美国有线新闻 CNN 2016-6-22

 

In many public areas in Saudi Arabia, women and men are separated. It`s a country that`s been criticized for women`s rights, but things there are changing.

在沙特阿拉伯许多公共场所，男士和女士是分开的。沙特阿拉伯是一个女权遭到批评的国家，但是现在情况在发生变化。

I`ve spent years covering the Middle East and the Gulf<sup>1</sup> region, and the issue of women`s rights in Saudi Arabia often comes up.

数年来，我一直在报道中东和海湾地区，总之，沙特地区经常出现关于妇女权利的问题。

The kingdom is an absolute monarchy², ruled by the al-Saud family. Now, they govern according to a strict interpretation³ of Sunni Islam.

沙特为君主专制，由al-Saud家族统治国家。现在，他们根据逊尼派严格的解释来进行统治。

Women need a permission of a male guardian⁴ to travel, to work, to attend higher education or to marry. But Saudi Arabia does have a very young population, median age there just 26. Many of them that I`ve spoken to say that the role of women in the country is evolving.

女性需要男性的监护才可以去旅游、工作、接受高等教育、甚至结婚。但是沙特的人口结构年轻化，平均年龄在26岁。我采访的很多人都表示，该国女性的角色在逐渐改变。

Now, 2015 marked the first year that Saudi women were allowed to campaign for public office and to register to vote at the municipal level. And that came two years after the former King Abdullah decreed that women must make up at least 20 percent of the Shura Council. Now, that is an appointed body that drafts laws and advises the king of many issues.

2015年沙特首次允许女性竞选公职和市级登记投票。而在两年前，前任国王阿卜杜拉规定埃及协商会议女性比例至少为20%。现在，这一主体机构起草法律并向国王建议了很多问题。

More Saudi women are also joining the work force. Only about 19 percent of them currently perform paid work, but the Saudi government says their numbers have risen considerably⁵ from 23,000 in 2004 to over 400,000 in 2014.

现在越来越多的妇女在参加劳动。但目前，只有19%的女性做的是有偿工作。沙特政府表明从事有偿工作的妇女数量在大幅增长，从2004年的23,000增长到2014年的400,000.

Now, women are still required to cover their hair and wear long clothing in public, but in many malls and hotels these days, women are seen without head scarves. Perhaps the most visible sign of women`s rights in Saudi, or not as the case may be, is that they are not allowed to drive. All the women I`ve met there tell me they are often frustrated⁶ by the West`s focus on this topic, and they feel it ignores the other positive steps they say have been made. But proponents⁷ for change say allowing women to drive would be a big step towards opening other doors of opportunity.

尽管，现在在公共场合妇女仍要求穿长衣、盖头发，但是如今在很多商场和酒店，可以看到女性不再带头巾。可能在沙特妇女权利最明显的标志就是不允许开车。我所见过的所有女性都告诉我，西方世界对于这个问题的关注，让她们很困扰，因为她们觉得西方世界忽视了积极的一面。但是支持者认为允许女性开车是为女性敞开机会大门的巨大飞跃。

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

3 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

4 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

5 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

6 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 proponents   

n.（某事业、理论等的）支持者，拥护者( proponent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Reviewing courts were among the most active proponents of hybrid rulemaking procedures. 复审法院是最积极的混合型规则制定程序的建议者。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Proponents of such opinions were arrested as 'traitors. ' 提倡这种主张的人马上作为“卖国贼”逮捕起来。 来自辞典例句