Foreign Affairs Committee on April 21st, 2016

[Louise Allen]

To add to that, when we talk about grassroots support—and this is the criticism that we hear directed across different UN entities—it's always the same organizations that end up being funded by the international systems, and they're not necessarily representative of a diverse population. They're not multi-faith or ethnic and multicultural organizations that are either invited to participate in national or regional consultations, or are provided with funding.

Adding to what Jacqueline said, it's important for any support that goes to women's civil society organizations to be accessing the small organizations, those that might be advocating different positions from what the government is currently pursuing, and also that they be representative of the local communities.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Thank you.

One of the more depressing remarks you've made, Ms. Hansen, is that not much has changed over the last 15 years. What I'd like to believe is that there might be some gold nuggets out there, that if Canada could replicate some of this work, it would be very beneficial for us. Are there other countries that might be doing it well that we might want to look at, not so much as a model but in terms of some of the things we might use as a guideline or guidepost?

[Jacqueline Hansen]

Absolutely. I think looking at Sweden and their feminist foreign policy is certainly a great place to start, and looking at Norway, which has dedicated funding for grassroots organizations. A key thing about funding like this is making sure that it really is channelled to some of the smaller organizations which don't have access perhaps to even know about other funding opportunities. To really support some of those initiatives is incredibly important.

One thing that's incredibly important is to make sure there's a solid baseline, to make sure that with the next national action plan there's a really clear goal: here's where we are now and here's what we're trying to accomplish; here are matrix and here are metrics, and we're going to able to measure that. Whether it's two, four, five, or fifteen years from now, we're going to be able to measure that change. Sometimes it will be baby steps, or sometimes there might be grand leaps in some countries and a step backward in another, but by having things that really measure progress on the ground, and the impact Canada has had on that positive change, is what's really important.

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

How long do I have?

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

That will be the end of the first round, colleagues.

Now we'll go to the second round.

Mr. Sidhu.

[Jati Sidhu, Liberal, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

I'd like to thank you for your testimony to our committee. I'd also like to thank you for what you do on the world stage to protect women's rights and security.

I'd also like to echo my colleague's comment on the 15 years. You mentioned that the work is rather stagnant. The question thus arises, to what degree are concerns related to women, peace, and security being integrated into the core mandate of UN peacekeeping operations, mediation efforts, and development work?

[Louise Allen]

Unfortunately, it's far from consistent. I can give you a couple of examples, just from 2015.

In 2015, in the UNMISS mandate in South Sudan we saw strengthened language, such that the mission has now been tasked with considering gender as a crosscutting issue. The reason we think that's really important is that gender has to then inform decisions involving rule of law, security sector reform, disarmament, and demobilization. All aspects of a mission, therefore, have to have gender considerations. This was a positive.

In the same year, we've seen the Libyan mission be completely stripped of any gender specifications in its mandate, which is more than just one step back. It's really disappointing, because the Libyan mission had had some really progressive language and had been the only one to specifically mandate the senior gender adviser to look at women's empowerment. That language was completely stripped from it in the latest rollover of that mandate in, I think, March. It was a technical rollover only, so the council really didn't consider the mandate.

Thus, it's really country by country. To go back to some of the comments I had in my opening remarks, it's no longer enough for member states who consider themselves to be advocates of women, peace, and security to be making positive statements, which we welcome, and we heard positive statements in October. Emphasis on advocacy is needed across all of the different country situations, because we're seeing progress in some areas and seeing complete backwards steps in other areas, and this is the same body that is making these different decisions.

[Jati Sidhu, Liberal, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

Let me follow up, if I may.

We've been told by witnesses a couple of things. One is about the effects of not having core funding. I understand that because there was no core funding, a lot of NGOs that were in the business no longer exist. I've heard that story, which in itself is something that needs to be discussed by this committee.

The second part of this is the discussion about pre-conflict, a continuation of working on the ground. Is that also impacted by having no core funding? For example, if you're on a specific proposal funding strategy, then you do the one year, and even though you should stay for two or three years, you don't because that's not a priority vis-à-vis the funding structure.

I'm just looking for some information on those two matters, because you're consistent with a lot of witnesses about them.

