Oxfam GB racial justice lead Rhaea Russell-Cartwright reflects on how far Oxfam and similar UK-based organisations have come and what they should think about next to deliver on racial justice – including the implications of racist riots in Britain, the need for solidarity across borders and ensuring that celebrations of this month centre the experiences of our Black staff. It’s …
When inclusion is an illusion: sign language interpreters and the pitfalls for ‘inclusive’ development
How did a meeting for disabled people in Uganda end up using sign language that local deaf people couldn’t understand? Julia Modern reflects on how that failure is rooted in racialised ideas about who is an expert – and shares six tips for effective deaf inclusion. (And you can also watch a Ugandan Sign Language translation of the blog.)
Mia Mottley on Slavery, Poverty, George Floyd, Climate and the Future of the World
‘I felt like we were seeing a future UN Secretary General in action…’ Duncan Green on Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley’s jaw-dropping ‘grand sweep’ of a speech at the LSE
Five ways to tackle discrimination against Roma people displaced by war in Ukraine
Powerful, first-hand accounts and evidence gathered by local NGOs show how Roma fleeing Ukraine’s war have been frozen out of the support offered to many other refugees. Padmini Iyer and Sarah Redd introduce a new report that reveals the scale of discrimination facing Roma seeking refuge – and set out five actions that could transform their lives.
Words matter: that’s why Oxfam is launching an inclusive language guide
What do you think of the term “developing countries”? Ever felt uncomfortable saying “beneficiaries”? Helen Wishart introduces Oxfam’s new inclusive language guide and sets out why it’s time for all of us in NGOs to consider the power in the words that we use…
Decolonising development narratives
Narratives around “development” On January 6th 2021, white supremacists stormed the US capitol after months of lies and misinformation about election fraud was spread by Donald Trump and his allies. Several reporters and prominent politicians called the violent insurrection “unamerican,” likening the scenes to a “banana republic” and saying “those are the sorts of things that happen in third-world nations.” Reporting live on …