How women in Pakistan are creating political change | Shad Begum

譯者: 于雍 歐 審譯者: Yanyan Hong

I'm here to tell you

今天我在這想談的是

how change is happening at a local level in Pakistan,

一個地方的力量 是如何改變巴基斯坦。

because women are finding their place in the political process.

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,

我想帶你們踏上旅程 回到我當初成長的地點，

northwest Pakistan, called Dir.

位於巴基斯坦西北部的迪爾。

Dir was founded in the 17th century.

迪爾在十七世紀時建立，

It was a princely state until its merger with Pakistan in 1969.

在 1969 年被巴基斯坦併入前 是個土邦體制的省份。

Our prince, Nawab Shah Jahan, reserved the right to wear white,

我們的君主，納瓦布沙賈罕 保留了穿戴白色服飾的權利。

the color of honor, but only for himself.

不過只有他才能 穿戴這象徵榮譽的顏色。

He didn't believe in educating his people.

他不相信他的人民需要接受教育。

And at the time of my birth in 1979,

而在我出生的那年 1979 年，

only five percent of boys and one percent of girls

只有 5% 的男孩以及 1% 的女孩，

received any schooling at all.

曾經接受過任何的學校教育。

I was one among that one percent.

而我就是那 1% 其中的一個。

Growing up, I was very close to my father.

成長過程中，我與我父親關係緊密。

He is a pharmacy doctor, and he sent me to school.

他是藥局醫師，並且送我到學校。

Every day, I would go to his clinic when my lessons finished.

每天當我下課後， 我都會跑去他的診所。

He's a wonderful man and a well-respected community leader.

他是位極好的人 也是備受尊敬的社區領袖。

He was leading a welfare organization,

他也帶領過一間社會福利機構，

and I would go with him to the social and political gatherings

我也想跟著他去社會及政治的集會，

to listen and talk to the local men about our social and economic problems.

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,

然而，當我 16 歲時

my father asked me to stop coming with him to the public gatherings.

我父親要求我停止跟他去公眾集會。

Now, I was a young woman, and my place was in the home.

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。

I was very upset.

對此我非常沮喪。

But most of my family members, they were happy with this decision.

不過我多數的家庭成員， 卻樂見於這個決定。

It was very difficult for me

呆坐家中，無法參與其中

to sit back in the home and not be involved.

對我而言非常難熬。

It took two years

時間過了兩年，

that finally my family agreed that my father could reconnect me

我的家庭成員終於同意父親

with women and girls,

將我與女性們接軌上線，

so they could share their problems and together we could resolve them.

所以我們能夠一起傾訴和解決問題。

So, with his blessings,

在父親的同意之下，

I started to reconnect with women and girls

我開始與女性們重新接觸

so we could resolve their problems together.

並一起解決問題。

When women show up,

當女性們在場時，

they bring their realities and views with them.

她們提出許多對於真實樣貌的看法。

And yet, I have found all too often,

但是，可惜的是

women underestimate their own strength,

女人低估了她們的力量、

their potential and their self-respect.

潛能以及她們自己的自尊。

However, while connecting with these women and girls,

然而，在我與這些女性接觸時，

it became very clear to me

我很清楚地知道

that if there was to be any hope to create a better life

如果有任何方法， 可以為了那些女性及她們的家庭

for these women and girls and their families,

創建一個更好的生活，

we must stand up for our own rights --

我們必須挺身而出， 捍衛自己的權利——

and not wait for someone else to come and help us.

不能光光只是等待某人來拯救我們。

So I took a huge leap of faith

所以我決定放手一搏

and founded my own organization in '94

在 1994 年建立了 屬於我自己的組織，

to create our very own platform for women empowerment.

致力於創建屬於女性們的賦權平台。

I engaged many women and girls to work with me.

我聘雇了許多的女性與我共事。

It was hard.

這非常的艱辛。

Many of the women working with me had to leave once they got married,

許多與我共事的女性 婚後就必須離開崗位，

because their husbands wouldn't let them work.

因為她們的丈夫不允許她們工作。

One colleague of mine was given away by her family

我的其中一位同事 為了彌補她兄長所犯下的罪刑，

to make amends for a crime her brother had committed.

而被她的家族給許配了出去。

I couldn't help her.

我只能袖手旁觀。

And I felt so helpless at that time.

那時我感到非常的無助。

But it made me more determined to continue my struggle.

不過這也讓我更堅定地 去完成我要奮鬥的目標。

I saw many practices like these,

我見過許多像這樣的習俗，

where these women suffered silently, bearing this brutality.

女性默默並殘忍地忍受著痛苦。

But when I see a woman

不過當我看見一位女性

struggling to change her situation instead of giving up,

為她的處境努力奮鬥，永不放棄時，

it motivates me.

