Canada commits to bold and unprecedented global investments to support a caring economy and advance women’s rights
OTTAWA – Today Prime Minister Trudeau took bold action in support of a global feminist economic recovery by announcing $100 million in new international assistance funding dedicated to paid and unpaid care work at the Generation Equality Forum, the largest multi-sector gathering on women’s rights in the world. This is the first targeted global investment…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to WTO agreement on text-based process on waiving IP rule for COVID-19 vaccines
World Trade Organization members (who met today for a council on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights) have just agreed that they will engage in a text-based process on waiving Intellectual Property rules on COVID vaccines, test and treatments. This means a deal, which would see a temporarily suspension of Intellectual Property, is increasingly likely. However…
Read MoreCanada’s economy could shrink by 6.9 per cent per year by 2050 without more ambitious climate action – Oxfam
Human and economic impact on low-income nations will be much worse Canada’s economy could shrink by 6.9 per cent annually by 2050 without more ambitious climate action, according to Oxfam’s analysis of research by the Swiss Re Institute. Across G7 nations, the impacts of climate change could cause economies to contract by an average of…
Read MoreMore than a million COVID-19 deaths in 4 months since G7 leaders failed to break vaccine monopolies
At current vaccination rate low income countries would be waiting 57 years for everyone to be fully vaccinated More than a million people have died from COVID-19 since G7 leaders last met back in February, when they made vague pledges to increase the global vaccine supply, but crucially failed to collectively back the waiver of…
Read MoreAfter the bombing, Gaza struggles to restart power, water, hospitals, markets and fishing for its 2.1 million people
400,000 people now without regular water supply 400,000 people in Gaza do not have access to regular water supply after 11 days of bombardment devastated electricity and water services and severely impacted the three main desalination plants in Gaza city, Oxfam warned today. Oxfam Country Director in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, Shane Stevenson said:…
Read MoreRight to live without a blockade: Oxfam calls for lifting US sanctions against Cuba
78 per cent of women and girls living in Cuba were born under the pressure exerted by the US blockade on the island for nearly six decades. According to a new Oxfam report, these sanctions impact the daily lives of all Cubans, but especially women. The blockade affects families and their livelihoods, and limits progress…
Read MoreStatement on ceasefire in OPTI
Shane Stevenson, Oxfam Country Director for the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel said: “Finally, for the first of 12 consecutive nights, two million Palestinians in Gaza, including hundreds of thousands of traumatized children, can rest rather than lie awake in fear as bombs fly over their homes. And civilians across Israel will be spared the threat…
Read MoreCOVID-19 vaccines create 9 new billionaires with combined wealth greater than cost of vaccinating world’s poorest countries
At least nine people have become new billionaires since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the excessive profits pharmaceutical corporations with monopolies on COVID-19 vaccines are making, The People’s Vaccine Alliance revealed today ahead of a G20 leaders Global Health Summit. Key members of the G20, who meet tomorrow, including the UK and…
Read MoreNearly half a million people out of reach in Gaza: Oxfam
Oxfam said today that it cannot reach around 450,000 or more people in Gaza because of fighting and aerial bombardment. Oxfam staff are trying to resume their humanitarian and livelihood programs with its network of partners but the destruction and indiscriminate threat to life make any emergency aid, at the moment, impossible to mount. The…
Read MoreOxfam statement on the escalation of hostilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel
Civilians are once again paying the price for the failures of political leaders to negotiate a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis. Instead, we are witnessing yet another cycle of death and destruction that brings us no closer to addressing the root causes of the crisis and drives further human rights violations, poverty…
Read MoreCanada still stalling on support of WTO TRIPS Waiver on COVID-19 Vaccines
In response to today’s announcement that the Canadian government is ready to discuss proposals on a waiver for intellectual property (IP) protection for COVID-19 vaccines under the WTO Agreement on TRIPS, Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Campaigns said the following: Canada’s statement released today by Minister Ng confirming their readiness to discuss…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to US support of WTO TRIPS waiver on COVID-19 vaccines
