I'm here to tell you how change is happening at a local level in Pakistan, because women are finding their place in the political process.
今天我在這想談的是 一個地方的力量 是如何改變巴基斯坦。 因為女性正在從政之路上 取得她們的一席之地。
I want to take you all on a journey to the place I was raised, northwest Pakistan, called Dir. Dir was founded in the 17th century. It was a princely state until its merger with Pakistan in 1969. Our prince, Nawab Shah Jahan, reserved the right to wear white, the color of honor, but only for himself. He didn't believe in educating his people. And at the time of my birth in 1979, only five percent of boys and one percent of girls received any schooling at all. I was one among that one percent.
我想帶你們踏上旅程 回到我當初成長的地點, 位於巴基斯坦西北部的迪爾。 迪爾在十七世紀時建立, 在 1969 年被巴基斯坦併入前 是個土邦體制的省份。 我們的君主,納瓦布沙賈罕 保留了穿戴白色服飾的權利。 不過只有他才能 穿戴這象徵榮譽的顏色。 他不相信他的人民需要接受教育。 而在我出生的那年 1979 年, 只有 5% 的男孩以及 1% 的女孩, 曾經接受過任何的學校教育。 而我就是那 1% 其中的一個。
Growing up, I was very close to my father. He is a pharmacy doctor, and he sent me to school. Every day, I would go to his clinic when my lessons finished. He's a wonderful man and a well-respected community leader. He was leading a welfare organization, and I would go with him to the social and political gatherings to listen and talk to the local men about our social and economic problems.
成長過程中,我與我父親關係緊密。 他是藥局醫師,並且送我到學校。 每天當我下課後, 我都會跑去他的診所。 他是位極好的人 也是備受尊敬的社區領袖。 他也帶領過一間社會福利機構, 我也想跟著他去社會及政治的集會, 去聆聽以及向當地的男人 談論我們社會和經濟的問題。
However, when I was 16, my father asked me to stop coming with him to the public gatherings. Now, I was a young woman, and my place was in the home. I was very upset. But most of my family members, they were happy with this decision. It was very difficult for me to sit back in the home and not be involved.
然而,當我 16 歲時 我父親要求我停止跟他去公眾集會。 因為我的身分只是個年輕的女人, 所以我的職責是待在家中。 對此我非常沮喪。 不過我多數的家庭成員, 卻樂見於這個決定。 呆坐家中,無法參與其中 對我而言非常難熬。
It took two years that finally my family agreed that my father could reconnect me with women and girls, so they could share their problems and together we could resolve them. So, with his blessings, I started to reconnect with women and girls so we could resolve their problems together.
時間過了兩年, 我的家庭成員終於同意父親 將我與女性們接軌上線, 所以我們能夠一起傾訴和解決問題。 在父親的同意之下, 我開始與女性們重新接觸 並一起解決問題。
When women show up, they bring their realities and views with them. And yet, I have found all too often, women underestimate their own strength, their potential and their self-respect. However, while connecting with these women and girls, it became very clear to me that if there was to be any hope to create a better life for these women and girls and their families, we must stand up for our own rights -- and not wait for someone else to come and help us.
當女性們在場時, 她們提出許多對於真實樣貌的看法。 但是,可惜的是 女人低估了她們的力量、 潛能以及她們自己的自尊。 然而,在我與這些女性接觸時, 我很清楚地知道 如果有任何方法, 可以為了那些女性及她們的家庭 創建一個更好的生活, 我們必須挺身而出, 捍衛自己的權利—— 不能光光只是等待某人來拯救我們。
So I took a huge leap of faith and founded my own organization in '94 to create our very own platform for women empowerment. I engaged many women and girls to work with me. It was hard. Many of the women working with me had to leave once they got married, because their husbands wouldn't let them work. One colleague of mine was given away by her family to make amends for a crime her brother had committed. I couldn't help her. And I felt so helpless at that time. But it made me more determined to continue my struggle. I saw many practices like these, where these women suffered silently, bearing this brutality. But when I see a woman struggling to change her situation instead of giving up, it motivates me.
所以我決定放手一搏 在 1994 年建立了 屬於我自己的組織, 致力於創建屬於女性們的賦權平台。 我聘雇了許多的女性與我共事。 這非常的艱辛。 許多與我共事的女性 婚後就必須離開崗位, 因為她們的丈夫不允許她們工作。 我的其中一位同事 為了彌補她兄長所犯下的罪刑, 而被她的家族給許配了出去。 我只能袖手旁觀。 那時我感到非常的無助。 不過這也讓我更堅定地 去完成我要奮鬥的目標。 我見過許多像這樣的習俗, 女性默默並殘忍地忍受著痛苦。 不過當我看見一位女性 為她的處境努力奮鬥,永不放棄時, 我被她所感化了。
So I ran for a public office as an independent candidate in Lower Dir in the local elections in 2001. Despite all the challenges and hurdles I faced throughout this process, I won.
