Meditor Trust recently stepped up to underwrite Oxfam’s life-saving humanitarian work at a time of financial difficulty. Bridie Layden reflects on the benefits of this type of philanthropy and what Oxfam has learnt from the experience. In February 2018, following criticism of how Oxfam handled past safeguarding cases including sexual misconduct by former staff in Haiti, some institutional donors suspended …
Our key takeaways from Stockholm World Water Week
This year at World Water Week has always given lots of food for thought on how to manage water for productive and domestic use, as well as finding a balance with protecting the environment and managing a finite and dwindling source. Oxfam GB’s Jola Miziniak and Tom Wildman reflect on their key takeaways from the week’s events. Jola Miziniak on accountability …
The future of humanitarian water provision is solar
For World Water Week, Oxfam Engineering Adviser Brian McSorley reflects on the achievements of the Global Solar Water Initiative and the potential of solar water pumps to transform lives and ways of working. Solar power offers so many possibilities for development and humanitarian aid, from lighting, to internet connectivity and water provision. If you are involved in helping communities access …
No one should be too poor to drink clean water
For World Water Week Louise Medland reflects on the stark global inequalities in access to water and sanitation, and outlines some of the Oxfam programmes which are improving services for the poorest. ‘Equal access to sufficient safe and affordable water, and adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene, can mean the difference between prosperity and poverty, well-being and ill-health, and even …
Beyond a phone in your pocket: feminist analysis of the digital age
Amy O’Donnell, a specialist on digital technologies at Oxfam and Board member of anti-harassment charity Hollaback!, outlines the Gender & Development Journal’s new ICTs issue and two launch events. Having a phone in your pocket isn’t necessarily as empowering and life-changing as it’s cracked up to be. Development actors are having a passionate moment with ICTs right now, and certainly digital offers …
Sampling strategies for gendered impact evaluations
How can evaluators ensure that gendered power dimensions are accounted for in impact evaluations? Alexia Pretari reflects on the relative merits of two approaches. Oxfam’s approach to building resilience involves bringing about changes ‘in the very structures that cause and maintain poverty and injustice’ (transformative capacity), and building active citizenship involves addressing power imbalances, including building power within. While working …
Five things I’ve learned being a humanitarian aid worker
This World Humanitarian Day, Iffat Tahmid Fatema, Oxfam public health worker, shares what it’s like helping people in our Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh.
Yemen: civilians are not a target
This World Humanitarian Day, following a recent airstrike on a school bus, Alexandros Yiannopoulos explains why Oxfam is calling for a ceasefire to protect civilians in Yemen. In Northern Yemen last week, as I was preparing to write this blog, 41 children on a school trip were killed by a Saudi Coalition airstrike. All loss of life is a tragedy, …
Oxfam’s humanitarian superwomen in Somaliland,Tanzania and DRC
Three inspiring young local Oxfam humanitarian workers, talk about their lives and their commitment to providing aid to vulnerable communities.
Lighting up the lives of Rohingya Refugees
Oxfam and partners at Loughborough University are looking at how lighting can be used to reduce the perceived risk of gender based violence around water and sanitation facilities in camps.