Four ways to boost investment in women-led small businesses

Windy Massabni Private sector, Refugees and IDPs, Women's Economic Empowerment

Oxfam’s conversations and projects with entrepreneurs across the globe reveal a big gender gap in access to finance, says Windy Massabni. Women in business tell us that better support for them will include loan guarantees, alternative credit scoring systems and building the gender awareness of lenders.

The men are gone – but the patriarchy remains: the struggles of women left behind in Syria’s ‘no-man land’

Dania Kareh Fragile contexts, Gender, Women's Economic Empowerment

Years of conflict have led to thousands of men dying or being pushed away. Now, says Dania Kareh, the women who remain face a huge challenge as stubborn social, economic and educational barriers frustrate their efforts to build decent lives for their families.

Spare us the token gestures: International Women’s Day must be a call to action for economic justice

Dana Abed Economics, Influencing, Women's Economic Empowerment

Globally, men own $105 trillion more wealth than women. So today of all days we need to talk about how our global economic system just isn’t working for women, says Dana Abed, as Oxfam launches its #HerMoneyMatters campaign.

Face à l’écart de richesse scandaleux de 100 000 milliards de dollars entre les femmes et les hommes, verra-t-on enfin à Davos la promotion d’une économie qui fonctionne réellement pour les femmes ?

Lurit Yugusuk Gender, In the news, Inequality

Avec des milliards de femmes encore sous-payées, exploitées et portant le poids de l’injustice qui prévaut dans les politiques fiscales, de soin et climatiques, nous voulons savoir comment l’élite de Davos contribuera à la construction d’une économie féministe pour demain, déclarent Lurit Yugusuk et Imali Ngusale du réseau du développement et de communication des femmes africaines, FEMNET (read blog in English at the link below)

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

Saleha Shah Living 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.

The $100-trillion gender wealth gap is an outrage: can Davos get behind a global economy that actually works for women?

Lurit Yugusuk Gender, In the news, Inequality

With billions of women still underpaid, exploited and bearing the brunt of unjust tax, care and climate policies, we need to hear how the Davos elite will play its part in building a feminist economic future, say Lurit Yugusuk and Imali Ngusale of the African Women’s Development and Communication Network, FEMNET.

A bi-regional care pact between Latin America and Europe can be a big step towards a world that truly supports carers

Cristina Rovira Izquierdo Gender, Rights, Women's Economic Empowerment

In the latest blog in our series around the first UN International Day of Care, Cristina Rovira Izquierdo sets out how LAC countries are leading the way on care-friendly policies – and calls on the EU to forge a partnership with them to reshape women’s lives across both regions.

How do you define unpaid care? Insights from Timor-Leste

Therese Johnson Gender, Research, Women's Economic Empowerment

As in so many places, care roles in Timor-Leste are gendered but, says Therese Johnson, Oxfam research also highlights local differences in what people recognise as “unpaid care” – especially in a subsistence economy with lots of other unpaid labour. This blog is the second in our series around the International Day of Care.

How can businesses show they really care about carers?

Fatema Tuz Johoora Livelihoods, Private sector, Women's Economic Empowerment

Firms that boost support for workers with unpaid care and domestic work responsibilities are waking up to the fact that this not only enhances women’s rights and wellbeing, but also productivity. In the first in a blog series for the International Day of Care, Fatema Tuz Johoora, Achmad Fuad Fathurrahman and Leah Payud share insights from pilots in Indonesia and the Philippines of an Oxfam care toolkit for business launching soon.

How firms can push for more women leaders in their supply chains – with the help of a new gender toolkit

Jiselle Steele Gender, Private sector, Women's Economic Empowerment

Jiselle Steele on key barriers for women seeking senior roles in supply chains – and how the Oxfam Business Advisory Service worked with Tesco to help suppliers tackle the obstacles. You can also find out more about the new Supplier Gender Toolkit at our webinar on September 19th.