VOA常速英语2007年-UN Launches Internet Campaign on Ending Violenc

By Victoria Cavaliere
New York
26 November 2007

The U.N. Development Fund for Women has launched a new advocacy campaign to end violence against women. The fund has recruited Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman to help promote the campaign, which is an internet-based initiative that asks people to sign a "virtual book" that promotes women's rights.

The U.N. Fund says violence against women is the most pervasive¹ human rights violation² around the world. Women are subjected to domestic violence, trafficked across borders, and the victims of systematic³ rape⁴ in conflict zones.

The United Nations estimates that one in three women will be a victim of violence in her lifetime.

The Development Fund for Women seeks to bring global attention to the issue and promote gender⁵ equality.

At a news conference, actress Nicole Kidman said she was proud to serve as a goodwill⁶ ambassador for the U.N. Fund. She says the new internet campaign called "Say No to Violence Against Women," will increase global awareness⁷ of the issue.

"We know that violence against women is a problem, but we know there is also a solution," said Kidman.

The acting⁸ executive director of the U.N. Development Fund for Women, Joanne Sandler, said a growing number of organizations and governments are taking steps to end violence against women and have also pledged their support for the new internet campaign and website, www.saynotoviolence.org.

Sandler says the website will serve as source of information on the issue. She says the virtual book will amplify⁹ the number of voices urging governments to take serious steps to end violence against women.

Sandler says at least 89 countries now have laws on domestic violence. But, this means more than 200 nations have no such protections.

"Implementation¹¹ is inadequate," said Sandler. "Impunity¹² for perpetrators is still the rule rather than the exception. That is why so many women still fear to speak out."

The U.N. organization also manages a trust fund that awards money and technical assistance to countries that implement¹⁰ anti-violence campaigns. Sandler said 35 countries, including Rwanda and Peru, will be given grants for women-based programs this year.

Sandler said the trust fund is an invaluable¹³ tool to help promote gender equality, but struggles to stay afloat financially.

"Despite the scope of the problem, and unlike for instance the trust fund to end HIV, AIDS, Tuberculosis¹⁴ and Malaria¹⁵, which has billions of dollars, the trust fund to end violence has struggled to secure $5 million for grant making last year, while receiving well over $100 million in requests."

The launch date of the new internet-based campaign was chosen to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination¹⁶ of Violence against Women.

1 pervasive   

adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的

参考例句：

• It is the most pervasive compound on earth.它是地球上最普遍的化合物。
• The adverse health effects of car exhaust are pervasive and difficult to measure.汽车尾气对人类健康所构成的有害影响是普遍的，并且难以估算。

2 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

3 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

4 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

5 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。

6 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

7 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

8 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

9 amplify   

vt.放大，增强；详述，详加解说

参考例句：

• The new manager wants to amplify the company.新经理想要扩大公司。
• Please amplify your remarks by giving us some examples.请举例详述你的话。

10 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

11 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

12 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

13 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。

14 tuberculosis   

n.结核病，肺结核

参考例句：

• People used to go to special health spring to recover from tuberculosis.人们常去温泉疗养胜地治疗肺结核。
• Tuberculosis is a curable disease.肺结核是一种可治愈的病。

15 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

16 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。