Foreign Affairs committee  I'll add very briefly that as part of the coordination mechanisms that are set up in country to respond to the humanitarian situation, they set up what we call a protection cluster. All of the actors who address protection concerns come together around a table and share information but also speak to how they're addressing these concerns.

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, with pleasure. The numbers we have as of today are that there are 159,647 refugees residing in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mauritania. There's also a small number in Algeria. The numbers have increased somewhat since the beginning of the conflict on January 10. There are about 15,000 more refugees since that time.

Foreign Affairs committee  Okay. It is in the context of the emergencies to help respond to the displaced who require water and sanitation facilities. It's also for cash transfers so that they're able to eat and purchase the basic needs that they have. It is all emergency funding. Sometimes the definition of emergency in an emergency can be a bit grey but it's basically to meet all the needs of those who have been displaced as well.

Foreign Affairs committee  That money does come from the CIDA international humanitarian aid program for this year. We're not talking about money earmarked for something else. Our budget for the international humanitarian aid program has not yet been fully allocated. We are waiting for the UN's consolidated humanitarian appeals for 2013 before we allocate money.

Foreign Affairs committee  In this context, we are talking about what is called burdensharing, where the burden is distributed among nations. Canada makes sure to contribute as much as that distribution calls for. We also need to consider the context of Sahel. The $13 million is not our only contribution so far.

Foreign Affairs committee  The challenge here, of course, is the actors in-country who can effectively access those in need. You've put your finger right on it. That is why the majority of our partners are using the Syrian Arab Red Crescent as the key actor in-country, because they're essentially local folks who are running either branch or sub-branch level offices, and they have access on all sides of the conflict, or on both sides of the conflict, depending obviously on the location of the branch or sub-branch office.

Foreign Affairs committee  I would say at this time we have not funded UNICEF for these activities. I should have clarified that. As the camps are opened, UNHCR provides all of the assistance and protection for the refugees. As the situation settles more, they will bring in partners, like UNICEF, to provide the water and sanitation elements.

Foreign Affairs committee  Give me one minute. I have to double-check something for you. My apologies.

Foreign Affairs committee  We know that women and children in camps have seen and experienced extreme hardship. In Lebanon, for example, 75% of the refugees are women and children, with children making up more than 50%. As a result, our partners such as UNICEF and UNHCR work to address the psychological and psychosocial needs of these children.

Foreign Affairs committee  Are you asking in-country, in Syria itself, or in the refugee camps?

Foreign Affairs committee  Okay. The partners we are working with are actually addressing these needs. UNICEF is working to meet the water and sanitation needs in the countries where the refugee camps are. They're working in close collaboration with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. In this context, what will happen is the UN organizations will come together, they will have a clear delineation of who has the lead on what sector, and in this case, UNICEF has the lead on delivering elements in water and sanitation and the psycho-social support for kids as well, as has been mentioned.

Foreign Affairs committee  Within Syria itself, we have five key partners at this time. We have the World Food Programme. We have the High Commissioner for Refugees. We have the International Committee of the Red Cross. We have the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. And we have the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs .

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes, that's a good point. But you have to keep in mind that these are appeals about needs that they anticipate. They don't currently have 700,000 refugees to respond to; they're anticipating that by the end of 2012 they will have that many. Right now they have 40% of the required needs, and based on access and trends, they anticipate 700,000 by the end of 2012.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you. I'll be quick then. Canada has been systematically responding to meeting the humanitarian needs of the Syrians who are affected by the conflict. We started back in 2011 when there was a spike in the violence, and since then, as our partners have revised their appeals, we have been systematically responding to the revised appeals.

Foreign Affairs committee  The assistance we are providing to UN agencies such as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food Programme is in the form of money. Those organizations are now in a position to address the needs of refugees in Turkish and Jordanian territory.