Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Nov. 25th, 2022

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

One thing that I am quite worried about is that even with our feminist international assistance policy, the words are there and the words are strong, except we're not seeing the adequate funding for that in place.

For example, through an access to information request that I did, I found out that the Canadian government's funding for SRHR has not all been spent. Clearly it could be. There is so much work to be done around the world, but those dollars have not gone out.

Can you talk specifically about access to sexual and reproductive health? What are the impacts on women when we don't do our part and when we don't stand up for the rights of women around the world? What are the direct impacts on women and girls?

[Meghan Doherty]

Thank you again for the question.

Yes, Canada has made a huge commitment of $700 million for sexual and reproductive health and rights over the next 10 years and $500 million of that should be allocated towards the neglected areas of abortion, contraception, adolescent sexual and reproductive health and advocacy for SRHR.

The impact of not supporting organizations and feminist movements that are doing the hard work every single day to ensure that people have access to the services and the information that they need is that people die. That's the most immediate one. We know the rates of maternal mortality around the world are skyrocketing and.... Sorry, I should rephrase that. They are very high. Around 300,000 women a year die and the numbers are potentially increasing because of the pandemic.

When we have restrictions on access to abortion, we see that women will seek out unsafe means if necessary, if there's no legal means. They suffer severe health outcomes and long-term disability in the context of unsafe abortions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sameer Zuberi]

On that note, we will have to conclude. We're very tight on time, so unfortunately we also have to be tight in this round.

I want to thank all the witnesses for being here.

Ms. Tétrault-Provencher, thank you for joining us in person.

I'd like to thank Ms. Hassan and Ms. Doherty for joining us online.

Again, to all the witnesses, I would offer a sincere thank you.

We will now go to our closed session. For those online, please flip quickly to the closed session so that we can conclude our committee business by 10:45 a.m.

Thank you.

[Proceedings continue in camera]