我被她所感化了。

So I ran for a public office

所以在 2001 年的地方選舉上

as an independent candidate in Lower Dir

我以無黨籍的身分在下迪爾

in the local elections in 2001.

展開了競選。

Despite all the challenges and hurdles I faced throughout this process, I won.

儘管在競選期間面臨到 種種的挑戰及障礙，我終究當選了。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And I served in the public office for six years.

我在公家機關服務了六年。

But unfortunately,

不幸地是，

we women, elected women,

我們這些選舉出來的女人，

we were not allowed to sit in the council together with all the members

卻不被允許與所有成員 一同坐在議會裡頭，

and to take part in the proceedings.

也不被允許參與議項討論。

We had to sit in a separate, ladies-only room,

我們只能坐在被區隔開來的 女士專屬房間，

not even aware what was happening in the council.

甚至完全不曉得議會內的情況。

Men told me

男人告訴我：

that, "You women, elected women members,

「你們這些當選的女人，

should buy sewing machines for women."

應該購買裁縫機給女人。」

When I knew what they needed the most was access to clean drinking water.

但是我知道女性最迫切需要的 是取得乾淨飲用水的管道。

So I did everything I could do

所以我想盡辦法，

to prioritize the real challenges these women faced.

去優先處理這些女人 面對的真正難題。

I set up five hand pumps in the two dried up wells in my locality.

我在兩個乾枯的水井當中 裝設了五個人工幫浦。

Well, we got them working again.

並且讓它們再次發動。

Before long, we made water accessible for over 5,000 families.

過沒多久，我們讓超過 5,000 戶家庭

有乾淨的飲用水來源。

We proved that anything the men could do,

我們證明了男人可以做的事，

so could we women.

女人也可以辦得到。

I built alliances with other elected women members,

我與其他當選的女性結盟，

and last year,

就在去年，

we women were allowed to sit together with all the members in the council.

我們被允許與所有成員坐在會議裡頭。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And to take part in the legislation and planning and budgeting,

並且能夠參與立法、 制定計畫以及預算案

in all the decisions.

及所有的決定。

I saw there is strength in numbers.

我在一群人當中看到了力量。

You know yourselves.

你了解你自己。

Lack of representation means no one is fighting for you.

缺乏代表權，表示 沒有人將為你挺身而出。

Pakistan is --

巴基斯坦——

We're 8,000 miles away from where I'm here with you today.

與我今天演講的地點 相距 8,000 公里之遠。

But I hope what I'm about to tell you will resonate with you,

但我希望我接下來要說的事 能跟你產生共鳴，

though we have this big distance in miles and in our cultures.

儘管我們相距遙遠且有文化的隔閡。

When women show up,

當女人發聲時，

they bring the realities and hopes of half a population with them.

她們帶出了半數人口的 真實情況以及希望。

In 2007, we saw the rise of the Taliban

我們在 2007 年 見識到了塔利班的崛起，

in Swat, Dir and nearby districts.

不管是在斯瓦特、迪爾， 還是其他鄰近地區。

It was horrifying.

那真是可怕至極。

The Taliban killed innocent people.

塔利班份子屠殺無辜民眾。

Almost every day,

幾乎每天

people collected the dead bodies of their loved ones from the streets.

都有民眾從街頭 接回她們摯愛親人的屍體，

Most of the social and political leaders

大部分的社會及政治領導人

struggling and working for the betterment of their communities

為了改善社會奮鬥，

were threatened and targeted.

因而遭到威脅，成了靶標。

Even I had to leave,

就連我也被迫離開，

leaving my children behind with my in-laws.

把孩子留給了公婆。

I closed my office in Dir and relocated to Peshawar,

我關閉了我在迪爾的辦公室 並遷移到了白沙瓦，

the capital of my province.

也就是我所在省份的首都。

I was in trauma, kept thinking what to do next.

我受到了心理創傷， 不斷思考下一步該如何走。

And most of the family members and friends

大部份的家庭成員及朋友勸著我：

were suggesting, "Shad, stop working.

「沙德，不要再繼續工作了

The threat is very serious."

這項威脅已經很嚴重了。」

But I persisted.

但是我堅持下去了。

In 2009, we experienced a historic influx of internally displaced persons,

在 2009 年，我們經歷了 歷史上國內流離失所者的匯集，

from Swat, Dir and other nearby districts.

包括來自於斯瓦特、 迪爾以及鄰近地區。

I started visiting the camps almost every day,

我幾乎每天都去巡視營地，

until the internally displaced persons

直到那些流離失所者

started to go back to their place of origin.

可以回到他們的家鄉。

I established four mother-child health care units,

我創立了四個母童照護單位，

especially to take care of over 10,000 women and children

特別用來照顧 超過 10,000 個女人及小孩

nearby the camps.

設立在營區附近。

But you know, during all these visits,

但你知道嗎，在訪視的過程中

I observed that there was very little attention towards women's needs.