In response to today’s announcement that the US Trade Representative is supporting waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Campaigns said the following: Canada could have taken international leadership to fight vaccine inequality by supporting the TRIPS waiver but instead has chosen to sit on the sidelines…
Read MoreAn average of 7 in 10 across G7 countries think their governments should force big pharma to share vaccine know-how
G7 governments still refusing to waive intellectual property on Covid-19 vaccines, despite widespread public support People’s Vaccine Alliance calls for G7 leaders to support a vaccine patent waiver at today’s foreign and development ministers meeting in London. A supermajority of people in G7 countries believe that governments should ensure pharmaceutical companies share the formulas and…
Read MoreOxfam responds to deadly COVID-19 wave in India
Oxfam India has deployed teams to five of the worst-hit states in India where a second wave of coronavirus is sweeping the country. The international organization is urgently appealing for $2 million to fund its emergency response to the crisis. Teams have already started providing face masks, hand sanitizer and other protective equipment in parts…
Read MoreCOVID-19 cost women globally over $800 billion in lost income in one year
Women’s lost income in 2020 totaled the combined wealth of 98 countries The COVID-19 crisis cost women around the world at least $800 billion in lost income in 2020, equivalent to more than the combined GDP of 98 countries, Oxfam said today. Globally, women lost more than 64 million jobs last year — a five…
Read MoreCanada steps up its climate commitments, but total ambition falls short of what’s needed
Today at the Earth Day Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau announced Canada’s commitment to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change by 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. This marks a significant step up from Canada’s previous commitment of 30 per cent, but more ambitious reductions are required to deliver a…
Read MorePharmaceutical giants shell out billions to shareholders as world confronts vaccine apartheid
Total pay-outs enough to vaccinate 1.3 billion people, the same as the population of Africa Ahead of shareholder meetings for the giant pharmaceutical corporations, the People’s Vaccine Alliance calculates that Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca have paid out $26 billion in dividends and stock buybacks to their shareholders in the past 12 months. This…
Read MoreBudget 2021 delivers historic feminist investments domestically, but falls short on global response
Budget 2021 presents the government’s plan to tackle COVID-19 and was highly anticipated, considering it is the first federal budget in over two years. It is also the first budget presented by Canada’s first female finance minister, who prioritized engagement with feminist leaders and women’s rights organizations in the budget process through consultations and the…
Read MoreTwo-thirds of epidemiologists warn mutations could render current COVID vaccines ineffective in a year or less
New survey from People’s Vaccine Alliance shows urgency of vaccinating all countries Epidemiologists, from some of the world’s leading academic institutions, delivered a stark warning today of the risk the world is taking by failing to ensure all countries have sufficient vaccines to protect people from COVID-19. In a survey of 77 epidemiologists from 28…
Read MoreMassive fire in Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps leaves 45,000 people displaced
A massive fire that swept through the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on Monday has left 10,000 families — roughly 45,000 people — displaced and in urgent need of food, water, and sanitation services, Oxfam warned today. The fire was yet another devastating blow to the Rohingya people who fled shocking violence and persecution…
Read MoreYemen at tipping point as COVID-19 second wave hits amid renewed fighting and famine fears – Oxfam
Evidence is mounting that a second wave of COVID-19 is already underway in Yemen, Oxfam warned today, with a 22-fold increase in recorded cases in recent weeks. It comes at a time when it is feared renewed fighting will force hundreds of thousands of people to flee to safety. Oxfam said that a second spike…
Read MoreOxfam scorecard shows federal government provided critical services during pandemic but marginalized populations fell through cracks
(Ottawa) – In a year that continues to be buried in challenges due to the pandemic, the federal government’s feminist response was quick and included an influx of resources but it also exposed some serious gaps when it comes to the most marginalized populations, according to a new report released by Oxfam Canada today. Following…
Read MoreGarment workers suffer while fashion brands’ profits return
200 rights organizations demand brands fix their broken industry by putting the money on the table to ensure workers can feed their families and respecting labour rights A coalition of more than 200 organizations today announced sweeping demands of apparel brands and retailers for cash relief for suffering garment workers and reform of the industry.…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to Canada’s inaction to TRIPS waiver on intellectual property for COVID-19 vaccines at WTO meeting
