你可能想象不到，在英國這樣的發(fā)達(dá)國家，還有人買不起衛(wèi)生巾。但事實(shí)上，“月經(jīng)貧困”在世界范圍內(nèi)普遍存在。日前蘇格蘭通過了一項(xiàng)史無前例的法案，免費(fèi)向所有人供應(yīng)月經(jīng)用品，讓女性從此告別“月經(jīng)貧困”。

Scotland has become the first country to allow free and universal access to menstrual products, including tampons and pads, in public facilities, a landmark victory for the global movement against period poverty.

蘇格蘭成為世界首個(gè)在公共設(shè)施免費(fèi)向所有人供應(yīng)衛(wèi)生棉條和衛(wèi)生護(hù)墊等經(jīng)期衛(wèi)生用品的地區(qū)，這是全球?qū)乖陆?jīng)貧困運(yùn)動(dòng)的一次里程碑式的勝利。

The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously in favor of the Period Products bill on Tuesday, months after lawmakers had initially signaled their support.

本周二（11月24日），蘇格蘭議會一致投票通過了月經(jīng)用品法案。幾個(gè)月前，蘇格蘭立法者已初步批準(zhǔn)了這一法案。

It means period products will be available to access in public buildings including schools and universities across Scotland. According to the new rules, it will be up to local authorities and education providers to ensure the products are available free of charge.

這意味著蘇格蘭各地包括中小學(xué)和大學(xué)在內(nèi)的公共場所將會免費(fèi)提供月經(jīng)用品。根據(jù)新法規(guī)，地方政府部門和教育機(jī)構(gòu)將確保免費(fèi)供應(yīng)月經(jīng)用品。

"The campaign has been backed by a wide coalition, including trades unions, women's organisations and charities," Monica Lennon, the lawmaker who introduced the bill last year, said ahead of the vote. "Scotland will not be the last country to make period poverty history."

去年提出這一法案的議員莫妮卡·列儂在投票前表示：“該運(yùn)動(dòng)受到了各聯(lián)盟的廣泛支持，包括工會、婦女組織和慈善團(tuán)體。蘇格蘭不會是最后一個(gè)讓月經(jīng)貧困成為歷史的地區(qū)?！?/p>

After the vote, Lennon said the decision was "a signal to the world that free universal access to period products can be achieved."

在投票結(jié)束后，列儂表示，這一決定“向世界釋放出一個(gè)信號，那就是全面免費(fèi)供應(yīng)月經(jīng)用品是可以實(shí)現(xiàn)的”。

The bill's accompanying financial memorandum estimates it could cost around ￡8.7 million a year by 2022, depending on the number of women who will take advantage of the free products.

該法案附帶的財(cái)務(wù)備忘錄估計(jì)，到2022年，該免費(fèi)項(xiàng)目每年將耗資約870萬英鎊（約合人民幣7649萬元），具體數(shù)目取決于領(lǐng)用免費(fèi)月經(jīng)用品的女性數(shù)量。

The new law was praised by a number of equality and women's rights groups as well as politicians from across the parties represented in the Scottish Parliament.

新法規(guī)受到了許多平權(quán)和女權(quán)團(tuán)體以及蘇格蘭議會中各黨派政界人士的贊揚(yáng)。

"Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them. An important policy for women and girls," Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on her official Twitter page after the vote.

蘇格蘭首席部長尼古拉·斯特金投票結(jié)束后在她的官方推特頁面上寫道：“能為這一開創(chuàng)性法案投票，我感到很驕傲。該法案讓蘇格蘭成為世界上第一個(gè)向所有需要的人免費(fèi)提供月經(jīng)用品的地區(qū)。這對于女性而言是一項(xiàng)重要的政策?！?/p>

One in 10 girls in the United Kingdom have been unable to afford period products, according to a 2017 survey from Plan International UK. The survey also found that nearly half of all girls aged 14 to 21 are embarrassed by their periods, while about half had missed an entire day of school because of them.

根據(jù)英國國際計(jì)劃2017年的一項(xiàng)調(diào)查，英國有十分之一的女孩買不起月經(jīng)用品。調(diào)查還發(fā)現(xiàn)，年齡在14歲到21歲之間的女孩中有近半數(shù)因?yàn)樵陆?jīng)而感到尷尬，約半數(shù)女孩因?yàn)閬碓陆?jīng)而請假一整天不去上學(xué)。

Scotland's move follows a string of recent attempts to tackle period poverty in the country.

在法案通過前，近年來蘇格蘭曾作出一系列努力來解決月經(jīng)貧困問題。

In 2018, the government announced that students in schools, colleges and universities across the countries would be able to access sanitary products for free, through a ￡5.2 million investment. In 2019, it allocated another ￡4 million to make period products available for free in libraries and recreational centers.

2018年，蘇格蘭政府宣布，將通過一項(xiàng)520萬英鎊的投資向全國大中小學(xué)的學(xué)生免費(fèi)供應(yīng)衛(wèi)生用品。2019年，蘇格蘭政府又撥款400萬英鎊讓圖書館和娛樂中心免費(fèi)提供月經(jīng)用品。

England last year also launched an initiative to provide free sanitary products in schools, and New Zealand did the same earlier this year.

去年英格蘭還發(fā)起一項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)，在學(xué)校免費(fèi)提供衛(wèi)生用品，今年早些時(shí)候新西蘭也如法炮制。

英文來源：美國有線電視新聞網(wǎng)

翻譯&編輯：丹妮