人大代表在政治上寻求性别平等

March 8th marks the International Women's Day. Chinese lawmakers and advisors are using the occasion to call for a stronger voice for women in politics.
3月8日是国际妇女节。中国的立法者和顾问利用这个时机，呼吁妇女在政治活动中要有更大的发言权。

Chinese women have their say in society and the workplace, but not so much in politics. About a fifth of the lawmakers are women, and even less in the advisory body. Deputies at a reception ahead of International Women’s Day want to see that changed.
中国的妇女在社会和工作中都有发言权，但是在政治活动中却没有那么多。立法者中女性约占五分之一，在政协中甚至更少。在国际妇女节前夕举行的一个招待会上，代表们希望看到改变。

Wu Qidi, NPC deputy, said, "For example, in education, there are many female lecturers, but few female presidents, or party secretaries. We feel the need to boost the female presence in decision making."
全国人大委员Wu Qidi称：“例如，在教育上，女性讲师有很多，但是女校长、女书记几乎没有。我们觉得需要在决策上促进女性的参与。”

Statistics from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, an international organization of parliaments, show that China ranked 60th by the end of 2011 in terms of female representation. For a long time at the NPC, the proportion of female deputies has hovered around 21 percent, well below the UN target of 30 percent.
来自一个国际议会组织，各国议会联盟的统计数据显示，截止至2011年，中国的女性代表排名第60位。在全国人大中，很长一度时间里，女性代表的比例徘徊在21%，低于联合国30%的指标。

Renata Dessallien, UN resident coordinator, said, "Women have a special perspective, and should be taken into account in decision making. We feel that in order for our society to be truly harmonious, we should find a balance in male and female perspective. "
联合国常驻协调人Renata Dessallien称：“女性有特别的想法，在决策时应该被考虑进去。我们觉得为了让我们的社会变得真正和谐，我们应该在男女想法中找到一种平衡。”

Chen Zhili is one of the few women on the Standing Committee. She says a change is underway. Chen Zhili said, "As China faces the change of deputies with the last plenary session, I am confident that there will be more female deputies in the 12th NPC."
陈至立是人大常委会为数不多的女性中的一位。她表示，改变正在进行。陈至立称：“由于中国将更换上届全体会议的代表，我有信心，第12届全国人大将有更多的女性代表。”

Chen’s confidence is based on the amendment to the election law, designed to give women a greater presence in politics. But so far no specific quota has been set.
中国的信心是来自对选举法的修正上，该法律计划在政治活动中给予妇女更多的参与机会。但是，目前为止，没有设立具体的配额。

China does not lack for examples. Women in Scandinavian countries have an average of a forty percent presence in politics. Finland, in particular, is doing so well that men have to fight for their say.
中国并不缺少例子。在北欧国家的政治活动中，女性平均占到了40%。尤其是芬兰，她们做得很好，以至于男性不得不为他们的发言权而奋斗。

Paula Parviainen, deputy head of mission from Embassy of Finland in Beijing, said, "Like in our ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the intake of women is already bigger than the intake of men. Finnish society is turning. The opportunity will be given to men to participate."
芬兰驻京大使馆代表团副团长Paula Parviainen称：“像我们部门，外事部一样，吸纳的女性人数已经比男性大。芬兰社会正在改变。机会将给予男性去参与。”

It’s a constant struggle to balance work and family, says the UN’s Dessallien, but that’s also the reason to forge ahead.
联合国的Dessallien表示，工作和家庭之间的平衡是一场不间断的斗争，但是这也是向前进的理由。

Renata Dessallien, UN resident coordinator, said, "It’s extremely challenging, you often feel that you can’t do the best job at both, the work or home. But that’s part of the reason why I think that women need to be in high level decision making process because men will never understand this, this need to have a harmonious life and a professional and capable work force."
联合国常驻协调人Renata Dessallien称：“这是极大的挑战，你经常觉得你不能在工作和家庭中做到最好。但是我认为这是高层决策过程中需要女性的部分原因，因为男性永远也不明白这一点，这需要和谐的生活，专业、有能力的劳动力。”