Civilians are not a target

Rachel Hastie Humanitarian, Protection

For World Humanitarian Day Rachel Hastie, Oxfam’s Global Protection Adviser, reflects on our common humanity and what it means. Some years back I was walking my children to school before catching a flight to Darfur. I was going to meet people – ordinary civilians – who had fled attacks on their villages and were still facing dangers and a very uncertain …

Protection of women and girls: a bright idea

Kerry Akers Conflict, Humanitarian, Protection, Refugees and IDPs, Violence Against Women and Girls, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)

How can humanitarians help to protect women and girls from sexual violence in conflict situations? First we must ensure that our interventions don’t inadvertently place them in greater danger. For World Humanitarian Day, Kerry Akers explains why Oxfam is conducting research into the use of lighting around latrines in emergencies. Sometimes we harm the people we try to help. As …