Foreign Affairs Committee on Oct. 21st, 2025

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Madame Martel, can you weigh in on women in politics?

[Andréanne Martel]

Thank you for the question.

It is indeed extremely disappointing to see the lack of female representation on Haiti's transitional presidential council. We obviously hope that women will be better represented. We know that Haitian civil society, and Haitian female politicians in particular, play an extremely important role. They've been extremely influential at several crucial stages and moments in Haiti's history, particularly in the late 1980s and 1990s. The fact that there's so little female representation is therefore a bit of a setback.

Today, I really wanted to focus on the violence women are experiencing and on the importance of including them, taking them into consideration, and continuing our support through approaches that respond both to their urgent humanitarian needs and to their need for security and the strengthening of their organizations so that they can play their role in civil society, particularly in protecting women.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Thank you very much.

On the violence against women, one of the things I wanted to ask Ms. Wienberg, if she had been here, was about what happens to adolescents and youth in the orphanages—those who are getting recruited. I'm particularly concerned about what you've said about violence against women under 18 and those who might be also facing being forced into transactional sex in order to survive.

What can be done? What has happened to that generation of young women?

[Andréanne Martel]

Thank you for the question.

We're also extremely concerned about the situation of young women and about the growing number of them who are victims of sexual violence. Women are forced to leave their homes, their families and their schools because of insecurity. Throughout their journey to escape the gang-controlled area, they suffer various forms of violence and discrimination. Women who leave the area are sometimes seen as spies for certain armed gangs, which has the effect of victimizing them again and further marginalizing them. This arouses suspicion. They're subject to a range of discriminatory acts throughout their journey to try to flee and find safety.

What is even more concerning is that, when they find themselves in relocation sites where they should be safe, the number of acts of sexual violence is still extremely high. We therefore question the ability to protect displaced persons from gender-based violence.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Garon for six minutes.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank the witnesses for their interventions.

Ms. Martel, I was very moved by your opening statement on the situation of women and girls in Haiti. My colleagues on the other side of the table felt the same way. We all reacted very strongly to your testimony.

Obviously, you're emphasizing the importance of putting sexual violence and the situation of women and girls at the heart of the discussion on what needs to be done in Haiti.

Do you think that, in general, the international community lacks awareness about this situation at present?

[Andréanne Martel]

Thank you for the question.

In my opinion, the issue of sexual violence is completely invisible at present. We don't talk about the situation women are facing, the multiple forms of violence they suffer, and the vulnerabilities that exist. So I'd say that there is indeed a lack of awareness in this regard.

Fortunately, there are Haitian civil society organizations, women's organizations, that are extremely strong and diverse. It's important to note that they're present throughout the country and play a frontline role in supporting these women.

That said, not enough is being said about the situation. I worked in Haiti for several years and conducted research there after the earthquake. At the time, between 2010 and 2012, the issue of sexual violence against women was front-page news. Today, no one talks about it. I can't explain it, because the violence is extremely serious at the moment. Remember the figures I shared with you earlier.

I believe then that Canada plays an important role in supporting these organizations by focusing Canadian aid on women through feminist policy. I hope that we'll continue in this direction and that we'll talk more about the situation women are facing.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Thank you.

I asked you this question in a specific context. For example, in the 1970s, Canada made a commitment to the United Nations to allocate 0.7% of its gross domestic product, or GDP, to aid in Haiti.

We know that there's also concern about a potential withdrawal of funding for peacekeeping in Haiti by the United States and perhaps also by Canada.

In your opening statement, you spoke of three important pillars for ensuring that your interventions have a lasting impact. These were responding to urgent needs, consolidating peace, and addressing development goals.

When there's so much uncertainty surrounding the funding of peacekeeping forces, for example, do you think that it's precisely these interventions, which can have lasting effects on the health and safety of women and girls, that are most likely to be forgotten?

[Andréanne Martel]

I'd like to clarify one thing. When you refer to “these interventions,” are you referring specifically to peacekeeping interventions or interventions based on the triple nexus approach?

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

I was referring to your interventions and those of humanitarian organizations in general. When there's so much uncertainty surrounding funding, what suffers first?

[Andréanne Martel]

Thank you for the question.

Obviously, when there's so much uncertainty, it's difficult to seek very long-term solutions, since we don't know whether the partners we support will still be able to operate and whether the gangs will continue to expand their territory and control.

For example, we also used to work in Gressier. This is a neighbourhood located just outside Port-au-Prince. We were supporting organizations there. Unfortunately, since this area is now controlled by gangs, we have had to stop our activities there and focus on Léogâne, which we hope will continue to escape this control.

