VOA慢速英语2018 联合国儿童基金会：冲突、灾难致5900万青年成文盲（在线收听）

Almost 60 million young people who live in countries affected by conflict or natural disaster are illiterate, the United Nations Children’s Fund or UNICEF, said this week.

有近6000万生活在受冲突和自然灾害影响国家的青年成为了文盲，联合国儿童基金会本周表示。 

More investment in education is needed, UNICEF said, to fight the crisis.

应对这场危机需要更多的教育投资，联合国儿童基金会表示。 

Nearly 30 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 19 living in "emergency countries" cannot read or write. UNICEF has found that illiteracy is a bigger problem among girls and young women.Thirty-three percent of girls have not learned even the basics of reading. The same is true of 24 percent of boys living in “emergency countries.”

“紧急状态国家”中15到19岁青年中有近30%的人不会阅读和书写。联合国儿童基金会发现女孩和年轻女士中文盲问题更严重。33%的女孩没有学过基本的阅读。24%生活在“紧急状态国家”的男孩也是如此。

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said the numbers are a clear reminder of the tragic effects that crises can have on a child’s education and their future.

联合国儿童基金会会长亨利埃塔·福尔说，这个数字清晰地提醒我们危机会给儿童的教育和未来造成悲剧性的影响。

UNICEF is calling for more financial support for education programs, especially during humanitarian crises. It said only 3.6 percent of humanitarian money is used for the education of young people living in emergency situations.That makes education one of the least supported areas of humanitarian aid.

联合国儿童基金会呼吁对教育项目加大经济支持，尤其是在人道主义危机期间。基金会表示，只有3.6%的人道主义经济援助资金用于救助紧急状态国家青年人的教育。这使得教育成为得到最少人道主义援助支持的领域之一。

The agency’s yearly Humanitarian Action for Children appeal began on Tuesday. It called for $900 million for countries damaged by man-made and natural disasters. The money would be used on programs such as accelerated learning, teacher training, school rebuilding and on school supplies.

该机构一年一度的儿童人道主义救助呼吁会已在周二举行。会议为受人为和自然灾害破坏的国家筹集了9亿美元的善款。这笔钱将会用于速成学习、教师培训、学校重建和学习用品等救援项目中。

UNICEF also proposed that governments provide young children with early-learning opportunities and illiterate young people with specially designed education programs.

联合国儿童基金会提议政府为儿童提供早期学习的机会，为文盲青年提供特殊教育项目。 

The findings are based on the U.N. Educational, Science and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, literacy data on 27 emergency countries.

这些发现是根据联合国教科文组织发表的关于27个紧急状态国家文盲率的报告得出。 

The countries with the highest illiteracy rates among people between the ages of 15 and 24 are Niger (76-percent), Chad (69-percent), South Sudan (68-percent), and the Central African Republic (64-percent).

15到24岁人群中文盲率最高的国家包括尼日尔（76%）、乍得（69%）南苏丹（68%）和中非共和国（64%）。

UNICEF released the new data just before the start of the two-day Global Partnership for Education Replenishment Conference in Dakar, Senegal.The conference is designed to raise money to give all children and youth the opportunity to learn.

联合国儿童基金会的这些数据恰是在塞内加尔达喀尔举办的为期两天的全球教育充资伙伴关系会开始之前发布。该会议旨在筹集善款为孩子和青年提供学习的机会。

Words in This Story

accelerate - v. to move faster?

advocacy - n. the act or process of supporting a cause or proposa?l

humanitarian - n. a person who works to make other people's lives better?

illiterate - adj. not knowing how to read or write?

stability - n. the quality or state of something that is not easily changed or likely to change