Challenges in context According to an Oxfam report, half a billion people could be pushed into poverty by COVID-19. The International Labour Organisation (ILO), warned that the crisis is expected to wipe out 6.7% of working hours globally in the second quarter of 2020. The situation has directly hit the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region. Export, travel, transportation …
Technology and inequality
We are at a crossroads on the digital highway. Advocacy Adviser, Claire Spoors highlights some key themes for the international development sector to consider when thinking about the intersection of technology and inequality. Recent World Bank estimates reveal that reducing inequality is a more effective way to eradicate poverty than increasing a country’s annual growth rate. Oxfam’s Fighting inequality to …
Reinventing the toilet
Brian McSorley on Oxfam’s contribution to ensuring the poorest people on the planet have access to a loo. Earlier this month, Bill Gates stood up to address an international conference holding a jar full of human faeces. In a sector that has been underfunded and overlooked for decades, The Gates Foundation has been a disruptive and positive force in raising …
#TechWomenAfrica: Connected women and youth-bridging the digital divide
Muthoni Maingi, Head of Digital Campaigns at Oxfam International, reflects on the challenges for gender equality in online spaces and her recent visit to the #TechWomenAfrica conference. Earlier this month I had the privilege of attending the #TechWomenAfrica conference held in Accra, Ghana. The meeting convened over 250 women and girls from across the continent to discuss solutions for unlocking …
Tackling gender based violence in the digital age
In a world where the digital landscape is rapidly changing the way we access information, the extent to which technology can help or hinder those affected by gender based violence (GBV), is by no means black or white. Kirsten Bickford reports back from Lebanon where activists met last week to discuss the gendered dimensions of our digital age. The internet, …
Empowering girls and women through ICTs
Empowering girls and women through ICTs isn’t just a question of social justice, it’s also smart economics. Kirsten Bickford explains why. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are often cited as the essential backbone behind socio-economic growth. It’s the industry seen to embody the agility and innovation underpinning our future work force and driving improved outcomes for sustainable development. These are …