環(huán)球英語(yǔ)20160816 Women of Peace

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Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Nick Page.

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And I’m Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

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In November 2010 a peace-keeping force moved into an area of Rio de Janeiro. This part of the city was extremely dangerous. It was filled with gangs. These violent groups of people do many illegal acts, including selling drugs. This part of the city was a center for dealing drugs. The peace keeping force had more than 1,700 soldiers. These soldiers removed the gangs and drugs. Then they left a group of police to help keep peace in the area - the Peace Police.

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Today the area is still working toward peace. The people living here hope that one day they will not need the Peace Police. One group that is working to build peace in the area is Mulheres da Paz. This is “Women of Peace” in the Portuguese language. Today’s Spotlight is on the Women of Peace and their work to bring peace to this area of Rio.

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Complexo do Alemao is a group of 13 very poor towns. These towns, called favelas, are on the north side of Rio. Over 200,000 people live in the favelas. In the past, violent gangs and drugs affected many people living here. People could hear gun fights at any time of day. Many of the young people here died in the gang violence. Other young people did not go to school or learn a job. But there was also terrible violence towards women. And many women felt they had no power in the favelas. They felt police could do little to help them. Sheila Santos lives in the favelas. She told the news organization Inter Press Service:

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“Women could not speak up and had no one to talk to. There was a lot of hostility. You can find violent husbands who beat their wives in any society. But this is a closed community. So, laws and protection are all the more in danger. Women are now more likely to report violence to the police because they know they will receive help.”

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Along with the peace-keeping force, the government also supported several programs. These programs were aimed at building peace in the communities. Women of Peace is one of those programs. Women have an important place in this poor community. Often, they earn the money to support their families. They care for children and old people. Women are connected to many people in a community. And they are also likely to get involved to improve a community.

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Women of Peace employs women to be community leaders. There are many ways these women lead in their communities. They help solve local conflicts. They give support and help to victims of physical or sexual violence. They also work with young people. They mentor young people - advising and helping them as they grow. Anatalia dos Santos is a member of Women of Peace. She describes the most important part of what Women of Peace does.

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“We are leaders in the community. We help young people who are at risk. We get them to take education classes to learn a trade. Women of Peace mentor them, so they understand the value of studying.”

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Young people see good results with the support of these women. They are less likely to join a gang. They can get training for a good job. And they feel a greater sense of worth.

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In July 2010 Women of Peace also began their newest project. This project is a community radio station called Radio Mulher. The name means women’s radio station. It broadcasts through the group of favelas. Government and non-government organizations both support Radio Mulher.

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The programs are by women and for women. The station is run by local women from Women of Peace. These women received a year of training to work at the station. And now each woman uses her particular skills for her job. The women also continue to receive training. The subject of each program is something women in the favelas deal with every day. These are subjects like health matters, family planning, employment, women’s rights, the environment, and sexually transmitted diseases - that is, diseases a person can get from having sex.

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Many of the women who work at the station have personal experiences with these issues. Ivanir Toledo works at the Radio Mulher. As a child, she lived on the streets of the favelas. She told the IPS,

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“If you ask a man for some food, you know the first thing that will come into his mind – sex. I started suffering violence as soon as I left home at age nine. I am talking about rape - forced sex - and abuse. And not just at the hands of one or two or three men, but more. You are there against your will, at the person’s mercy.”

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But she is using her life experiences to spread power to the women in her community. She believes women should also have the chance to influence their communities. She says,

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“Because of my life experience, I want to share with other women that they do not have to be ruled by the work they do in their homes. They must think of their family, yes. But they also should know that their goal is to grow.”

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Ms. Toledo’s husband also sees a positive change in his wife and his community. He told IPS:

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“She is more active and involved in her activities. She is happier and I am too. If we are not close to our family, we as men do not move forward either.”

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The women at Radio Mulher have been training and practicing for over a year. But Radio Mulher’s first program was broadcast on July 2, 2011. It concentrated on the environment. In this area of Brazil dengue fever is common. Small mosquito insects carry this disease. So, the program told about a ways to prevent dengue fever. It told about ways to keep living areas free from mosquitoes. And it told about the first signs and symptoms of dengue fever.

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Women of Peace have already seen positive results in their communities. Women command more respect. They feel more powerful. They believe that authorities will listen to them. There is still a lot of work to do in the favelas in Rio de Janeiro. Peace is a process. But, by working in the community, the Women of Peace hope to grow a new city - from the inside. They want to create a culture of peace. Women have an exciting part in this process.