2007年VOA标准英语-Women Encouraged to be Peace Builders

By George Dwyer
Washington
19 April 2007
 

A report released in Washington, D.C. earlier this month (April 10) examines the unique role women can play as peace builders in war-torn and post-conflict states. Sponsored by a quartet of powerful and prestigious¹ peace advocacy institutions, the report proposes specific recommendations to promote the advancement² of women across various stages of the peace building process. For producer George Dwyer, VOA's Jim Bertel has more on the report's recommendations.

The Washington D.C. based United States Institute for Peace recently hosted the release of a major new report titled:  "The Role of Women in Stabilization³ and Reconstruction⁴."  Three analysts⁵ who presented the report repeatedly identified the issue of "inclusion" as requiring urgent attention.

Joyce Neu

Presenter⁶ Joyce Neu said, "One of the findings is that women (of course) continue to be excluded from peace processes, from peacekeeping and security operations."

Businesswoman Harriet Hentges added "There were some things we heard over and over again. Women are not part of the power structure."

Presenter Chantal De Jonge Oudraat commented, "By failing to make maximum use of women to promote peace and security throughout the world we are by definition only making a 50 percent effort."

The report presents a broad list of recommendations and initiatives that they believe could significantly enhance the participation⁷ of women during post-conflict reconstruction. Power-sharing schemes, such as Afghanistan's 25 percent reserve quota⁸ on public offices for women, are effective and should be instituted as needed says the Peace Institute's Beth Cole. "What we found was that these quotas⁹, while they might be controversial, you must force the door open for women. It is that forcing mechanism¹⁰ that is critical for women in post conflict societies."

The report also recommends that reconstruction authorities support the participation of women as equal partners at all levels of civil institution building, and goes on to say that postwar transitions should promote socioeconomic parity¹¹ through legal mandates¹² requiring the participation of women in reconstruction projects.

Hentges said, "We also felt that we needed to highlight the window of opportunity that the post-conflict period provided for changing roles to advance the rights of women so that they could play different roles."

Harriet Hentges

Businesswoman Harriet Hentges, who co-chaired the report study group, said her team found useful models were provided by Afghanistan's experience. "There were many instances where you had people who never got involved in post-conflict before who wanted to be involved. And these were businesswomen and just humanitarians¹³.  But the other thing that happened in Afghanistan was how much it really resonated with women in the West.

History shows women caught in conflict zones are often left vulnerable to exploitation, and frequently forced to find refuge with little material support. But now it appears, based on the Afghanistan model, that post-conflict transitional periods may offer hope for improving women's lives.

1 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

2 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

3 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

4 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 presenter   

n.（电视、广播的）主持人，赠与者

参考例句：

• Most people think being a television presenter is exciting.很多人认为当电视节目主持人是一件刺激的事情。
• The programme dispensed with its most popular presenter.这个节目最受欢迎的主持人被换掉了。

7 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

8 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

9 quotas   

（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派

参考例句：

• In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
• Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。

10 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

11 parity   

n.平价，等价，比价，对等

参考例句：

• The two currencies have now reached parity.这两种货币现已达到同等价值。
• Women have yet to achieve wage or occupational parity in many fields.女性在很多领域还没能争取到薪金、职位方面的平等。

12 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

13 humanitarians   

n.慈善家( humanitarian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finally, humanitarians saw it as a means of helping to feed the hungry of the world. 人道主义者把这一计划看成是为世界上那些忍饥挨饿的人提供粮食的一项措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• All humanitarians fought against slavery. 所有人道主义者都为反对奴隶制而斗争过。 来自互联网