Thank you for bringing up the issue of women in Sudan. The issue of women in Sudan is really a major concern.
You mentioned also the issue of instability. Many of the women migrated during the wartime to neighbouring countries. That has a lot of impact on the role women have to perform. Many children were raised by the women while the men were not around. The international community and the bigger powers, such as Canada and the United States, have helped in one way or another by providing some of the developmental assistance or microeconomic projects to women.
In southern Sudan after the war, after the CPA, the Government of Southern Sudan and the SPLM significantly recognized the role of women and the importance of women's playing an important role within society. The SPLM has raised the representation of women within the government and other activities by 25%. This year, the President of the Government of Southern Sudan increased it to 30%. So right now, as we speak, we have seven women ministers in the Government of Southern Sudan in Juba, which has never happened; even in Canada I don't see that big a number of women.
Other members have spoken about the women in the north. There is really a challenge for them, and we sympathize with the women in the north. This is something that requires the international community to come in and help.