VOA慢速英语2019 联合国称全球十分之一的儿童为童工的受害者

UN: 1 in 10 Children Globally Is Victim of Child Labor¹

Tens of millions of children are forced to work in countries around the world. The United Nations International Labor Organization called for an end to child labor Wednesday to mark World Day Against Child Labor. The Geneva, Switzerland-based ILO is holding its yearly International Labor Conference.

数千万名儿童被迫在世界各国工作着。周三，联合国国际劳工组织呼吁停止雇佣童工，以纪念世界无童工日。总部设在瑞士日内瓦的国际劳工组织正在举行年度国际劳工大会。

Children as young as five are among the 152 million victims of child labor. Many of them work long hours, for little or no money, in slave-like conditions. The International Labor Organization says half of them are involved in unhealthy and dangerous work.

在1.52亿童工受害者中，有年仅5岁的幼童。他们中的许多人在奴隶式的环境下长时间工作，报酬极少甚至没有报酬。国际劳工组织表示，其中一半童工从事不健康和危险性工作。

The ILO says most children work in agriculture. They can also be found in the mining, building, fishing and domestic service industries.

国际劳工组织表示，大多数儿童从事农业工作。采矿、建筑、渔业和国内服务性行业也不乏他们的身影。

Beate Andrees is Chief of the ILO’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work Branch. She told VOA that when children are forced into the worst forms of labor, such as debt slavery and sex work, they suffer permanent physical and mental damage.

贝特·安德烈斯（Beate Andrees）是劳工组织基本原则和工作权利部门的负责人。她告诉美国之音，当儿童被迫从事最恶性的劳动时，如债务奴役和性工作，他们会遭受永久性的身体和精神损害。

Andrees said some progress has been made in reducing child labor in Asia and Latin America, but reductions in Africa are decreasing. She said Africa now has the highest levels of child labor in the world.

安德烈斯称，亚洲和拉丁美洲在减少童工方面取得了一些进展，但是非洲的童工数量不降反增。她说，非洲现在拥有的童工数量在全球居首。

“This is not necessarily linked to a lack of action,” Andrees said, explaining that migration², poverty and other problems can lead to child labor.

安德烈斯解释称，“这不一定是缺乏打击行动所致，”移民、贫困和其他问题都可能导致童工。

Andrees said she was pleased to see the African Union taking decisive measures to end child labor. She noted³ the AU is developing a ten-year plan to decrease child labor as called for in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

安德烈斯指出，她很高兴看到非洲联盟采取果断措施结束童工现象。她指出，非盟正在按照联合国可持续发展目标的要求制定减少童工的十年计划。

The SDG has called for the end of child labor by 2025. However, at the current of reduction, Andrees warns the world will easily miss that goal.

可持续发展目标呼吁到2025年结束童工现象。然而，安德烈斯警告说，按照目前的打击力度下，全球很难实现这一目标。

Words in This Story

domestic - adj. in the home

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。