When there's instability or a lack of confidence, it's clearly difficult. It's hard on the mental health of those on the front lines and who are holding down the fort, so to speak.

It's also difficult for an organization like ours and for the partners we work with to develop any kind of medium or long-term plan and to determine how we can sustain our actions.

Indeed, even if we act in accordance with the three areas I mentioned earlier, the fact remains that if the situation continues to deteriorate and we're unable to make our activities safer, we may no longer be able to access these communities and populations safely at some point in the future.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

I have approximately one minute left and I'm going to ask a question that people often pose.

Since 2022, Canada has invested approximately $450 million to support Haiti. Sometimes, some people question whether this aid is useful, because they say they're discouraged to see the situation continue to deteriorate.

What do you say to these people?

[Andréanne Martel]

Thank you.

I'd like to say that international aid alone cannot compensate for a political and security crisis at the scale Haiti is experiencing.

The question we must ask ourselves is this: What would the situation in Haiti be like without this aid? What would happen if Canada withdrew its humanitarian aid, as the United States did when it abruptly withdrew several programs aimed at strengthening the health care system and providing care? Would we be contributing to further weakening institutions and limiting access to essential services for thousands of people? The answer is obviously yes.

I think we have a very important role to play right now, especially since the Americans have withdrawn their aid. We must maintain our presence. Even if we cannot replace or provide the political solution, the presence of humanitarian aid organizations is essential at this time.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

We're out of time.

I'll go next to MP Lianne Rood.

You have five minutes.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you very much, witnesses, for being here.

I want to continue a bit on the same topic as my colleague with regard to aid funding.

Specifically, you were talking about humanitarian groups. I'm just curious. Is your group in particular, Madame Martel, receiving funding from the Canadian government currently?

[Andréanne Martel]

Yes, we're funded by Global Affairs Canada in Haiti.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

What share of your budget goes to Haitian staff, partners and institutions?

[Andréanne Martel]

It's an excellent question.

I don't have the figures on hand, but I could provide them, as we'll be sending you a briefing note after this meeting. I could then ensure to include the percentage allocated to partner organizations.

I'd like to emphasize that, at present, no Canadians are in Haiti as part of our projects. All of our staff are Haitian. All of our activities are carried out through Haitian civil society partners. In particular, we're working with the Ministry of Public Health and Population, or MSPP, in Haiti, which we are helping to consolidate.

We therefore act as a kind of conduit by offering technical support to partners and ensuring that funding is paid directly to Haitian organizations.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Thank you very much.

Is there somebody who audits your programs in Haiti? How often would those results be public? Also, what corrective actions do you take when controls fail?

[Andréanne Martel]

As you're no doubt aware, there are strict accountability mechanisms in place for all projects funded by Global Affairs Canada. In our case, these mechanisms include regular quarterly and annual reports, external financial audits, and follow-up visits, when the situation allows. In the case of Haiti, this has not been possible in recent years. There are also measurable outcome indicators.

Among our projects in Haiti, the initiative to improve citizen participation, or PACIT, for which we have submitted all reports to Global Affairs Canada, has been subject to audits and various forms of verification. This project ended this year.

We're now starting a new project focused on sexual and reproductive health, particularly for displaced communities in the Léogâne region. The same mechanisms to ensure accountability to the Canadian government, which funds us, will also apply to this project.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Thank you very much.

Just switching gears a bit, how are Haitian civil society and faith groups or local leaders involved in setting priorities? If you could, give us a sense of what percentage of your projects were codesigned with them. How do you approve the changes?

[Andréanne Martel]

We aren't a religious organization, and we haven't designed our projects with religious organizations.

Our partners are secular civil society organizations.

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Middlesex—London, ON]

Thank you.

I was just asking whether you work at all with Haitian civil society, including faith groups.

With the time I have left, maybe I will quickly switch over and ask the other witness this question.

What are the top three choke points stopping food and medicine from reaching people? Have any specific mechanisms been deployed to clear those choke points?

[Diego Da Rin]

Gangs control the ports, the areas surrounding airports, and the main roads connecting the capital to the rest of the country.

Not only have food imports and supply chains been completely disrupted by the presence of gangs, who impose taxes on the roads, but the transportation of inputs to enable rural development, particularly in the Artibonite department, is also becoming extremely difficult.

Agricultural products are arriving at much higher costs than before, precisely because of these taxes imposed on the roads connecting ports to the areas where these products will be used.

In fact, it's the illegal taxation system set up by gangs, combined with their presence in certain areas, that completely disrupts the food supply chain.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much, Mr. Da Rin.

Next, we have MP Rob Oliphant.

You have five minutes.