Message on World Population Day

世界人口日致辞

 

11 July 2016

2016年7月11日

 

The international community has committed to a new sustainable development agenda built on the principles of equity and human rights. A central objective of the Sustainable Development Goals is to leave no one behind.

 

国际社会已对根据平等和人权原则制定的新的可持续发展议程作出承诺。可持续发展议程的核心目标是不让任何一个人掉队。

 

Despite significant gains made in reducing poverty and improving opportunity and well-being for many people around the world, hundreds of millions remain desperate for a chance of a better future. Among those least served by previous development initiatives are girls, particularly those in their formative teenage years.

 

我们在为世界众多人口减少贫困以及改善他们的机会和福祉方面取得了重大成就，但是还有数亿民众依然渴望有机会实现更美好的未来。以往各项发展倡议忽视最为严重的群体是女童，特别是处于成长发展阶段、年龄十几岁的少女。

 

Just when girls should be in school and imagining the possibilities ahead, too many are held back from pursuing their ambitions by social and cultural traps. While a boy’s options and opportunities tend to expand when he becomes an adolescent, those of a girl too often shrink.  Half of all sexual assaults worldwide are committed against girls aged 15 or younger. In developing countries, one in three girls is married before she reaches 18. And teenage girls are less likely than teenage boys to start or finish secondary school.

 

在应当上学和憧憬未来的时候，太多女童因社会和文化陷阱而无法追求她们的梦想。男童在成为青少年时选择和机会随之增加，而女童的选择和机会则往往减少。全世界为数一半的性攻击的对象是15岁或更加年幼的女童。在发展中国家，三分之一的女童在年满18岁之前结婚。与十几岁的男童相比，少女和女童开始或完成中学教育的可能性较小。

 

Rectifying these inequalities is critical for the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. That is why it includes the specific Goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. On this World Population Day, I urge all Governments, businesses and civil society to support and invest in teenage girls. Everyone deserves the benefits of economic growth and social progress. Let us work together to ensure a life of security, dignity and opportunity for all.

 

消除这种不平等是成功落实《2030年可持续发展议程》的关键。为此，《议程》中列入了实现性别平等和增强所有妇女和女童权能的具体目标。值此世界人口日之际，我敦促各国政府、所有企业和民间社会为少女提供支持和投资。每个人都应该从经济增长和社会进步中受益。让我们共同努力，确保所有人在一生中都享有安全、尊严和机会。