In response to the March 10 position by Canada at the WTO meeting on the TRIPS waiver on intellectual property and technology on COVID-19 vaccines, Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Campaigns said the following: “Canada had an opportunity today to stand with over 100 countries calling for a waiver on intellectual property…
Read MoreRich nations vaccinating one person every second while majority of the poorest nations are yet to give a single dose
Canada, US, UK and EU blocking proposals at WTO to help poorer countries get vaccines more quickly One year on from the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the People’s Vaccine Alliance is warning developing countries are facing critical shortages of oxygen and medical supplies to cope with COVID-19 cases, and yet the majority have been…
Read MoreClimate national action plans “appalling and irresponsible” – Oxfam
In reaction to the UNFCCC NDC Synthesis report launched today, Oxfam’s Global Climate Policy Lead, Nafkote Dabi, said: “Today’s report findings are appalling. The combined climate plans submitted account to a dismal 1 per cent emissions reduction, far below the 45 per cent reduction needed to limit global warming below 1.5 degrees, and avoid disastrous impacts on…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to G7 and Canadian government’s additional contributions to COVAX program for COVID-19 vaccines
In response to the G7 and Canadian government’s announcements to pledge more money to the COVAX international vaccine-sharing program, Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Campaigns said the following: Canada was one of the G7 countries to make welcome steps to increase the supply of vaccines to poor countries. This leadership plays and…
Read MoreNearly 40 per cent of Yemen families forced into debt to pay for essentials – Oxfam
Nearly two out of every five families in Yemen buy food and medicines using debt, according to Oxfam research published today. Yemeni families are trapped in a cycle of informal debt, living precariously and reliant on good will of shopkeepers as they lurch from one month to the next. Many told Oxfam they can’t borrow…
Read MoreMonopolies causing “artificial rationing” in COVID-19 crisis as 3 biggest global vaccine giants sit on sidelines
The supply of safe and effective vaccines for all is being artificially rationed because of the protection of exclusive rights and monopolies of pharmaceutical corporations, the People’s Vaccine Alliance said today. The alliance warned that the three biggest vaccine companies in the world are largely sitting on the sidelines – they currently plan to produce…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to Canada taking COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX program
In response to the Canadian government’s announcement to draw on the supply of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX program, Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Campaigns said the following: “Canada should not be taking the COVAX vaccine from poor nations to alleviate political pressures at home. Receiving one or two million doses isn’t…
Read MoreClimate-fuelled Cyclone Eloise compounded by COVID-19 leaves over 260,000 in urgent humanitarian need: Oxfam
Cyclone Eloise, which recently hit the Sofala province in central Mozambique, has left over 260,000 people in desperate need of humanitarian aid, said Oxfam. Around 142,00 hectares of land and crops and over 16,000 houses have been washed away or destroyed, forcing people to seek shelter in schools, mosques and churches with little or no…
Read MoreMega-rich recoup COVID-losses in record-time yet billions will live in poverty for at least a decade
The 1,000 richest people on the planet recouped their COVID-19 losses within just nine months, but it could take more than a decade for the world’s poorest to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic, reveals a new Oxfam report today. The Inequality Virus is being published on the opening day of the World…
Read More13.5 million people face starvation if US designation of Houthis blocks aid and food delivery
13.5 million people in Yemen will be pushed towards starvation by the US designation of Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a terrorist organization. The designation comes into effect today and will seriously affect vital food imports to the country and humanitarian assistance, Oxfam warned. Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Country Director in Yemen, said:…
Read MoreOxfam warns of COVID-19 risks in camps following Indonesian earthquake
Oxfam warned today of the risk of an outbreak of coronavirus in the over-crowded camps where people are sheltering following Friday’s earthquake in Sulawesi, Indonesia. At least 56 people are reported dead, more than 826 injured and more than 15,000 fled from their homes following 6.2 magnitude earthquake which damaged and destroyed hundreds of homes…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to US Secretary of State Pompeo’s decision to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist
