Mauricio Lazala and Ana Zbona, from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, discuss how companies can help support civic freedoms and human rights defenders in the countries where they operate. Civic freedoms are being eroded around the world. According to CIVICUS, nearly six in ten countries are seriously restricting people’s fundamental freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression. Civil …
Motivating people to take action: towards an Asian narrative on tax justice and financial transparency
Amy Croome, from Oxfam GB, interviews fellow researchers, and civil society actors, on approaches, challenges, and opportunities to tax justice in Asia. For two days academics, activists and civil society actors came together in Delhi to discuss tax justice, illicit financial flows and tax havens in Asia. A key theme was the important role of narratives in motivating people to …
Making change happen
Oxfam GB’s Head of Publishing, Emily Gillingham, explains why and how we developed a free, online course for changemakers, and what the early results show. “I’m hoping this course will help me focus my objectives a bit more and discover what small but important steps I can take towards promoting change, changing minds and minding our community.” This comment from …
Oxfam and Burberry: Moving ‘beyond audit’ to impact
Engaging with Burberry as a ‘critical friend’ has helped Oxfam to understand barriers and opportunities for better workers’ rights. Rachel Wilshaw describes how collaboration has enabled us to innovate and test solutions together. I first visited Burberry just over five years ago. The glamour pouring from the elegant building, and the giant screen showing the latest catwalk collection, were somewhat daunting. …
Trust and democratic change – reflections from Myanmar
What lessons can be learnt from a governance programme in Ayeyarwady, Myanmar? Araddhya Mehta reflects on the complexity of building trust in a changing political context. Building trust – vertically between citizens, civil society organizations (CSOs) and local government institutions, and horizontally between citizens and within and across social groups – is at the heart of democratic change, including effective …
Working together to protect, expand and reshape civic space
Civic space is vital to defeating poverty. Inga Ferber introduces a new briefing on the importance of protecting and expanding spaces where people can raise their voices and be heard without fear. Poverty reduction – an increasingly dangerous endeavour Defeating poverty has never been easy. Nobody knows that better than our local partners and allies around the world who dedicate their …
Why are we marching? Challenging the ‘new normal’
‘Truth will prevail over fake news, solidarity over autocracy, love over hatred.’ Nikki van der Gaag, explains why Oxfam is supporting the Women’s March in London tomorrow as President Trump visits the UK. In January 2017, the estimated three million women (and many thousands of men) from all over the world who marched against the policies enacted by the newly …
What’s the role of Oxfam in supporting social movements for change?
Social movements are important actors for change around the world, yet often they don’t neatly fit into our strategies and theories of change. Thomas Dunmore Rodriguez reflects on how INGOs like Oxfam should engage with social movements. Social movements are important actors for change around the world. Whether it´s a struggle against violence and impunity, for a more democratic regime, …
Findings from a meta-review of influencing initiatives
Ruth Mayne shares learning from a recent meta-review of Oxfam and partners’ policy influencing, citizen’s voice and governance initiatives around the world. NB. This blog post deals with the findings of the influencing meta-review. In the next couple of weeks we will publish a separate post from the authors of the review explaining their methodology. Sign up for our Real …
Influencing behaviours and practices to tackle poverty and injustice
Ruth Mayne, a senior researcher on influencing, introduces the key themes of a new discussion paper on behaviour and practice change. Behaviour change strategies can play a vital role in combating poverty, injustice and environmental problems, whether by helping end gender based violence, improving health and hygiene behaviours, or reducing resource-intensive consumption patterns. But do we really understand how to …