Mr. Speaker, today the worldwide 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence end with International Human Rights Day.
Gender violence is a violation of women's human rights that creates significant barriers to their freedom and full participation in society. It is every citizen's responsibility to work toward eliminating it. Individual men's and women's organizations are now joining that effort in ever increasing numbers.
Michelle Bachelet, executive director of the newly established United Nations women's agency, noted recently that over 100 countries have no specific laws against domestic violence.
In Canada we have a strong legal foundation for gender equality and a solid status of women government machinery in place. Nevertheless, violence against women and girls persists and new challenges face us every day. Canadians, however, share in and support our government's commitment to ending the violence through funding programs, education and activism.
Today and every day let us re-dedicate--