In response to US Secretary of State Pompeo’s decision to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist, Oxfam America’s Humanitarian Policy Lead Scott Paul said: “Secretary Pompeo’s decision to designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization is a counter-productive and dangerous policy that will put innocent lives at risk.…
Read MoreOver half of Canadian women’s sector organizations forced to reduce or cancel vital services, new survey reveals
According to a new survey conducted by YWCA Canada, Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW), Canadian Women’s Foundation, G(irls)20 and Oxfam Canada, women’s rights organizations in Canada are facing increasingly insurmountable challenges that threaten their very existence. These organizations provide a vital lifeline to communities, and especially women, providing essential services and…
Read More2.7 billion people have had no ‘social protection’ to cope with COVID-19 economic crisis
New Oxfam research shows that over a third of the world’s population has had no public money to cope with the effects of the pandemic. A new report, Shelter from the Storm, done in partnership with Development Pathways, reviewed government schemes used to inject additional money to help people, such as disability, unemployment, child, and…
Read MoreClimate-fuelled La Niña in East Africa will drive millions into hunger: Oxfam
Over 50 million people are in need of immediate food assistance in the Horn East and Central Africa, with numbers expected to rise significantly as the region braces for harsh, climate fuelled La Niña conditions, said Oxfam today. The warning comes as world leaders prepare to meet for a virtual Climate Ambition Summit. Starting in mid-December, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya,…
Read MoreCanada front of the line for COVID-19 doses while 9 out of 10 people in poor countries are set to miss out on vaccine next year
Rich countries have pre-purchased enough doses to vaccinate their entire populations nearly 3 times over Nearly 70 poor countries will only be able to vaccinate one in 10 people against COVID-19 next year unless urgent action is taken by governments and the pharmaceutical industry to make sure enough doses are produced, a group of campaigning…
Read MoreHurricane Iota lands a new blow onto Central America, Oxfam ready to respond
Millions of people in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, already hit by damage from last month’s monster hurricane, Eta, are now facing an even bigger crisis from Iota, a category five hurricane that made landfall overnight on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast. COVID-19 infections could rise exponentially as a result of these consecutive hurricanes and overcrowding…
Read MoreG20 arms exports to Saudi Arabia worth three times the aid given to Yemen since 2015 – Oxfam
Other members of the G20 have exported more than US$17bn worth of arms to Saudi Arabia since it became involved in the conflict in Yemen in 2015 but have given only a third of that amount in aid to people caught in the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis, Oxfam said today. The G20 heads of state…
Read MoreImproving safeguarding and culture at Oxfam
This report covers Oxfam’s work from April 2020 to September 2020 towards its Improving Safeguarding and Culture Plan. The Plan continues to strengthen our safeguarding policies and procedures, our transformation of working cultures, and in aligning this across Oxfam’s international confederation. The headlines are as follows: Safeguarding In June 2020, Oxfam rolled out its new…
Read MoreHurricane Eta: Oxfam begins response to help victims in Central America
Oxfam began delivery of humanitarian aid in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala to help those most affected by flooding and strong winds caused by Hurricane Eta, the most devastating weather phenomenon to hit Central America since 1998. “More than 3 million people have been affected and the number is likely to rise as access to the…
Read MoreHurricane Eta: Oxfam begins response to help victims in Central America
Oxfam began delivery of humanitarian aid in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala to help those most affected by flooding and strong winds caused by Hurricane Eta, the most devastating weather phenomenon to hit Central America since 1998. “More than 3 million people have been affected and the number is likely to rise as access to the…
Read MoreMore than 2 million people impacted as Super Typhoon Goni sweeps across the Philippines
Oxfam is working with local partners and coordinating with local governments in the Philippines to assess the damage and needs of affected communities following Super Typhoon Goni’s four landfalls yesterday and early this morning. At least two million people or 400,000 families have been affected, with thousands of homes damaged or destroyed, and at least 10 people…
Read MoreTrue value of climate finance is just a third of that reported by developed countries: Oxfam
