Evidence of meeting #72 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cida.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Regional Director General, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
Oh, yes. Okay.
Conservative
Regional Director General, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
This is indeed part of our regional program, and this is the improvement of justice systems in Latin America. This is implemented by the Justice Studies Center for the Americas, which is based in Santiago, Chile.
Let me just check. I'm sorry, I have a lot of information about many things and I want to make sure I give you the right information.
Yes, here it is. When we say “justice sector personnel”, it's been mainly from government, but it included also NGOs and other organizations. I don't have more details with me, but we can find those details if you're interested.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
That would be good. I'd like to know whether these are clerical staff or prosecutors, and what level they're at.
Mr. Chair, could we have that as an official request to be followed up?
You mentioned these preventable diseases, but give us an idea. I've never heard of Chagas or leishmaniasis. What kinds of diseases are they?
Regional Director General, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
I'll ask my colleague, who's more versed in this project, to answer.
Deputy Director, Honduras, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
Chagas is conveyed through a Chagas beetle. In Honduras we're trying to eliminate the transfer of this disease from the vector, which is the beetle, to humans. Usually they bite children. That's where we try to concentrate our treatment and our surveillance and monitoring systems.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
How serious is this? Is it like lyme disease?
Deputy Director, Honduras, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
It doesn't kill people outright. People live with this disease for a long time, but it generally shortens their lifespan. Usually people who live with it for a long time who haven't been treated have to have a heart monitor in place.
Conservative
Deputy Director, Honduras, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
Yes. It reduces their productivity.
Leishmaniasis is also a vector-borne disease, transmitted through insects. It eats people's skin and their organs. It's not a very nice disease.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Would leishmaniasis show up similar to leprosy?
Deputy Director, Honduras, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
Yes, it presents the same.
Conservative
Deputy Director, Honduras, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
It is treatable if caught early. The important part is proper surveillance and monitoring and also education and awareness among the population about how to look for this, how to treat the insect bites, and how to look after your home and prevent the bugs from coming into your home and making your children more vulnerable. Homes that are determined to be infected can also be sprayed in areas where the prevalence of the disease is very high.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
What percentage of the population is affected by these two?
Deputy Director, Honduras, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
It depends. In some departments of Honduras it can be very high. We've been reducing it overall, but I think it's in nine departments of Honduras, out of their 16 departments. It's been eradicated from three, and we're still working on the other six.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
Can you give me an idea of the worst-case scenario in those departments?
Deputy Director, Honduras, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
I'm not 100% sure. I can get back to you with that information.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Scott Reid
Thank you, Mr. Sweet.
Perhaps we could request as well, if you were able to find more information, that you pass it along to the clerk of the committee for distribution to the rest of the committee. Thank you very much.
We turn now to Monsieur Jacob, who I understand will be splitting his time with Professor Scott.
Pierre Jacob NDP Brome—Missisquoi, QC
That is correct, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank our witnesses for appearing before us this afternoon and for sharing their experience with us.
As you may know, when mining operations are set up, the relations are often conflictual between Canadian companies, the local communities, the environmental groups and those who look out for human rights.
According to the president of the Mining Association of Canada, companies have made mistakes in the past. Does CIDA follow up on social responsibility projects of Canadian mining companies that operate in Honduras?
Regional Director General, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
Thank you for your question.
When it comes to managing relations and carrying out follow-ups with Canadian companies, that role falls to our colleagues at DFAIT. I think this question should be asked to our colleagues at DFAIT since they follow up on these kinds of matters.
NDP
Pierre Jacob NDP Brome—Missisquoi, QC
All right, thank you.
I have a second question for you.
Agricultural productivity is low in Honduras and many regions of the country are faced with a serious problem of food insecurity. A growing rural population also puts pressure on the country's natural resources. Honduras has environmental problems due to the deterioration of its lands and deforestation.
In your opinion, what are the major factors that contribute to food insecurity in Honduras?
Regional Director General, Americas, Geographic Programs Branch, Canadian International Development Agency
Thank you for your question.
As I mentioned earlier, there are different aspects to food insecurity and one of them, as you mentioned, is the quality and deterioration of soil. Other aspects include the management of watersheds, deforestation and farming practices. These are all causes that affect soil productivity and we are working on improving them.
I mentioned earlier that a number of food security initiatives are underway. In fact, we are implementing projects with Oxfam Canada, CARE and the FAO. There is another initiative underway in the forestry sector as you mentioned. Each project has its own objectives and results, but they all help, for example, train small-scale farmers on more sustainable techniques in farming practices and water management. On the whole, these projects help increase productivity and product diversity which can, among other things, improve nutrition.
So there are a number of factors that play a role in food insecurity. Earlier you mentioned natural resource management, but there is a whole other dimension of this problem that we haven't discussed here. For example, we could talk about nutrition and the variety of foods available.
There can also be problems in the area of education. Food insecurity is also linked to water and hygiene. It is a multifaceted problem. Now to answer your more specific question on natural resource management, that is part of the measures we are taking to resolve this problem of food insecurity.
NDP