联合国秘书长潘基文2014年残割女性生殖器零容忍国际日致辞（中英对照）

Secretary-General’s Message on International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

秘书长残割女性生殖器零容忍国际日致辞

6 February 2014

2014年2月6日

As Secretary-General of the United Nations, I hold high the banner of empowering women and girls, promoting their health and defending their rights. The International Day of Zero-Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is an opportunity to confront this persistent problem – and to find hope in initiatives proving that it can end.

我作为联合国秘书长，要大张旗鼓地增强妇女和女童的权能，推动维护她们的健康，捍卫她们的权利。残割女性生殖器零容忍国际日为我们提供了机会，来正视这个长期问题，通过各种证明可以解决问题的举措来找到希望。

We should strive to preserve the best in any culture, and leave harm behind.

我们应努力保存文化精华，扬弃有害做法。

There is no developmental, religious or health reason to cut or mutilate any girl or woman. Although some would argue that this is a ‘tradition,’ we must recall that slavery, socalled honour killings and other inhumane practices have been defended with the same weak argument. Just because a harmful practice has long existed does not justify its continuation. All ‘traditions’ that demean, dehumanize and injure are human rights violations that must be actively opposed until they are ended.

无论残割任何女童或妇女，都没有任何成长、宗教或健康方面的理由。虽然有些人争辩说，这是一个“传统”，但我们必须提醒人们，这个苍白无力的理由也同样被用来为蓄奴、所谓名誉杀人和其他不人道做法辩解。不能仅仅因为一个有害的做法存在多年，就以此为理由把它继续下去。所有侮辱人格、把人不当人和伤害人的“传统”都是侵犯人权，必须积极予以反对，直至将其杜绝。

FGM causes grave harm to individuals. The immediate and long-term health consequences include constant pain, infections, incontinence and sometimes deadly complications in pregnancy and childbirth.

残割女性生殖器的行为给个人造成严重伤害。立即出现和长期的健康后果包括持续疼痛、感染、失禁，有时还会在怀孕和分娩期间导致致命的并发症。

The practice is declining in almost all countries but it is still frighteningly widespread. Although firm statistics are difficult to obtain, it is estimated that more than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East, where FGM is most prevalent and data exist. If current trends continue, some 86 million young girls worldwide are likely to experience some form of the practice by 2030. Asia, Europe, North America and other regions are not spared and must be equally vigilant in addressing the problem.

这个做法正在几乎所有国家逐渐减少，但仍令人非常不安地普遍存在。虽然难以获得确凿的统计数字，但据估计，在盛行残割女性生殖器而且可以得到数据的29个非洲和中东国家，当今生活着1.25亿以上受过残割的女童和妇女。如果当前的趋势继续下去，到2030年，世界各地很可能又有大约8 600万年幼的女童遭受某种形式的残割。亚洲、欧洲、北美和其他地区也未幸免，必须同样保持警惕，解决这个问题。

Fortunately there are positive signs of progress in our global push to end this harmful practice.

幸运的是，我们为推动结束这个有害做法而开展的全球努力出现了积极的进展迹象。

Girls themselves instinctively understand the dangers of being cut, and many mothers who have seen or experienced the trauma want to shield their daughters from suffering. It is encouraging that an increasing number of communities are coming together and agreeing publically to end FGM and ensure a better life for their girls.

女童们自己本能地懂得残割的危险，很多曾亲眼目睹或亲身遭受这种残害的母亲也希望保护自己的女儿，使其免于苦难。我们感到鼓舞地看到，正有越来越多的社区齐心协力，公开同意结束残割女性生殖器的做法，确保本社区的女童享有更美好的人生。

Recently, Uganda, Kenya and Guinea-Bissau adopted laws to end FGM. In Ethiopia, those responsible have been arrested, tried and penalized, with full media coverage further raising public awareness.

最近，乌干达、肯尼亚和几内亚比绍通过了法律，结束残割女性生殖器的做法。在埃塞俄比亚，那些应承担罪责的人受到逮捕、审判和惩罚，而且媒体做了全面报道，以提高公众的认识。

The United Nations and our partners are engaged in valuable, culturally sensitive activities that aim to stop FGM without scolding or shame.

联合国和我们的合作伙伴们正在开展意义重大和注意文化特点的活动，争取不横加指责或羞辱地制止残割女性生殖器的做法。

In Sudan, we are seeing social change from a campaign called “Saleema,” the Arabic word that implies complete, intact, whole and untouched. One father moved by the effort who decided to leave his daughters uncut explained simply, “A girl is born Saleema, so leave her Saleema.”  Hundreds of communities have embraced this initiative, expressing their support through songs, poetry and clothes in the campaign’s trademark bright colours. Other countries are emulating Saleema or coming up with solutions tailored to their local needs, such as Kenya, where Meru community elders have prohibited FGM and vow to impose a fine on anyone who conducts or abets the practice

在苏丹，称为“沙利玛”的宣传运动正带来社会变化，阿拉伯语的这个词意味着完整无缺、完美如初。有一个父亲为这项努力所感动，决定不让自己的女儿受到残割，他的解释很简单：“女孩生下来是完美的，应该让她永远完美”。成百上千的社区接受了这个倡议，谱写歌曲和诗歌，并用在这次宣传运动中作为标志的鲜艳色彩做成衣服，来表示支持。其他一些国家效仿了沙利玛运动的办法，或是想出了适合本地情况的解决办法。例如，在肯尼亚，梅鲁社区的长老们已经禁止残割女性生殖器，并誓言对任何施行这个做法的人或教唆者处以罚款。

In addition to prevention, the United Nations is working with partners to help those who have been affected by FGM. Pioneering medical advances now allow doctors to repair women’s bodies and restore their health. I recall the words of one physician working in Burkina Faso who described “the relief that overwhelms women” following the surgery, which she said is 100 per cent effective. The many women who lack the resources needed to travel to the right facilities and the programmes that offer proper treatment deserve generous support.

除了预防之外，联合国正与合作伙伴们一道努力，帮助那些受害于残割女性生殖器做法的人。现在，医学的开拓性进展使得医生们能够修复女性的身体，恢复她们的健康。一个在布基纳法索工作的医生曾形容，妇女们在经过手术之后如何“因痛苦的解除而激动不已”。她说，这一手术达到100%见效。很多缺乏必要资源，无法前往正确的设施和方案接受适当治疗的妇女应该得到慷慨资助。

The General Assembly’s landmark resolution proclaiming this commemorative Day was sponsored by every country in Africa and embraced by the entire membership of the United Nations. This breakthrough shows the great value of the United Nations in rising as one to defend universal human rights. Now our challenge is to give real meaning to this Day by using it to generate public support, trigger legal and practical advances, and help girls and women at risk of or affected by FGM.

宣布这一纪念日的重要大会决议的提案国包括了每一个非洲国家，决议得到联合国全体会员国的支持。这一突破显示了联合国通过一体行动，捍卫世界人权所产生的巨大作用。我们现在面对的挑战是使这个纪念日实际收效，为此利用这项活动来争取全体公众支持，促成法律和实践方面的进步，并帮助那些有可能或已经受害于残割女性生殖器做法的女童和妇女。

The effect on individuals will be profound, sparing them pain and spurring their success. The benefits will reverberate across society as these girls and women thrive and contribute to a better future for all.

这将使个人受到深刻的影响，让她们免于痛苦，促使她们取得成功。随着这些女童和妇女茁壮成长，为所有人的更美好未来做出贡献，整个社会都将受益。