[Jacqueline Hansen]

It is consistent from what we have witnessed that looking at women's rights issues or other issues, whether it's at pre-conflict, during-conflict, or post-conflict situations, civil society organizations writ large have been impacted by the cut to core funding. This really makes it a challenge to keep good staff, to have the vision for projects, to carry out the work that needs to be done. This is true both for projects taking place within Canada and projects funded by Canada's overseas development assistance as well.

[Louise Allen]

To add to that, the feedback we're receiving, particularly from some of our Middle Eastern colleagues, is that not only are they being affected by the shrinking space and the shrinking availability of core funding, but some of them also are being caught up in the anti-terrorism financing laws, which means it's often very difficult for local organizations working in these areas to access funding.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bob Nault]

Thank you, and thanks to Mr. Sidhu for giving me a bit of his time. I was not prepared for that.

We'll go to Mr. Genuis, now.

Garnett, you have five minutes. We're doing the five-minute round now.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you both for your testimony.

Ms. Hansen, you spoke generally about the situation in the Middle East. If I have time to get through all three, I want to get your thoughts on just a couple of other hot spots right now.

There has been some discussion of our Prime Minister making a trip to India soon. I know you're actively looking at human rights issues around the world.

I have an article in front of me from March, in which an Indian government minister said that they wouldn't be proceeding with plans to criminalize marital rape because the concept “cannot be applied in the Indian context”.

Obviously, that's very concerning. My hope would be that our Prime Minister would raise issues of women's rights in India and with the Indian government. I want to hear your comments on the situation in India vis-à-vis women, peace, and security.

[Jacqueline Hansen]

We have worked on a number of cases in India recently, and our colleagues at Amnesty International India have a specific project right now whereby they are working on breaking down some of the barriers to women reporting incidents of sexual violence. It's a right-to-report project trying to get women to feel comfortable with going to police stations and reporting.

We have raised concerns about the lack of criminalization of marital rape. We likewise have raised issues regarding rampant sexual violence and violence against women more broadly. We've worked on a number of specific cases recently. We congratulated India and welcomed the recognition in some forms of third gender or hijra rights, transgender rights. However, at the same time, same-sex sexual conduct is still criminalized, so there's some work that needs to be done there.

We would very much hope that through all possible channels it would be possible to raise these issues bilaterally, because there is work that needs to be done.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you.

I'll go to the next hot spot. I know in your recent report you highlighted the situation in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine, especially that facing certain minority groups like the Tatars in Crimea.

I ask the question because I don't know. Is there a gender dimension to that that you're following at all in terms of women being particularly affected by the Russian occupation?

[Jacqueline Hansen]

To be really honest, it's not something that has crossed my desk. I'm sure it's something that colleagues of mine who follow that file are looking at, but I can't speak to that.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Thank you.

If your organization has information, you could certainly forward that to the committee in written form later on.

[Jacqueline Hansen]

Certainly.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

You talked about women's reproductive rights.

One of the issues we have discussed at committee before is coercive family planning. You mentioned the traditional conception of reproductive rights including the right not to have children and also the right to have children if you want to have children.

I wonder if you could share some thoughts on the situation in China with regard to coercive family planning and in other countries that have proceeded with coercive family planning policies.

[Jacqueline Hansen]

As I mentioned in my presentation, every person has the fundamental human right to make choices about their own bodies and really has the right to decide if, when, and how to create a family and if, when, and how to have children.

We are certainly against forced pregnancy, forced abortion, and forced sterilization, because people have the right to make decisions about their bodies and their lives. Regardless of the country, that is the right that people have.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Is it your understanding that the one-child policy in China—I know it was recently modified—constitutes coercive family planning? Is that your perspective on that policy?

[Jacqueline Hansen]

People should have the right to decide on the family structure that they want.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

This committee had an earlier discussion about China's one-child policy specifically, so I just want to clarify whether Amnesty International views that as coercive family planning.

[Jacqueline Hansen]

It's not something we are actively working on, and it's something that doesn't fit within the women, peace, and security file, but we do advocate that women and men have the rights to make decisions about their bodies and their lives without state-controlled criminalization or interference.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Okay.