The true value of money provided by developed countries to help developing nations respond to the climate crisis may be just a third of the amount reported, according to Oxfam estimates published today. Oxfam’s Climate Finance Shadow Report 2020 estimates that donors reported $59.5 billion USD per year on average in 2017 and 2018 –…
Read MoreThe Hunger Virus: ‘Abysmally low’ funding for 55 million people facing extreme hunger in 7 worst-affected countries
The threat of “COVID-19 famines” and widespread extreme hunger is setting off every alarm bell within the international community, but so far sluggish funding is hampering humanitarian agencies’ efforts to deliver urgent assistance to people in need. A new Oxfam analysis says that the international community’s response to global food insecurity has been dangerously inadequate.…
Read MoreDonors slash funding to Yemen by half to 25 US cents a day per person in need
Catastrophic impact of cuts to funding already being felt Donors have given the equivalent of 25 US cents per day for each of the 24.3 million people in need in Yemen, about half the amount given last year, Oxfam warned today. The dramatic cut comes despite COVID-19 heaping further challenges on a country already suffering…
Read MoreOxfam Canada applauds Canadian leadership to end COVID everywhere and build back better
Ottawa – Today the Prime Minster made substantive commitments to advance the fight against COVID-19 around the world and to fuel investment and action by other nations. “We applaud Canada’s leadership at the UN General Assembly, announcing $400 million in new international assistance funding to support some of the most vulnerable communities and countries in the…
Read MoreOxfam Canada welcomes commitments to feminist green recovery in Throne Speech
OTTAWA – Oxfam Canada applauds the government’s commitments to an intersectional feminist and green response to COVID-19 in the latest Throne Speech. Some of the major highlights include: The promise to establish a pan-Canadian childcare system, and investing in the care sector through providing more accessible long-term care solutions for seniors and supporting care workers…
Read MoreCarbon emissions of richest 1 per cent more than double the emissions of the poorest half of humanity
The richest one per cent of the world’s population are responsible for more than twice as much carbon pollution as the 3.1 billion people who made up the poorest half of humanity during a critical 25-year period of unprecedented emissions growth, according to a new report released by Oxfam today. The report, ‘Confronting Carbon Inequality’,…
Read MoreSmall group of rich nations have bought up more than half of the future supply of leading COVID-19 vaccine contenders
Wealthy nations representing just 13 per cent of the world’s population have already cornered more than half (51%) of the promised doses of leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates, Oxfam warned today. Oxfam analyzed the deals that pharmaceutical corporations and vaccine producers have already struck with nations around the world for the five leading vaccine candidates currently…
Read MoreOxfam’s letter to the Prime Minister in advance of the throne speech
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2 Re: Priorities for the throne speech Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, In light of the upcoming speech to the throne, Oxfam would like to encourage your government to prioritize a feminist approach to Canada’s COVID-19 recovery. In recent months, your…
Read MorePandemic profits for companies soar by billions as poorest pay price – Oxfam
Some corporations are cashing in on Covid-19 on behalf of the wealthiest Thirty-two of the world’s largest companies stand to see their profits jump by more than $109 billion in 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic lays bare an economic model that delivers profits for the wealthiest on the back of the poorest, according to…
Read MoreBeirut: One month since the blast and thousands can’t afford a front door
One month since the massive blast in Beirut, tens of thousands of vulnerable people are unable to rebuild their homes, with a single front door costing two months’ worth of a minimum-wage salary, warned Oxfam today. Longstanding inequality, massive inflation and COVID-19 have compounded this humanitarian disaster for tens of thousands, making it almost impossible…
Read MoreMENA billionaires’ wealth increased by $10 billion, enough to pay Beirut blast repair bill
The 21 billionaires in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), all of them men, saw their wealth increase by nearly $10 billion USD since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, almost double the estimated amount required to rebuild Lebanon’s shattered capital, while 45 million more people in the region could be pushed to poverty…
Read MoreOne air raid every 10 days on hospitals, clinics, wells and water tanks throughout Yemen war
COVID-19 quarantine centres reportedly hit in March and April Medical and water infrastructure in Yemen has been hit during air raids almost 200 times since the conflict escalated more than five years ago, Oxfam said today, as the country continued to battle its outbreak of COVID-19. That’s equivalent to one air raid every 10 days…
