Jess Fullwood-Thomas reports back from South Sudan on Oxfam’s work with local partners rebuilding livelihoods, tackling gender inequality and promoting good governance. I’ve recently returned from South Sudan where Oxfam is supporting communities to cope with the ongoing crisis that has left four million people displaced and thousands killed. The last four years have decimated a country that only a …
No hope of earning an income for Syrian women in Jordan
As decision makers meet in Brussels to discuss the situation of Syrian refugees, Aisha Shtiwi shares the story of Ghozlan, one of millions of women refugees who can’t access work. “Our suffering started when we arrived. I went to every single place to find work in the camp, but no one hired me”, said Ghozlan, a young Syrian woman we …
Questioning the use of biometric technology in humanitarian response
Anna Kondakhchyan shares the findings of new research, Biometrics in the Humanitarian Sector, which looks into the benefits and risks of using biometric technology to register people to receive humanitarian aid. How would you feel if refusal to submit your biometric data meant you were excluded from the provision of humanitarian assistance? Biometrics, the measurement of human characteristics through technology such …
Taking emergency water, sanitation and hygiene to market
Esther Shaylor explains how Oxfam is working with other NGOs to share learning about providing emergency water, sanitation and hygiene using local markets. In recent years there has been a change in how we deliver humanitarian aid. The humanitarian sector as a whole is moving away from distributing food and other items, and, through research and practice, is working out …
A year in emergencies
Sophie Mack-Smith reflects on the humanitarian events of 2017 and how Oxfam responded, both to new disasters and chronic crises. From Bangladesh to the Philippines, Iraq, DRC, Yemen, South Sudan, Syria and Somalia, Oxfam brought lifesaving aid to nearly 10 million people last year. But not everyone can be reached, and tragically the scale of need looks set only to …
Information management matters in emergencies
‘A properly functioning information management system means data can travel from a community health volunteer in a remote village in Nigeria, to a mailing pack which may land on your welcome mat.’ Tom Smith reflects on the importance of managing information well in humanitarian responses. I’m new to the humanitarian sector, but from what I’ve seen, information management isn’t at …
Indignation and inspiration, heartbreak and hope – our 2017
As 2017 draws to a close Catherine Meredith looks back at the many powerful blogs posts, videos and podcasts which we’ve published on Views & Voices this year. My job as editor is a great privilege. I am frequently inspired by colleagues’ passion for overcoming injustice and the innovative ways in which they, and Oxfam, are helping people overcome poverty …
Reaching refugees and boosting small businesses in Bangladesh
By providing emergency cash or vouchers Oxfam can help people in crisis to get desperately needed food and other items, while boosting local businesses at the same time. Corrie Sissons explains what this looks like in Oxfam’s Rohingya Crisis response. At Oxfam we help those in crisis to meet their emergency needs in a way which does no harm. This …
Podcast: Emergency sanitation in focus
[buzzsprout episode=’2559244′ player=’true’] Esther Shaylor talks to Andy Bastable, Oxfam’s expert on public health engineering, about the challenge of providing sustainable sanitation in emergencies. What happens when toilets in camps are not well planned out? How and why should tiger worms and urine dry diversion toilets be used? Find out more: Our work on water, sanitation and hygiene
Speaking out about the Rohingya crisis
Oxfam has interviewed Rohingya refugees about their needs, hopes and fears for the future, and published their responses in a new briefing paper. Here Ed Cairns reflects on the responsibility to speak out. More than 626,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar since 25 August, one of the fastest movements of people in history. By November, the world’s interest had largely moved …