Maria Al Abdeh on the work of Women Now for Development in Syria, and the impact of Jo Cox. This is the first post of a new mini series on ‘Being a feminist in difficult places’.
How to build community trust to fight Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
The world’s second-biggest Ebola outbreak is still raging in DRC, with more than 1,400 cases and 900 deaths. Research has shown that distrust is one of the biggest obstacles in this Ebola fight. Oxfam’s Andrea Vera Nava outlines three ways to work with local communities to build their trust and increase the success of an Ebola response in a conflict …
Conflicts don’t just end, they are transformed into peace
Twenty years on from the Good Friday Agreement Fionna Smyth reflects on the process of conflict resolution and the role of humanitarian organizations. Growing up in Northern Ireland in the 1970s I experienced the trauma of conflict first hand. Some of my friends and family suffered directly; others were scarred in less visible ways, from the hyper-vigilance, the lack of …
Working with men in the most dangerous place to be a woman
The Democratic Republic of Congo has become renowned for incredibly high levels of sexual violence. Oxfam partner CEDIER has been working to engage men in the DRC, to tackle some of the widespread beliefs and practices which contribute to making this such a dangerous place for women. Over the last 20 years, the DRC has been characterized by internal armed …
Helping our partners to stay safe?
Yoma Winder reflects on our recent report with International Alert on working with partners in conflict contexts. The report was launched at a panel event at LSE on October 31. When Oxfam asked for partners’ feedback via the Keystone Accountability’s Partner Survey we were told many things very firmly. Of particular concern for Oxfam was that we had a lower …
Local partnerships and protecting human rights in conflict
Phil Vernon from International Alert shares his views on working with partners on conflict contexts, as part of our release of a recent joint report on the subject. A healthy and active civil society is both an essential indicator of a resilient society, and an essential vehicle for achieving one, through activism and service delivery. But civil society is under …
Being a better partner in conflict situations
A new report from Oxfam and International Alert looks at how violent conflict impacts local civil society and how international partners respond. Here Harriet Lamb, CEO of International Alert and Mark Goldring, CEO of Oxfam GB, reflect on the key findings and their implications for future and current partnerships in conflict. Violent conflicts cast a shadow every day over millions …
Keeping education alive in South Sudan
‘Our country had suffered from war and under-development for generations, but we knew education could help us find a better path’. Martin Lubajo shares his journey from refugee in Uganda to teacher and trainer in South Sudan, striving to ensure that children do not miss out on their education even amid the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis. In 2009, I …
The day after ISIS in Iraq
Maya Mailer, Head of Humanitarian Policy & Campaigns, argues that the challenges facing Iraq go beyond Isis’ presence and that we must plan beyond short-term militarism to create a new, peaceful environment. “Isis is like a mushroom. It was able to grow here, in Iraq, because there is a fertile environment. It didn’t just come from nowhere.” That is what …
Matthew Spencer vlogs on his recent trip to the DRC
Our Director of Campaigns, Policy and Influencing, reflects on how Oxfam is working with communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Cholera treatments and civil rights.