VOA标准英语2010年-Discrimination and Stigmatization Hind

A new study by the United Nations Children's Fund says discrimination and stigmatization¹ limit women and children getting access to HIV prevention, treatment and social protection. UNICEF is calling on the international community to step up efforts to provide universal access to lifesaving programs.

The report says substantial progress is being made in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The chief of UNICEF's HIV/AIDS Program Division, Jimmy Kolker, says mother-to-child transmission of the deadly disease could be virtually eliminated by 2015.

"This is not something that is beyond the technology or the infrastructure² of even difficult places like DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo]," Kolker said. "I think the characterization that some countries are doing poorly is probably unfair. There is measurable progress in every country, including certainly Nigeria. Their coverage³ is better, their quality of services is better, the number of facilities offering pediatric care and mother and child transmission enrollment⁴ is growing."

Although many children are benefiting from these treatment programs, UNICEF says there are millions of women and children who are falling through the cracks.

It blames this on a number of wide-ranging inequities rooted in gender⁵, economic and social status, geographical⁶ location and education. The report says it is crucial to lift these barriers, so all women and children can get the care and treatment they need to prevent HIV.

The World Health Organization reports nearly 1,000 babies in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV through mother to child transmission, every day.

WHO has issued new guidelines for treating infants and children with anti-retroviral therapy. The guidelines are meant to pave the way for many more children with HIV to be eligible⁷ for immediate⁸ treatment.

But, Kolker says studies show that pediatric treatments continue to lag behind.

"Even where early infant diagnosis⁹ is available and is offered to many thousands of children, the cascade¹⁰, the number who do not end up, if the test is positive, getting on medication, which would be life saving, a remarkable¹¹ impact on young children," Kolker added. "But, the majority of kids in the countries we studied did not actually access the medication, even though the test results did show they were positive."

UNICEF says the number of children under age 15 receiving anti-retroviral treatment in low and middle-income countries is growing. However, it is far from sufficient. It says only 28 percent of the 1.27 million children estimated to be in need of the treatment receive it.

The latest AIDS report shows in most parts of the world, new HIV infections are steadily¹² falling or stabilizing¹³. But, UNICEF notes adolescents are still becoming infected with HIV because they have neither the knowledge nor the access to services to protect themselves.

The UNICEF report says it is possible to attain¹⁴ an AIDS-free generation. But, that means erasing¹⁵ the inequities that fuel the epidemic¹⁶ and protecting those who continue to fall through the cracks.

1 stigmatization   

n.描绘，陈述

参考例句：

2 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 enrollment   

n.注册或登记的人数；登记

参考例句：

• You will be given a reading list at enrollment.注册时你会收到一份阅读书目。
• I just got the enrollment notice from Fudan University.我刚刚接到复旦大学的入学通知书。

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 geographical   

adj.地理的；地区(性)的

参考例句：

• The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围內进行。
• These birds have a wide geographical distribution.这些鸟的地理分布很广。

7 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 diagnosis   

n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断

参考例句：

• His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。

10 cascade   

n.小瀑布，喷流；层叠；vi.成瀑布落下

参考例句：

• She watched the magnificent waterfall cascade down the mountainside.她看着壮观的瀑布从山坡上倾泻而下。
• Her hair fell over her shoulders in a cascade of curls.她的卷发像瀑布一样垂在肩上。

11 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

12 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

13 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

14 attain   

vt.达到，获得，完成

参考例句：

• I used the scientific method to attain this end. 我用科学的方法来达到这一目的。
• His painstaking to attain his goal in life is praiseworthy. 他为实现人生目标所下的苦功是值得称赞的。

15 erasing   

v.擦掉( erase的现在分词 )；抹去；清除

参考例句：

• He was like a sponge, erasing the past, soaking up the future. 他象一块海绵，挤出过去，吸进未来。 来自辞典例句
• Suddenly, fear overtook longing, erasing memories. 突然，恐惧淹没了渴望，泯灭了回忆。 来自辞典例句

16 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。