education.

The Young Women in Public Affairs awards recognise young women leaving high school who have given service in their local community.

The Jane M Klausman ”Women in Business” Awards recognise women studying toward a business degree.

The Amelia Earhart Fellowship Awards (aerospace) recognise women who have achieved their PhD.

Zonta members in New Zealand also raise funds to support the Zonta International Service Program. The Program has provided training, education, health, sanitation, agricultural and micro-credit assistance to women, primarily through projects implemented by the agencies of the United Nations and other recognized non-governmental organizations.

For Lynn, two years at the helm of the organisation will be an opportunity to make a contribution to the projects that will make a practical difference in the lives of women worldwide.

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