聯合國秘書長安東尼奧·古特雷斯剛剛發布了有關新冠病毒疫情對兒童影響的政策通報。他在致辭中表示，新冠肺炎大流行已經導致社會中最貧困和脆弱的群體受到最嚴重的影響。因此，他對全球兒童的福祉表示尤為關切。

　　雙語版原文如下

　　新冠病毒肺炎大流行正在全球蔓延，我們看到了一個令人擔憂的模式。無論是大流行病還是應對措施，社會中最貧困、最脆弱的成員受到的打擊最為沉重。

　　As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the globe, we are seeing an alarming pattern.The poorest and most vulnerable members of societyare being hardest hit, both by the pandemic and the response.

　　我特別關心的是世界兒童的福祉。令人欣慰的是，截至目前兒童基本上沒有出現疾病最嚴重的癥狀。但是，他們的生活已經被完全改變。

　　I am especially concerned about the well-being of the world’s children.Thankfully, children have so far been largely spared from the most severe symptoms of the disease.But their lives are being totally upended.

　　兒基會圖片|黎巴嫩貝魯特一家初級衛生保健中心，護士在疫情期間為一名女孩測量體溫

　　我呼吁世界各地的家庭和各級領袖——保護我們的兒童。今天我們發布一份報告，就是要強調兒童面臨的風險。

　　I appeal to families everywhere, and leaders at all levels: protect our children.Today we are launching a reportthat highlights the risks they face.

　　首先，教育。幾乎所有的學生現在都無法上學，一些學校能夠提供遠程教學，但并非所有人都能遠程學習。在互聯網速度慢、費用高的國家，兒童的處境極為不利。

　　First, education.Almost all students are now out of school.Some schools are offering distance learning,but this is not available to all.Children in countries with slow and expensive Internet services are severely disadvantaged.

　　兒基會圖片

　　第二，食物。數字十分驚人——有3.1億學齡兒童，幾乎是世界總數的一半——每天靠學校提供營養。即使在新冠肺炎疫情暴發之前，世界兒童的營養不良和發育遲緩率就已經是無法接受的。

　　Second, food.A staggering310 million schoolchildren – nearly half of the world’s total – rely on school for a regular source of daily nutrition.Even before Covid-19 the world faced unacceptable rates of childhood malnutrition and stunting.

　　第三，安全。兒童離開學校，社區又被封鎖，全球經濟衰退日益嚴重，家庭壓力不斷上升。兒童是家庭暴力和虐待的受害者，也是見證人。學校關閉意味著失去了一個重要的預警機制。

　　Third, safety.With children out of school, their communities in lockdown and a global recession biting deeper, family stress levels are rising.Children are both victims and witnesses of domestic violence and abuse.With schools closed, an important early warning mechanism is missing.

　　兒基會圖片

　　另一個危險是，女孩離開學校，可能導致少女懷孕增加。我們絕不能忽視兒童因花費更多時間上網而面臨越來越大的風險。

　　There is also a danger that girls will drop out of school,leading to an increase in teenage pregnancies.And we must not ignore the growing risks children are facing as they spend more time online.

　　這可能會讓孩子們容易受到網絡性剝削和被誘騙。缺乏與朋友和玩伴的面對面接觸可能會導致冒險行為增加，如發送色情圖片。

　　This can leave childrenvulnerable to online sexual exploitation andgrooming.A lack of face-to-face contact with friends and partners may lead to heightened risk-taking such as sending sexualized images.

　　兒基會圖片

　　而且上網時間延長和無度的可能會使兒童接觸潛在有害和暴力內容，以及更大的網絡欺凌風險。政府和家長在保護兒童安全方面負有責任，社交媒體公司對保護弱勢群體負有特別的責任。

　　And increased and unstructured time online may expose children to potentially harmful and violent content as well as greater risk of cyberbullying.Governments and parents all have a role in keeping children safe.Social media companies have a special responsibility to protect thevulnerable.

　　第四，健康。家庭收入減少將迫使貧困家庭削減基本的健康和食品支出，這一影響對兒童、孕婦和哺乳母親尤其嚴重。

　　Fourth, health.Reduced household income will force poor families to cut back on essential health and food expenditures, particularly affecting children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

　　兒基會圖片

　　小兒麻痹癥疫苗接種活動已經暫停。

　　Polio vaccination campaigns have been suspended.

　　有23個國家叫停了麻疹免疫接種活動。

　　Measles immunization campaigns have stopped in at least 23 countries.

　　醫療服務不堪重負，患病兒童就醫難度加大。

　　And as health services become overwhelmed, sick children are less able to access care.

　　隨著全球經濟衰退不斷加劇，2020年可能還會有幾十萬兒童死亡。

　　With the global recession gathering pace, there could be hundreds of thousands additional child deaths in 2020.

　　兒基會圖片

　　以上只是我們今天報告的一些發現，結論是明確的。對于兒童面臨的這些威脅，我們現在就要采取行動。

　　These are just some of the findings of the report we are issuing today.Its conclusion is clear.We must act now on each of these threats to our children.

　　各級領袖必須盡一切力量來減輕疫情的影響。一場突發公共衛生事件已經迅速發展成對不讓一個人掉隊這一全球承諾的嚴峻考驗。

　　Leaders must do everything in their power to cushion the impact of the pandemic.What started as a public health emergency has snowballed into a formidable test for the global promiseto leave no one behind.

　　兒基會圖片

　　報告敦促各國政府和捐助者優先考慮所有兒童的教育;

　　The report urges governments and donors toprioritize education for all children;

　　報告建議政府和捐助者向低收入家庭提供經濟援助，包括現金轉移，并盡量減少對兒童社會和醫療服務的干擾。

　　It recommends theyprovide economic assistance, including cash transfers,to low-income familiesand minimizedisruptions to social and healthcare services for children.

　　我們還必須優先考慮沖突局勢中的兒童、兒童難民和流離失所者、殘疾兒童這些最弱勢的群體。

　　We must also prioritize the most vulnerable –children in conflict situations; child refugees and displaced persons; children living with disabilities.

　　兒基會圖片

　　最后，我們必須作出保證，一定要在疫情過去實現復蘇之后奪回損失，努力按照可持續發展目標建設一個更可持續和更加包容的經濟和社會。

　　Finally, we must commit to building back better by using the recovery from COVID-19 topursue a moresustainable and inclusive economy and societyin line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

　　這場疫情使世界上許多兒童處于危險境地，因此我再次發出緊急呼吁——我們一定要保護兒童，保障兒童的福祉。

　　With the pandemic placing so many of the world’s children in jeopardy, I reiterate my urgent appeal:let us protect our children and safeguard their well-being.(原題為《聯合國：全球15億兒童受新冠疫情沖擊》)