Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you for being here, ladies.
I agree with my colleague. This morning, Ms. Ravololonarisoa told us that the G8 members, including Canada, were serious about women's health and their willingness to help them get out of the prevailing poverty of Africa. African women should be supported as agents of change and transformation, and not just as child bearers.
Ms. Sheffield, you were talking about $12 billion per year to support all areas of women's health. Are the $12 billion intended for all 68 countries under the initiative? That is not a lot of money per country. I have a hard time understanding how we can put so much money towards war and so little into an initiative that could save lives and really allow women to get back on their feet and take control of the destiny of their loved ones and of their families.
Last week, a representative from World Vision said that half a loaf is better than no bread. That was insulting to me because that meant that women are not worth more than half a loaf.
How can we really change things in African countries? How can we make better use of the funding available for that program?