VOA标准英语2011--Forced Marriage Continues in Many Countries

Forced Marriage Continues in Many Countries

Young girls forced into marriage is still a reality in many parts of the world, and it doesn't just happen in developing nations. Activists¹, African first ladies and victims gathered at a conference in Los Angeles to talk about the problem and what can be done to change the practice of child brides.

Millions of girls and young women around the world are married against their will before 18 years old. Jasvinder Sanghera is born in Britain and of Indian descent². Her sisters were taken out of school in England at 15 and married to men they have never met.

"I was 14 when my mother presented the photograph of the man I was to learn I was promised to when I was eight, and I was the one who said, 'No, I'm not marrying this man,'" Sanghera recalled.

Unlike her sisters, Sanghers ran away and was disowned by her parents and siblings³.

"I'm seen as the shameful⁴ dishonorable daughter who could contaminate⁵ their families and their children too," added Sanghera. "Going to school was one thing. Going home and closing your front door it was another world. That was the stronger world of the two."

Sanghera is now educating others about how strong traditional beliefs in the practice of forced marriage is still happening in both first and third world countries. For Indians living in Britain, she says it is not uncommon⁶ for a daughter to be married to a man in India so he can have a British passport.

In South Asia, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, where the practice of child brides and forced marriages are most prevalent⁷, the ideals of honor and shame are also reasons why girls marry early.

"Families are afraid for girls to get active sexually⁸ early before they are married. That would bring shame to the family if that happened, if the girl was to become pregnant⁹ particularly," said Anne Goddard of Child Fund International.

Goddard notes that for many communities, poverty is one major reason of why families force their young daughters into marriage. "Families can't afford to raise and feed and educate a girl so they're more likely to then encourage a girl to marry early," Goddard added.

However, she says keeping the girls in school through compulsory¹⁰ education can help stop the practice marrying girls at a young age.

"It's well documented that every year longer that a girl stays in school, she grows up to be healthier, the children she has end up being healthier," Goddard explained. "When girls can stay in school they can also contribute to the income of their own family."

First lady Chantal Compaore of Burkina-Faso says her country started a program that has kept many girls in school.

"We started to give food to those girls at the end of each week [so] that they do stay in school, so their parents cannot say that they're losing money or food or this work force when their girls are going to school instead of staying at home and work[ing,]" Compaore said.

Ann Warner from the International Center for Research on Women says there needs to be more coordination¹¹ between leaders from governments and grassroots organizations to continue the work that has already been done in preventing early forced marriages.

"There's plenty of evidence from around the world that communities are changing," said Warner.

But change is not happening fast enough for Jasvinder Sanghera. She says Indian girls in Britain and other parts of the world are still being married off without their consent and they are accepting the practice as normal. She says not only do parents need to be educated, but girls also need to be empowered to know they have the right to refuse a marriage.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 descent   

n.下降，下倾，斜坡，坡道，血统，世系

参考例句：

• We watched anxiously during her descent from the tree.我们焦急地看着她从树上爬下来。
• Many Americans are of English descent.许多美国人的祖籍是英国。

3 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分

4 shameful   

adj.可耻的，不道德的

参考例句：

• It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。
• We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。

5 contaminate   

v.弄污，弄脏，毒害，传染，染污

参考例句：

• All over the world,oil spills regularly contaminate coasts.在世界各地，油溢出物经常污染着海岸。
• The sources of organisms that may contaminate the wound are numerous.可以沾染伤口的细菌来源是很多的。

6 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

7 prevalent   

adj.流行的，普遍的

参考例句：

• The habit of travelling by aeroplane is becoming more prevalent.乘飞机旅行的习惯变得越来越盛行了。
• Colds are prevalent in the winter.伤风在冬季很普遍。

8 sexually   

adv.性别上地；按性别地；性欲地；两性之间地

参考例句：

• to be sexually promiscuous 性生活淫乱
• I was depressed,withdrawn and sexually frigid. 我郁郁寡欢，离群索居，没有什么性要求。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 pregnant   

adj.怀孕的，怀胎的

参考例句：

• She is a pregnant woman.她是一名孕妇。
• She is pregnant with her first child.她怀了第一胎。

10 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

11 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。