所以在 2001 年的地方選舉上 我以無黨籍的身分在下迪爾 展開了競選。 儘管在競選期間面臨到 種種的挑戰及障礙,我終究當選了。
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And I served in the public office for six years. But unfortunately, we women, elected women, we were not allowed to sit in the council together with all the members and to take part in the proceedings. We had to sit in a separate, ladies-only room, not even aware what was happening in the council. Men told me that, "You women, elected women members, should buy sewing machines for women." When I knew what they needed the most was access to clean drinking water. So I did everything I could do to prioritize the real challenges these women faced. I set up five hand pumps in the two dried up wells in my locality. Well, we got them working again. Before long, we made water accessible for over 5,000 families. We proved that anything the men could do, so could we women. I built alliances with other elected women members, and last year, we women were allowed to sit together with all the members in the council.
我在公家機關服務了六年。 不幸地是, 我們這些選舉出來的女人, 卻不被允許與所有成員 一同坐在議會裡頭, 也不被允許參與議項討論。 我們只能坐在被區隔開來的 女士專屬房間, 甚至完全不曉得議會內的情況。 男人告訴我: 「你們這些當選的女人, 應該購買裁縫機給女人。」 但是我知道女性最迫切需要的 是取得乾淨飲用水的管道。 所以我想盡辦法, 去優先處理這些女人 面對的真正難題。 我在兩個乾枯的水井當中 裝設了五個人工幫浦。 並且讓它們再次發動。 過沒多久,我們讓超過 5,000 戶家庭 有乾淨的飲用水來源。 我們證明了男人可以做的事, 女人也可以辦得到。 我與其他當選的女性結盟, 就在去年, 我們被允許與所有成員坐在會議裡頭。
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(掌聲)
And to take part in the legislation and planning and budgeting, in all the decisions. I saw there is strength in numbers. You know yourselves. Lack of representation means no one is fighting for you. Pakistan is -- We're 8,000 miles away from where I'm here with you today. But I hope what I'm about to tell you will resonate with you, though we have this big distance in miles and in our cultures.
並且能夠參與立法、 制定計畫以及預算案 及所有的決定。 我在一群人當中看到了力量。 你了解你自己。 缺乏代表權,表示 沒有人將為你挺身而出。 巴基斯坦—— 與我今天演講的地點 相距 8,000 公里之遠。 但我希望我接下來要說的事 能跟你產生共鳴, 儘管我們相距遙遠且有文化的隔閡。
When women show up, they bring the realities and hopes of half a population with them. In 2007, we saw the rise of the Taliban in Swat, Dir and nearby districts. It was horrifying. The Taliban killed innocent people. Almost every day, people collected the dead bodies of their loved ones from the streets. Most of the social and political leaders struggling and working for the betterment of their communities were threatened and targeted. Even I had to leave, leaving my children behind with my in-laws. I closed my office in Dir and relocated to Peshawar, the capital of my province. I was in trauma, kept thinking what to do next. And most of the family members and friends were suggesting, "Shad, stop working. The threat is very serious." But I persisted.
當女人發聲時, 她們帶出了半數人口的 真實情況以及希望。 我們在 2007 年 見識到了塔利班的崛起, 不管是在斯瓦特、迪爾, 還是其他鄰近地區。 那真是可怕至極。 塔利班份子屠殺無辜民眾。 幾乎每天 都有民眾從街頭 接回她們摯愛親人的屍體, 大部分的社會及政治領導人 為了改善社會奮鬥, 因而遭到威脅,成了靶標。 就連我也被迫離開, 把孩子留給了公婆。 我關閉了我在迪爾的辦公室 並遷移到了白沙瓦, 也就是我所在省份的首都。 我受到了心理創傷, 不斷思考下一步該如何走。 大部份的家庭成員及朋友勸著我: 「沙德,不要再繼續工作了 這項威脅已經很嚴重了。」 但是我堅持下去了。
In 2009, we experienced a historic influx of internally displaced persons, from Swat, Dir and other nearby districts. I started visiting the camps almost every day, until the internally displaced persons started to go back to their place of origin. I established four mother-child health care units, especially to take care of over 10,000 women and children nearby the camps. But you know, during all these visits, I observed that there was very little attention towards women's needs. And I was looking for what is the reason behind it. And I found it was because of the underrepresentation of women in both social and political platforms, in our society as a whole. And that was the time when I realized that I need to narrow down my focus on building and strengthening women's political leadership to increase their political representation, so they would have their own voice in their future.
