VOA标准英语2009年-Uganda Bans Female Genital Mutilation

The Ugandan parliament has banned the controversial practice known as female genital mutilation, or FGM. The traditional rite¹ - which critics decry² as inhumane - is still carried out across much of the region.

Alan Boswell | Nairobi 11 December 2009

"The act is providing punishments, and not simple punishments. I think people will have to re-think if they go on to practice FGM."

FGM involves the removal of all or part of the female genitalia. Sometimes the remaining flesh is stitched closed, a practice called infibulation, leaving only a tiny opening for urination and menstruation, and making intercourse³ and childbirth painful.

Many human and gender⁴ rights activists⁵ say the practice puts girls under serious health risk, sometimes resulting in death.

Different levels of punishment are codified⁶ in the act for those who violate the ban. Anyone caught doing FGM on a girl will be sent to jail for 10 years - but if the girl dies during the act, a life sentence is to be imposed.

A number of African nations have outlawed⁷ the customary practice, but in many of those countries FGM is still common.

Nalule Safia Juuko, vice⁸ chair of the Ugandan Parliamentary Committee on Equal Opportunities, cautioned that the passage of this law was only a first step.

"But of course we realize as Parliament that an act alone can not do so much, given the fact that the practice has been an issue with that community for years and years," she said.  "So what we also considered as Parliament yesterday, the Speaker asked the prime minister to tell us what the government is going to do in addition to passing the act," said Juuko.

She said that funds need to be allocated⁹ to run a sensitization campaign within the communities where FGM is still widespread. She also suggested that a program needs to be set up to provide an alternative income to those who act as the operation's surgeons.

She expressed strong support for the level of punishments put into the law.

"The act is providing punishments, and not simple punishments. I think people will have to re-think if they go on to practice FGM," she said.

The operation is practiced only within a few certain communities in Uganda, most of whom live in the northeastern part of the country.

The operation is usually performed on a girl at any time up until she is 15 years old.

According to the World Health Organization, up to 140 million living women globally have undergone genital mutilation. Three million girls are thought to be at risk of the procedure in Africa every year.

 

1 rite   

n.典礼，惯例，习俗

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite.这个节日起源于宗教仪式。
• Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.大多数传统社会都为青春期的孩子举行成人礼。

2 decry   

v.危难，谴责

参考例句：

• Some people will decry this,insisting that President Obama should have tried harder to gain bipartisan support.有些人会对此表示谴责，坚持说奥巴马总统原本应该更加努力获得两党的支持。
• Now you decry him as another Hitler because he is a threat to the controlling interest of oil in the middle east.现在你却因为他对中东石油控制权益构成了威胁而谴责他为另一个希特勒。

3 intercourse   

n.性交；交流，交往，交际

参考例句：

• The magazine becomes a cultural medium of intercourse between the two peoples.该杂志成为两民族间文化交流的媒介。
• There was close intercourse between them.他们过往很密。

4 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

5 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 codified   

v.把（法律）编成法典( codify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the meantime, however, Kennecott had been codified elsewhere in the Act. 然而，“肯尼考特”一案已被编人法案。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Congress has since codified this holding. 从那时以来，国会编纂整理了最高法院的这一裁定。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

7 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。