How can development programmes support women’s economic empowerment while taking into account the burden of unpaid care work? Mar Maestre shares her research findings as part of the discussions taking place this week at the WEE Global Learning Forum 2017. The advancement of women’s rights and economic empowerment in market systems contributes to the economic well-being of families, communities, and …
Why men matter in closing the caregiving divide
Jane Kato-Wallace, Senior Program Officer at Promundo-US, highlights the implications for organisations addressing the caregiving divide. The unpaid care work divide represents an enduring aspect of gender inequality. But what do we mean by “unpaid care work”? According to the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, it consists of: “Domestic work and direct care of persons carried …
Sexual harassment and victimization of women on public transport
It is estimated 35% of women globally have experience sexual violence, with many more reporting sexual harassment. In the rise of urban living, how does this affect gender equality in today’s world? Yasemin Irvin-Erickson and Annie Gurvis from the Justice Policy Center examine how this can be tackled. The past 40 years have seen dramatic changes in the policy, practice, and research on …
Fundamental questions, women’s rights responses
Caroline Sweetman, Editor of Gender and Development, introduces their latest issue on women’s rights and fundamentalisms. The new issue of Gender & Development focuses on nothing less than the question of what constitutes heaven on earth. While visions of global development suggest that’s about realizing rights and social justice for everyone, religious fundamentalists peddle an alternative vision of heaven – …
Co-creating feminist innovation: Lessons learned from the Roots Lab design process
Roots Lab is an exciting new social innovation lab for young women’s rights, created in partnership with FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund, Global Fund for Women, Oxfam, and the Young Foundation. Chloe Safier takes us through how and why it came about. “My mom was a fighter, she taught me to believe in other women. I believe in every single …
Gender inequality at work: A call for PhD applications
This is a great opportunity to undertake a fully funded PhD at the University of Manchester in partnership with Oxfam. The research topic is precarious work and gender inequalities in Greater Manchester. It is expected that the research will be inter-disciplinary and involve mixed methods of research design, data collection and analysis. Candidates with a strong interest in the changing conditions …
Role models for the next generation: women and democracy in Morocco
We arrive in the village in Larache province in Morocco via several wrong turns and a long bumpy earth road that wasn’t really a road at all, to find a huge tent erected on a patch of grass. A large number of women are all shouting animatedly into a microphone. As we enter the tent, an older woman is speaking: …
‘Are you a feminist?’ Nikki van der Gaag on women’s rights
Nikki van der Gaag, Oxfam GB’s Director for Gender Justice and Women’s Rights, speaks to us about why we focus on women’s rights and the many challenges the sector faces today.
Winners of the WEE leadership awards 2017 announced!
Today, Winnie Byanyima, Oxfam International Executive Director, has announced the four winners of the WEE Leadership Awards 2017 organised by Oxfam’s Knowledge Hub on Women’s Economic Empowerment in Agriculture! In her message to the winners and nominees, Winnie Byanyiama, Oxfam International’s Executive Director, underlines the importance of their contributions to Oxfam’s work and beyond. We received nominations for 43 inspiring …
Broken promises: Why governments are failing to eliminate VAWG
Women’s and feminist movements have fought hard to get laws on Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG) passed. New Oxfam research is now adding to the growing evidence that governments are not holding up their end of the bargain, and are failing women and girls as a result. Today, due in large part to the tenacious efforts of women’s and …