Status of Women committee  Not exactly.

Status of Women committee  No, I don't think so.

Status of Women committee  Yes.

Status of Women committee  That's correct.

Status of Women committee  I have no information whatsoever about Afghanistan.

Status of Women committee  I don't know. I just don't know. I'm not familiar with any, but I could certainly get back to you if I can find....

Status of Women committee  I think what's happened is that women's human rights violations have very rarely played an important part in any type of research or investigation. The Bosnia and Herzegovina study was one of the first done. I'd be very surprised if it was not typical of what happens when you have large concentrations of soldiers in particular areas.

Status of Women committee  That's one of the pieces of research that is very well documented, yes.

Status of Women committee  I am not sure. I don't know the answer to that. I think you'd probably have to ask a group like NWAC.

Status of Women committee  I would like to say a few things. What you want to do is eliminate the criminal and exploitive parts of it, the human rights violations parts of it. I think that's what I was getting at when I said that the increased focus on criminalization doesn't address that issue, which is the exploitive nature of it and all the associated criminal aspects that adhere to all these problems.

Status of Women committee  I do understand your question, but I will answer it in English. I'd like to direct you.... There's an excellent report that Human Rights Watch prepared about the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina that I think sets out very clearly for you the conditions that civil conflict creates that make women particularly vulnerable.

Status of Women committee  I think Status of Women Canada would be able to tell you more specifically about how the cuts will affect it. All I can do is look at the work they've done to date and say that they are doing some of the most groundbreaking work. They've supported many of the NGOs that are now able to work in the field.

Status of Women committee  There are a number of options open to the government. One option is to actually strengthen the PRA process and provide specific policy guidelines that trafficked persons do qualify as people who are at risk. That could be done. We could also provide guidelines under the “person in need of protection” possibilities.

Status of Women committee  Thank you very much. First, thank you very much for inviting us this morning. We appreciate the opportunity to appear before you. The National Association of Women and the Law is a feminist, non-profit organization, and we've been working for women's equality rights since 1974.