Copper mining in Las Bambas, Peru has sparked new violence as the communities surrounding the mine are bypassed again by the Peruvian government and mining company, MMG, on decisions that greatly affect their lives. n October 14, 42 year old Quintino Cereceda was killed during a police operation near the Las Bambas copper mine in Peru. This tragic event follows …
Women leading in the peace
According to World Bank estimates of September 2016, two billion people live in countries where development outcomes are affected by fragility, conflict, and violence. By 2030, the share of global poor living in fragile and conflict-affected situations is projected to reach 46 per cent. Caroline Sweetman, Editor of Gender & Development, introduces us to the theme of gender in fragile …
Words and actions: lessons from Unilever’s supply chain
OPINION: Five years ago, Oxfam and Unilever agreed to an unusual collaboration. Oxfam conducted a study on labour rights in Unilever’s Vietnam supply chain and operations. Liesbeth Unger founder of Human Rights@Work, and adviser and co-writer of Oxfam’s previous Unilever report asks, why did Unilever do it? How did they perform? And what can other companies seeking to improve their …
European governments’ treatment of refugees is doing long term damage to international law
OPINION: The EU’s stance towards migration sets a dangerous precedent argues Maya Mailer, Head of Humanitarian Policy & Campaigns. Today, as Oxfam launches a new campaign calling on world leaders to stand as one with refugees, the right to seek protection in another country is under threat. I visited some of Europe’s refugee camps recently. Oxfam was founded in 1942 …
Building bridges between communities and local government in the DRC
LEARNING: Annabel Morrissey recently returned from a visit to Equateur in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where she visited Oxfam’s Within and Without the State programme which aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of civil society programming in fragile states. This is no small feat in a country where there has been ongoing instability and conflict for the …
Public influencing to end violence against women and girls
NEWS: Violence against women and girls is a global issue that is all too often ignored, effective advocacy and campaigns can play an integral part in bringing it to an end. The latest in a series of webinars by Oxfam’s Regional Gender Justice Programme in the Middle East and North Africa discusses best practice with regards to raising awareness and …
Regional influencing for gender justice: watch the webinar
NEWS: What’s the most effective way to influence regional organisations in order to advance women’s rights and gender justice? This was the topic of a recent webinar organised by Oxfam’s Regional Gender Justice Programme in the Middle East and North Africa. The regional influencing for gender justice webinar took place on March 3, 2016 and presented on-going work in three …
Not one more: ending femicide in Honduras
OPINION: On International Women’s Day Juan Carlos Arita, Oxfam’s Regional Programme Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, reflects on the tragic murder of human rights activist Berta Cáceres and calls for an end to violence against women in Honduras where 4,400 women have been murdered in the last decade. Sometimes I get confused, is it femicide or feminicide? The …
Addressing equity through taxation: a view from Kenya
Tax revenue is a vital source of funding for essential services such as infrastructure, health and education. In Kenya tax revenue has increased in recent years but Martin Napisa, from the Kenyan National Taxpayers Association argues that action should be taken to make the tax system more effective and fair. In recent years, the icy state of the world economy …
How radio helped Kenyan communities engage with oil and gas developments
World Radio Day on 13 February celebrates radio’s role in empowering people as a source of information and dialogue. All too often we assume people around the world have mobile phones or internet access and overlook the most widely available mass communication medium in the world: the humble radio. In Kenya, Oxfam has been using radio to engage with communities …