VOA常速英语:A Need to Close the Digital Gender Gap

Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.
接下来，是一篇反映美国政府观点的社论。

One of the most efficient ways to promote peace and jump-start flagging economies is to empower girls and invest in their education.Today, girls’ lack of access to basic education is compounded when it comes to the use of digital technology, leaving them far behind boys. And because the world is ever more digital, those who lack basic internet skills will find it increasingly more difficult to participate in the formal economy, to obtain a quality education, to access health care, information and psychosocial support, to have their voices heard.
最有效促进和平并推动萎靡经济的途径之一是使女孩接受教育并资助她们的教育。今天，女孩尤其缺乏数字技术方面的基础教育，这使她们远远落后于男孩。因为世界更加数字化，那些缺乏基本网络技能的人将很难参与正式经济，获得高质量的教育，享受医疗、信息和心理支持，使他们的声音被聆听。

Since 2013 the global gender gap in male and female access to the Internet has actually increased from 11 to 12 percent. Worse yet, women and girls living in the poorest countries are 31 percent less likely than men and boys to have access to the Internet.In developing countries, some 200 million fewer women than men own a mobile phone, the most common means of Internet access there.This digital divide is increasing, and should it continue at the present pace, it is projected that over 75 percent of women and girls will lack internet access and digital skills.
自2013年起，全球男女上网比例的差距已经从百分之十一上升到百分之十二。更糟糕的是，生活在最贫困国家的女性上网比例比男性少百分之三十一。在发展中国家，拥有手机的女性比男性少约2亿人，手机是这里最普遍的上网工具。数字鸿沟正在增加，如果以现在的速度继续下去，预计超过百分之七十五的女性将无法获得网络和数字技术。

There are many causes for the digital gender gap. They include girls’ exclusion from basic education writ large, from specific technology education and design,high costs of both devices and internet access, scarcity of content relevant for women and girls,and socio-cultural biases and discrimination, such as barriers to women speaking freely and privately both online and offline.Indeed, one of the most insidious reasons why girls may be discouraged from learning how to access and use digital technology is also a groundless one:that girls are simply not adept at using technology.
性别数字鸿沟有许多原因。女孩很显然被排除在基础教育之外，如具体的技术教育和设计，此外还体现在上网设备和入网的高昂费用，缺少与女性相关的内容，社会文化的偏见和歧视，诸如限制女性线上和线下自由发表私人言论。事实上，不鼓励女孩学习如何上网和使用数字技术的最潜在原因之一，同时也是最无道理的原因就是女孩不擅长使用技术。

The United Nations has affirmed that human rights online are human rights offline.These stereotypes reinforce harmful norms that keep women and girls from enjoying their human rights.
联合国确认线上人权也是线下人权。这些陈旧的看法强调了有害的准则，它使女性不能享受人权。

The gender digital divide is a major roadblock to women’s economic empowerment and participation in the economy.Without a major escalation of policy effort and investment,most of the benefits of technological change will be enjoyed only by men, exacerbating gender inequality.
性别数字鸿沟是女性经济赋权和参与经济的主要障碍。不增加政策努力和投资，大多数技术变革的利益将由男性独享，更加剧了性别不平等。

In the words of USAID Senior Gender Coordinator Michelle Bekkering,“A girl’s future should be defined not by her sex, but by her commitment to hard work and ability to access the resources she needs to succeed.”
用美国国际开发署高级性别协调员米歇尔·贝克林的话说：“女孩的未来不能因性别而定，而应根据她对努力工作的承诺和获取成功所需资源的能力而定。”