Question Period Note: El Salvador

Local communities are blocking access to PanAmerican Silver mine, claiming a lack of consultations and asking for its permanent closure. The company's mining operations were suspended in July 2017.

• Canada's diplomatic engagement and international assistance in El Salvador seeks to promote women's rights and improve girls' access to education. Canada also supports initiatives that prevent violence against women, improve access to justice, and strengthen the rule of law

• Canada's support to the Office of the Attorney General in El Salvador contributes to the fight against corruption and impunity, including cybercrime against children, torture and forced disappearances. Canada does not provide funding towards abortion prosecution in El Salvador

• The mandate of Canada's Ombudsman for Responsible Enterprise includes reviewing allegations of human rights abuses arising from Canadian company operations abroad in the mining, oil and gas and garment sectors and advising Canadian companies on their RBC policies.

El Salvador is among the last countries where abortion is fully criminalized. Women found guilty of having an abortion are punished with a sentence of aggravated homicide (30-50 years in jail). The country has a high rate of child, early and forced unions, while teenage pregnancies rates are among the highest in the world. This disproportionately affects poor and marginalized women.
Two recent attempts by the previous administration to decriminalize abortion in specific circumstances failed due to strong opposition in the Legislative Assembly. However, the past administration's Ministry of Justice has commuted 5 sentences for abortion. It is not yet clear whether the new government of President Bukele (in power since June 2019) will continue in the same line, although the current Legislative Assembly is unlikely to relaunch the debate on decriminalization.
Canada supported legislative initiatives to allow abortion in certain circumstances, such as cases of sexual violence or risk to the mother's life, and continues to advocate for open/informed debate on the issue. Canada also works with local and international partners on issues such as adolescent pregnancies, and early and forced unions.
Canada's Ambassador has raised the issue of decriminalizing abortion with decision-makers as appropriate. In the past years, personnel of the Embassy attended trials of women accused of having had an abortion, and visited them in prison. Through its Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, the Canadian Embassy in El Salvador has financed over 10 projects on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), including an NGO supporting decriminalization of abortion through a documentary on the absolute prohibition of abortion in the country.
Canada currently has committed approximately $4.89M in funding for SRHR projects in El Salvador, all of which contribute to its $650M global commitment on SRHR.

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