Evidence of meeting #104 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was peacekeeping.
A recording is available from Parliament.
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Liberal
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NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
A minute and a half goes very fast.
I want to quickly point out that the problem with the CORE, from my perspective, is that the CORE does not have the ability to compel testimony or witnesses. It's not about resources; it's that we were promised a CORE that could do that, and this particular office cannot.
I want to go back to you, Ms. Tower, because we stopped our conversation. You talked about intersectionality. We have a feminist international assistance policy. We have, we've been told, though nobody has seen it, a feminist foreign policy. Can you talk about the way that women and girls are particularly impacted when we talk about these issues around development?
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Founder and Executive Director, Climate Refugees
Absolutely.
Unfortunately, we don't have enough statistics. That shows you how little attention women and girls as a group are given. It seems that, by and large, they are actually at a higher risk of displacement than any other group, but we don't quite know.
We've heard a lot about education at this committee. I can tell you that the schools might exist, but girls are having to forgo school in order to fetch water. When you talk to the families, you realize that the girls used to go to school, but they don't anymore. They've been in a drought, the worst that has ever struck the region, and the girls have to fetch water. In comes GBV. In comes all the conflict and insecurity that comes with that.
That's how you really need to look at this. You can't just look at this as migration or international finance. Earlier someone asked me about finance. Only a quarter of the 8% that's going to adaptation goes to Africa. It's just not a priority, whether it's the sectors of populations or the continent as a whole.
African states constantly ask within the UN, at the UNFCCC or even in the Security Council, for the global north to invest in renewables, in technology and in the transfer of technology, and it doesn't happen. I hear a lot in here about investment. People are asking for information and knowledge, for that kind of global co-operative sharing. There are opportunities.
I would also look at the climate security conversations happening in the UN Security Council and what African states ask for, because this is a very young, mobile and nimble population.
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Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ali Ehsassi
Thank you very much, Ms. Tower.
That concludes our questions.
At this point, I want to take the opportunity to thank all three of you. Ms. Tower, Professor Grant and Mr. Roy, thank you for your time, your experience and your perspectives. We're very grateful indeed.
Friends, before I adjourn, you will recall that last week a news release was circulated to all members. It was for Canada's diplomatic capacity report, which I tabled today.
Is everyone in favour of adopting the news release that was sent to you?
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Some hon. members
Agreed.