UN Secretary-General's Message on the International Day of Rural Women
15 October 2010


联合国秘书长潘基文2010国际农村妇女日致辞
2010年10月15日


Today we recognize the important contributions of rural women, including indigenous women, to development.  Rural women are farmers, fishers, herders and entrepreneurs; keepers of ethnic identities, traditional knowledge and sustainable practices; care-givers, parents and guardians.  They are essential to agricultural development, food and nutrition security and the management of natural resources.


今天，我们确认农村妇女包括土著妇女对发展的重要贡献。农村妇女可以是农民、渔民、牧民和企业家；她们是民族特性、传统知识和可持续做法的守护者；她们对于农业发展、粮食及营养保障和自然资源的管理是必不可少的。


This year, the International Day of Rural Women falls at the beginning of the International Year of Youth, providing an opportunity to highlight the importance of ensuring that young rural women and girls can play an equal role in sustainable rural and national development.


今年，国际农村妇女日适逢在国际青年年之初，借此机会，强调应确保农村年轻妇女和女孩能在可持续农村发展和国家发展中发挥平等的作用。


Rural women do most of the agricultural work in developing countries, but endure the worst working conditions, with low pay and little or no social protection.  Rural women produce most of the world’s food, yet they are often excluded from land tenure and the credit and business services they need to prosper.  They are the primary users and custodians of local natural resources, but are seldom given a voice on national and local bodies that decide how these resources are managed.  They are the care-givers and managers of households, but rarely share these responsibilities equally with men or have a say in major household decisions.


农村妇女在发展中国家从事大部分农业劳动，承受最坏的工作条件，收入很低，而且很少有或没有社会保障。农村妇女生产世界上的大部分粮食，但她们通常无法拥有土地使用权，也无法获得她们要兴旺所需的信贷和服务。她们是当地自然资源的主要使用者和保管人，但对决定如何管理这些资源的国家和地方机构很少有发言权。她们是家庭的照顾者和管理者，但很少能与男子平等分享这些责任，或在重大的家庭决策中很少有发言权。


At last month’s Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York, Member States pledged to ensure equal access for rural women to productive resources, land, financing, technologies, training and markets.  They also committed to the full and equal participation of rural women in national development – not simply as equal beneficiaries, but as equal partners.


上个月，在纽约举行的千年发展目标首脑会议上，会员国承诺确保农村妇女平等获得生产资源、土地、融资、技术、培训和市场准入的机会。他们还承诺确保农村妇女充分和平等地参与国家发展——不仅是作为平等的受益者，而是作为平等的伙伴。


On this International Day, I call on governments and communities everywhere to ensure these promises are met so that rural women and girls can enjoy a full range of rights – from property and inheritance, to health, education and freedom from violence.


值此国际日，我呼吁各国政府和各地社区确保这些承诺得到履行，使农村妇女和女孩享有一系列权利——从财产权和继承权，到享有保健、教育和免受暴力自由的权利。