Anam Parvez Butt and Irene Guijt from Oxfam’s research team introduce our latest research guidelines for development practitioners. High quality research is critical for evidence-informed advocacy and development programming. But research cannot be high quality if it is gender blind. For Oxfam, ‘putting women at the heart of everything we do’ is only a wish unless practical action follows. Our …
Imagining alternative futures
Programme Researcher, John Magrath, describes the process of applying ‘participatory scenario development’ to explore how Bangladesh might achieve zero hunger and zero carbon emissions by 2041. It is tempting to assume that the future will follow much the same trajectory as the past. Imagining alternative futures can be dismissed as dreaming, or science fiction. And if we do imagine the …
Communicating the vision of a good life for all within planetary limits
Is it possible to achieve a sustainable future where the social needs of all are met without exhausting the planet’s resources? Dr Julia Steinberger shares lessons learnt from communicating her research findings. Earlier this year, my colleagues and I published an article entitled “A Good Life For All Within Planetary Boundaries” in Nature Sustainability. In this article, we aimed to …
From climate science to climate action
Jesse DeMaria Kinney reflects back on the Adaptation Futures Conference and calls for more adaptation action building on the rich pool of global research and knowledge now available. Here and now. Here I am now, having returned from nearly three weeks of climate change adaptation packed reflection and learning in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s been exhausting but rewarding as …
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 …
Book banter – Weapons of Math Destruction
[buzzsprout episode=’2559223′ player=’true’] In this podcast Oxfam researchersFranziska Mager and Deborah Hardoon review Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil, a book which describes the way that big data is being used to affect every aspect of our lives, leading to bias which increases inequality and threatens democracy.
How improving access to water can help reduce care work
Changes to infrastructure and equipment can make a real difference to time spent on care work . Lucia Rost and the WE-Care team share research from the Philippines, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Everyone needs care, but in many countries, it is mostly women who are responsible for providing it. Heavy care work responsibilities can restrict women’s opportunities for education, employment, political …