在 2009 年,我們經歷了 歷史上國內流離失所者的匯集, 包括來自於斯瓦特、 迪爾以及鄰近地區。 我幾乎每天都去巡視營地, 直到那些流離失所者 可以回到他們的家鄉。 我創立了四個母童照護單位, 特別用來照顧 超過 10,000 個女人及小孩 設立在營區附近。 但你知道嗎,在訪視的過程中 我觀察到了幾乎沒有人 將注意力放在女人的需求上。 對此我想找出幕後的原因。 我發現原來是因為 在整體社會及政治下, 女性代表不足所造成的。 也是在此時我才了解到, 我必須縮小我放在建設的焦點, 轉而去增強女性 在政治上的領導能力, 並增加女性在政治上的代表額, 她們才能在未來替自己發聲。
So we started training around 300 potential women and youth for the upcoming local elections in 2015. And you know what? Fifty percent of them won.
所以我們開始培訓大約 300 名 有潛力的女人及年輕人, 為了在即將到來的 2015 年地方選舉做準備。 還有你知道嗎? 我們當中有 15% 當選了。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
And they are now sitting in the councils, taking part actively in the legislation, planning and budgeting. Most of them are now investing their funds on women's health, education, skill development and safe drinking water. All these elected women now share, discuss and resolve their problems together.
她們現在正坐在議會裡, 積極參與立法、制定計畫及預算案。 她們大部份正投資著資金, 在女性的健康、教育、 職能發展及乾淨的飲用水上。 所有這些當選的女人 都正一起商討和解決問題。
Let me tell you about two of the women I have been working with: Saira Shams. You can see, this young lady, age 26, she ran for a public office in 2015 in Lower Dir, and she won. She completed two of the community infrastructure schemes. You know, women, community infrastructure schemes ... Some people think this is men's job. But no, this is women's job, too, we can do it. And she also fixed two of the roads leading towards girls schools, knowing that without access to these schools, they are useless to the girls of Dir.
我想說說兩個與我一起共事的女性: 塞拉沙姆斯。 你可以看到這位 26 歲年輕的女士, 她在 2015 年於下迪爾參選且當選。 她完成了兩項社區的基礎建設方案。 你知道的,女人參與基礎建設方案…… 有些人會認為那是男人的工作。 並不是,那也是女人的工作, 我們也辦得到。 她同時也修復了兩條 通往學校的道路, 並且瞭解如果沒有這兩條 通往學校的途徑, 那它對於迪爾的女孩來說 只是一條毫無用處的道路。
And another young woman is Asma Gul. She is a very active member of the young leaders forum we established. She was unable to run for the public office, so she has become the first female journalist of our region. She speaks and writes for women's and girls' issues and their rights. Saira and Asma, they are the living examples of the importance of inclusion and representation.
另一個年輕的女士則是阿斯瑪古爾, 她是我們成立的討論會當中 表現相當積極的成員。 因為她無法參加競選, 所以她成為了我們地區的 第一位女記者。 她為了女性的議題及權利 寫報章和為她們發聲。 賽拉沙以及阿斯瑪 在包容以及代表的重要性中, 是兩個活生生的例子。
Let me tell you this, too. In the 2013 general elections in Pakistan and the local elections in 2015, there were less than 100 women voters in Dir. But you know what? I'm proud to tell you that this year, during the general elections, there were 93,000 women voters in Dir.
讓我也順便告訴你, 在 2013 年巴基斯坦的全民選舉 以及 2015 年的地方選舉中, 迪爾只有不到 100 位女性的選民。 但是你知道嗎? 我很驕傲地告訴你 在今年的全民選舉中, 迪爾有超過 93,000 名女性選民。
(Applause)
(掌聲)
So our struggle is far from over. But this shift is historic. And a sign that women are standing up, showing up and making it absolutely clear that we all must invest in building women's leadership. In Pakistan and here in the United States, and everywhere in the world, this means women in politics, women in business and women in positions of power making important decisions.
我們的奮鬥尚未結束。 不過這是項歷史上的改變。 跡象也顯示女人正站出來為自己發聲。 同時也清楚地表明, 我們必須建立女性的領導能力, 不管是在巴基斯坦還是在美國這裡, 還是全世界的每個地方, 這表示了不管是政治上、商業上, 女人手握權利,能做出重大的決定。
It took me 23 years to get here. But I don't want any girl or any woman to take 23 years of her life to make herself heard. I have had some dark days. But I have spent every waking moment of my life working for the right of every woman to live her full potential.
我花了 23 年才走到這裡。 我不願任何的女孩或女人 花費 23 年的時間, 只為了讓自己能被聽到。 我曾經有過黑暗的日子。 我花費了我人生中 每一個醒著的時刻, 為每一位女性的權利奮鬥, 讓她們實踐所有的潛能。
Imagine with me a world where thousands of us stand up and they support other young women together, creating opportunities and choices that benefit all. And that, my friends, can change the world.
想像一下,有這樣一個世界: 數千名女性站出來, 一起支持其他年輕的女孩, 創造對所有人都有益的機會以及選擇。 朋友們,那就是我說的改變世界。
Thank you.
謝謝。
(Applause)
(掌聲)