This is the 15th meeting of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. Today is December 12, 2011.
Two witnesses are joining us to discuss sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have Béatrice Vaugrante, Executive Director of the Canada Francophone Section, Amnesty International; and Denis Tougas, Coordinator of the Table de concertation sur la région des Grands Lacs africains, Entraide missionnaire.
Normally when we have two witnesses, we invite them to give their testimony and make a request that they keep their testimony within a certain length. The more time you take, the less time there is for questions and responses. At the same time, we don't want to cut you off.
I think you'll find, though, as witnesses, that the most productive part, where you can give the most useful information, is actually in responding to questions. So I do encourage a bit of brevity at the front end. I think it will pay its reward in the second part of the meeting.
With that being said, I invite our witnesses to begin. Would either of you like to go first?
Ms. Vaugrante, go ahead, please.