People before profits: why we need responsible businesses

Fiona JardenClimate Change, Events, Private sector

The future of business lies in being “regenerative by design” and looking for alternatives to the shareholder-first model. Fiona Jarden and Winne van Woerden share insights from last year’s Oxfam Novib forum about responsible business.

Let’s put a new deal for care at the heart of Lebanon’s recovery plan

Marwan IssaFragile contexts, Gender, Women's Economic Empowerment

Women are paying the price as the nation’s deep, economic crisis drives a surge in care work, says Marwan Issa

Across Britain, paid and unpaid care work remains undervalued and ignored: here are six ways governments can change that

Silvia GalandiniPoverty in the UK, Research, Women's Economic Empowerment

Being a parent, unpaid carer or paid care worker in Wales, Scotland or England too often means being forced into hardship. Silvia Galandini and Claire Spoors introduce Oxfam’s new paper, which sets out how to break the link between care and poverty.

Why we must never repeat the mistakes of a ‘gender-blind’ COVID response

Harry BignellGender, Health, Inequality

Pandemics are bad for women’s health – but they are also bad for their labour rights, suggests research from Matahari Global Solutions and the People’s Vaccine Alliance. Harry Bignell and Abha Jeurkar set out key gendered impacts of the pandemic – including the impact on trans and non-binary people – and call for pressure on global leaders to make sure we avoid them in future.

As Asia changes and ages, domestic workers are in demand – but who will stand up for their rights?

Saleha ShahLiving wage, Research, Women's Economic Empowerment

Paid carers are more important than ever to Asian societies and economies. Yet, say Saleha Shah and Raina Bhattacharya, upcoming Oxfam research will highlight how these millions of workers remain underpaid, exploited and invisible. Building decent care systems will mean paying and treating these workers fairly, and also creating new public care infrastructure that can meet everyone’s needs.

Bernie Sanders on billionaires, inequality and the fight against ‘global oligarchy’

Bernie SandersIn the news, Inequality, Research

We’re delighted that Senator Bernie Sanders has written a foreword to this year’s Davos report. Here are his powerful thoughts on our bleak economic reality – but also reasons to be hopeful as more and more people join the fight for economic justice.

Supermarkets are assessing human rights abuses in their supply chains – here’s what they need to do better

Eline AchterbergAgriculture, Private sector, Rights

Eline Achterberg introduces a new Oxfam briefing that supports supermarkets to improve their “human rights impact assessments” in food supply chains – and, crucially, to take action to make real change to workers’ lives.

Kenya’s affluent classes panic when domestic staff are away… so why can’t they acknowledge workers’ value with a decent wage?

Blandina BobsonGender, Living wage, Women's Economic Empowerment

During big holidays such as Christmas, social media buzzes with people struggling to cope without domestic workers. Clearly, the workers make a huge hidden contribution to households and the economy. Yet illegal exploitation of these vital women workers continues – and it’s urgent our government steps in to stop it, says Blandina Bobson.

How can firms measure progress to gender equality in their supply chains?

Jiselle SteeleAgriculture, Gender, Private sector

Jiselle Steele of the Oxfam Business Advisory Service introduces the “Gender Transformative Tracker”, piloted by Oxfam and stakeholders in the seafood industry in south-east Asia – and draws out four key insights from the pilot for boosting gender equality. Read her blog below and join the OBAS webinar on 18th July to find out more.

An ‘Uber’ app for cooks and cleaners? How tech is starting to change the lives of informal domestic workers

Fatema Tuz JohooraInnovation, Private sector, Women's Economic Empowerment

On International Domestic Workers’ day, Fatema Tuz Johoora and Tarek Aziz explain how gig economy apps can make Bangladesh’s invisible army of domestic workers visible, as well as offering new opportunities to help them claim their rights to better pay and conditions.