我觀察到了幾乎沒有人 將注意力放在女人的需求上。

And I was looking for what is the reason behind it.

對此我想找出幕後的原因。

And I found it was because of the underrepresentation of women

我發現原來是因為 在整體社會及政治下，

in both social and political platforms, in our society as a whole.

女性代表不足所造成的。

And that was the time when I realized

也是在此時我才了解到，

that I need to narrow down my focus

我必須縮小我放在建設的焦點，

on building and strengthening women's political leadership

轉而去增強女性 在政治上的領導能力，

to increase their political representation,

並增加女性在政治上的代表額，

so they would have their own voice in their future.

她們才能在未來替自己發聲。

So we started training around 300 potential women and youth

所以我們開始培訓大約 300 名 有潛力的女人及年輕人，

for the upcoming local elections in 2015.

為了在即將到來的 2015 年地方選舉做準備。

And you know what?

還有你知道嗎？

Fifty percent of them won.

我們當中有 15% 當選了。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And they are now sitting in the councils,

她們現在正坐在議會裡，

taking part actively in the legislation, planning and budgeting.

積極參與立法、制定計畫及預算案。

Most of them are now investing their funds

她們大部份正投資著資金，

on women's health, education, skill development and safe drinking water.

在女性的健康、教育、 職能發展及乾淨的飲用水上。

All these elected women now

所有這些當選的女人

share, discuss and resolve their problems together.

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:

我想說說兩個與我一起共事的女性：

Saira Shams.

塞拉沙姆斯。

You can see, this young lady, age 26,

你可以看到這位 26 歲年輕的女士，

she ran for a public office in 2015 in Lower Dir, and she won.

她在 2015 年於下迪爾參選且當選。

She completed two of the community infrastructure schemes.

她完成了兩項社區的基礎建設方案。

You know, women, community infrastructure schemes ...

你知道的，女人參與基礎建設方案……

Some people think this is men's job.

有些人會認為那是男人的工作。

But no, this is women's job, too, we can do it.

並不是，那也是女人的工作， 我們也辦得到。

And she also fixed two of the roads leading towards girls schools,

她同時也修復了兩條 通往學校的道路，

knowing that without access to these schools,

並且瞭解如果沒有這兩條 通往學校的途徑，

they are useless to the girls of Dir.

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.

另一個年輕的女士則是阿斯瑪古爾，

She is a very active member of the young leaders forum we established.

她是我們成立的討論會當中 表現相當積極的成員。

She was unable to run for the public office,

因為她無法參加競選，

so she has become the first female journalist of our region.

所以她成為了我們地區的 第一位女記者。

She speaks and writes for women's and girls' issues and their rights.

她為了女性的議題及權利 寫報章和為她們發聲。

Saira and Asma, they are the living examples

賽拉沙以及阿斯瑪 在包容以及代表的重要性中，

of the importance of inclusion and representation.

是兩個活生生的例子。

Let me tell you this, too.

讓我也順便告訴你，

In the 2013 general elections in Pakistan

在 2013 年巴基斯坦的全民選舉

and the local elections in 2015,

以及 2015 年的地方選舉中，

there were less than 100 women voters in Dir.

迪爾只有不到 100 位女性的選民。

But you know what?

但是你知道嗎？

I'm proud to tell you that this year, during the general elections,

我很驕傲地告訴你 在今年的全民選舉中，

there were 93,000 women voters in Dir.

迪爾有超過 93,000 名女性選民。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

So our struggle is far from over.

我們的奮鬥尚未結束。

But this shift is historic.

不過這是項歷史上的改變。

And a sign that women are standing up, showing up and making it absolutely clear

跡象也顯示女人正站出來為自己發聲。

that we all must invest in building women's leadership.

同時也清楚地表明， 我們必須建立女性的領導能力，

In Pakistan and here in the United States,

不管是在巴基斯坦還是在美國這裡，

and everywhere in the world,

還是全世界的每個地方，

this means women in politics, women in business

這表示了不管是政治上、商業上，

and women in positions of power making important decisions.

女人手握權利，能做出重大的決定。

It took me 23 years to get here.

我花了 23 年才走到這裡。

But I don't want any girl or any woman

我不願任何的女孩或女人 花費 23 年的時間，

to take 23 years of her life to make herself heard.

只為了讓自己能被聽到。

I have had some dark days.

我曾經有過黑暗的日子。

But I have spent every waking moment of my life

我花費了我人生中 每一個醒著的時刻，

working for the right of every woman to live her full potential.

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

想像一下，有這樣一個世界：

where thousands of us stand up

數千名女性站出來，

and they support other young women together,

一起支持其他年輕的女孩，

creating opportunities and choices that benefit all.

創造對所有人都有益的機會以及選擇。

And that, my friends, can change the world.

朋友們，那就是我說的改變世界。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）