When conflict destroys services, who fills the gaps in care? We need to make sure it’s not always women

Hadeel QazzazConflict, Gender, Humanitarian

In Gaza and Lebanon, thousands of women are now first responders when it comes to feeding, caring and comforting, all while dealing with their own trauma from deaths, injury, starvation and displacement. Yet too often the way humanitarian agencies operate actually adds to their workload, says Hadeel Rizq-Qazzaz.

Who is heard – and who is believed? How understanding power is essential to reporting misconduct in the aid sector

Ania GabouneProtection, Research, Violence Against Women and Girls

Ania Gaboune introduces a new Oxfam report that analyses innovative work in Ghana and Iraq to address barriers to reporting misconduct – and sets out how projects can develop more accessible, survivor-centred reporting mechanisms.

A Long Way to Go: Influencing Social Norms to Combat Gender-Based Violence in Iraq

Diego Redondo CripovichGender, Violence Against Women and Girls

There are many social, political, religious, tribal and economic reasons that contribute to defining gender roles throughout the ages, and yet there appears to be a common thread of gender inequality across different times and territories. Iraq is no exception to this: with a long history of colonial rule, foreign intervention, successive conflicts and a volatile socio-economic context, there are …

Podcast: Key requirements for INGOs to make true on the ‘Localisation of Aid’ agenda

Saskia HarmsenAid, Humanitarian

[buzzsprout episode=’2559247′ player=’true’] Many INGOs have made commitments to support reform in the Humanitarian System, specifically to ensure that local and national humanitarian actors can take a more prominent role in coordinating and implementing emergency responses. What are the challenges INGOs like Oxfam face in realising this ‘Localisation of Aid’ agenda? We spoke to the Oxfam in Iraq team for …

Life after ISIS: Reflections from Iraq

Franc CortadaConflict, General, Humanitarian, Refugees and IDPs

Oxfam is working with conflict affected communities and internally displaced people in Iraq. Franc Cortada, Oxfam’s Program Director, recently visited the country and was impressed by people’s determination to get on with their lives in the midst of large scale devastation. On my recent visit to Iraq I had the chance to meet Oxfam’s teams on the ground and see …

The value of vouchers: Innovation and empowerment in Iraq

Corrie SissonsICT4D, Protection

Corrie Sissons introduces a new e-voucher technology helping to meet the unique needs of households living through the Iraq crisis. The changing nature of humanitarian crises in a modern world means that agencies like Oxfam need to adapt to ensure we meet needs in an effective way. Oxfam in Iraq has been piloting a new approach that does just that; …

The day after ISIS in Iraq

Maya MailerConflict, Emergency, Fragile contexts, Humanitarian

Maya Mailer, Head of Humanitarian Policy & Campaigns, argues that the challenges facing Iraq go beyond Isis’ presence and that we must plan beyond short-term militarism to create a new, peaceful environment.  “Isis is like a mushroom. It was able to grow here, in Iraq, because there is a fertile environment. It didn’t just come from nowhere.” That is what …

Women leading in the peace

Caroline SweetmanFragile contexts, Gender, Gender & Development Journal, Governance

According to World Bank estimates of September 2016, two billion people live in countries where development outcomes are affected by fragility, conflict, and violence. By 2030, the share of global poor living in fragile and conflict-affected situations is projected to reach 46 per cent. Caroline Sweetman, Editor of Gender & Development, introduces us to the theme of gender in fragile …

From coffee to conference

Emilia TorrisiGender

In this blog, Shekhar Anand and Emilia Torrisi share Oxfam’s learning on building influencing networks, how we are achieving it and why it is crucial to creating sustainable change.  t Oxfam we know how crucial is to work with and influence others to enable changes in the life of poor and vulnerable communities.  By bringing people together to find common solutions …