Good afternoon, everyone. I call to order this meeting of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights. We are moving forward with our study on the trafficking for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation in South Asia.
I want to welcome our guest, Dr. Nipa Banerjee, Senior Fellow, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa.
As a little bit of background, Dr. Banerjee's area of expertise includes development issues in South and Southeast Asia. Dr. Banerjee has over 40 years of experience in her field. She has spent 33 years representing the Canadian International Development Agency in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Afghanistan, heading Canada's aid program in the latter four countries. Dr. Banerjee has also worked with the International Development Research Centre and Cuso International. Dr. Banerjee makes quarterly visits to Bangladesh and India, among other countries.
I want to welcome you before this committee today, Dr. Banerjee. If you would begin by taking 10 to 12 minutes for opening remarks, we'd then open up the floor to questions from the committee members.
Thank you.