As Oxfam launches its latest index that rates countries’ commitment to reducing inequality, Anthony Kamande reflects on how poor policy choices impacted his own family in Kenya, points out how ordinary people have lost out amid the pandemic and inflation, and highlights a few governments showing the way forward
Austerity is not the answer to Africa’s colliding crises: it’s time to invest massively in public services and decent jobs
Our continent faces droughts and spiking prices that are pushing millions into hunger and poverty, a debt crisis and the ongoing pandemic. So why are countries cutting billions in spending? Anthony Kamande introduces a new Oxfam Pan Africa briefing based on our index that scores governments on how committed they are to cutting inequality
In East Africa, the pandemic has pushed millions out of work: here’s what governments need to do
My region’s countries collect just a fifth of what they should in tax, says Oxfam’s Anthony Kamande. We need those lost billions to tackle extreme inequality and mend our public finances
Billionaires make billions, while billions get poorer
In our second blog to mark this week’s Davos event, Oxfam’s Anthony Kamande looks at how the fortunes of the super-rich flourished in the pandemic
10 brilliant questions you asked about Oxfam’s inequality report
Oxfam’s new report, ‘The Inequality Virus’, reveals that the wealth of the ten richest men has increased by half a trillion dollars since the pandemic began. This is more than enough to pay for a vaccine for all and prevent anyone on Earth from falling into poverty because of the virus. We have received lots of great questions about the report, here’s our …
A fairer tax system is essential to ‘building back better’
Tax Justice UK shares Oxfam’s commitment to tackling inequality, eradicating poverty and standing up for those who typically struggle to get their voices heard. The need to address these issues has only become more urgent in light of the covid-19 pandemic, which in the UK as elsewhere has had a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable in society, including ethnic …
In case you missed it – progress on tax justice!
On the face of it, this week may not appear to have been particularly auspicious for tax justice campaigners. The big story, about big money (thirteen billion euros), was that the European Court of Justice ruled that Apple does not have to pay that amount to the Irish government. It was not proven that the very low tax rates Apple had, were the …
Tax Havens Free Zones. Where think global, act local is more than just a slogan.
Rodrigo Barahona and Susana Ruiz describe how the Tax Havens Free Zones initiative is gathering momentum in the fight against inequality and poverty. When large companies and wealthy individuals divert part of their income to tax havens, this leaves governments without the resources they need to address poverty and invest in healthcare, education and jobs. Oxfam analyzed 200 of the …
New voices tearing up outdated economic norms and practices
Young women in Ghana are calling out the double standards that put them at an economic disadvantage. Kwesi W Obeng draws parallels with Oxfam’s work on tax and gender. Some of Ghana’s brightest and most educated young women are openly criticising deeply entrenched cultural, social and religious norms that restrict women, dim aspirations and undermine their contribution to society. Under …
Motivating people to take action: towards an Asian narrative on tax justice and financial transparency
Amy Croome, from Oxfam GB, interviews fellow researchers, and civil society actors, on approaches, challenges, and opportunities to tax justice in Asia. For two days academics, activists and civil society actors came together in Delhi to discuss tax justice, illicit financial flows and tax havens in Asia. A key theme was the important role of narratives in motivating people to …