Thank you. I think I'm the second person you're hearing today from one.org.
Honourable members, today 130 million girls in the world's poorest countries are not in school, not because they don't want to be but because they are denied the right to be.
Why should we care about these girls? Of course, we care because they are our fellow human beings, but also because everything is connected. We are all connected. While helping these girls get an education, we'll improve their lives and the lives of those immediately around them. It will ultimately benefit all humanity, even Canadians.
Canada has the opportunity to change the fate of these girls. With just 2ยข per Canadian per day, we can lead the way to providing every child with an education. Every dollar invested in an additional year of schooling generates earnings and health benefits of approximately $10 in low-income countries.
Today we ask Canada to contribute to the financing of the Global Partnership for Education in 2018 so that it can help millions of girls get the education they deserve.
Thank you.