Read MoreCrisis in Lebanon: Donations to the Humanitarian Coalition will be matched by the Government of Canada to provide emergency assistance
OTTAWA – The Humanitarian Coalition commends the commitment of the Canadian government to match the donations made to provide assistance to the Lebanese people, after the disaster that devastated the city of Beirut, Lebanon. It is estimated that the explosion on August 4 of a warehouse in the port of Beirut has left at least…
Read MoreOxfam prepares response to Beirut explosion
Oxfam is working with local partners to assess how it can help those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in the Beirut explosion on August 4. Oxfam is extremely concerned about the ability of communities in Beirut, and the rest of Lebanon, to recover from the latest crisis. Even before the blast, Lebanon was…
Read MoreYemen facing hidden cholera crisis as COVID-19 cases set to peak in coming weeks: Oxfam
Thousands of people in Yemen could be dying from undetected cases of cholera because COVID-19 has overwhelmed the country’s health facilities and people are too frightened to seek treatment for fear of the virus, Oxfam said today. The number of coronavirus cases in Yemen is likely to peak in the coming weeks while the heaviest…
Read MoreSevere flooding hits Bangladesh in midst of coronavirus crisis
Landslide fears as heavy rains hit Cox’s Bazar Heavy rains have swollen river basins in north Bangladesh, leading to severe flooding, submerging towns and destroying homes and crops in a region already suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic, Oxfam said today. The floods, which are predicted to peak this weekend (July 18 and 19), have…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to passage of UN Security Council resolution to extend cross-border aid into Syria
In response to news that the UN Security Council’s resolution allowing cross-border aid into Syria was renewed but modified, allowing for one cross-border response, and excluding the crucial Al-Yaroubiyeh crossing, Oxfam in Syria’s Country Director Moutaz Adham said: “While we welcome the renewal of the resolution to allow cross-border aid, we are very concerned that…
Read More12,000 people per day could die from COVID-19 linked hunger by end of year, potentially more than the disease, warns Oxfam
Eight of the biggest food and beverage companies pay out USD $18 billion to shareholders as new epicentres of hunger emerge across the globe As many as 12,000 people could die per day by the end of the year as a result of hunger linked to COVID-19, potentially more than could die from the disease,…
Read MoreMyanmar: INGOs concerned upsurge in fighting in Rakhine State will cause greater hunger, displacement and vulnerability
As international humanitarian organizations working with communities throughout Rakhine State, we express deep concern for all those affected by the upsurge in fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar Military in northern Rakhine State. This area in and around the Kyauk Tan village tract is home to more than 10,000 people and local…
Read MoreSyria crisis: Hunger spreading amid COVID-19 and economic collapse
International agencies call for Brussels Conference to address fall-out from the pandemic Syrians who have already endured almost a decade of war and displacement are now facing unprecedented levels of hunger leaving millions of people acutely vulnerable to COVID-19, international agencies warned today ahead of a key annual conference on the crisis. COVID-19 restrictions, the…
Read More71 per cent of Canadian women feeling more anxious, depressed, isolated, overworked or ill because of increased unpaid care work caused by COVID-19: Oxfam survey
Ottawa – Seventy-one per cent of women surveyed in Canada reported feeling more anxious, depressed, isolated, overworked, or ill because of having to shoulder even more unpaid care work as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, according to national poll results released by Oxfam Canada today. The Canadian poll results were significantly higher in comparison…
Read MoreCanada can champion gender equality without UN Security Council seat
OTTAWA — Earlier today, Canada lost its bid to be elected to a two-year term on the United Nations Security Council. Despite this loss, Canada can and must still advance its global goals through its Feminist Foreign Policy. Canada must play a constructive global role through continuing to support efforts to advance gender equality and…
Read MoreOxfam redoubling efforts to strengthen safeguarding and culture in face of COVID-19
Oxfam has continued its journey in changing its culture and improving its safeguarding of staff and the people with whom we work. In its latest report (Oct 2019-Mar 2020), Oxfam notes that the COVID-19 crisis risks diverting people’s attention away from these important issues, so it has re-doubled efforts to keep its improvement plan on…
Read MoreSolidarity in the Fight Against Anti-Black Racism
Black Lives Matter We believe in a just world without poverty. We can’t fight inequality, or end poverty, if we don’t challenge racism. As a feminist organization, we are clear that racial justice and gender justice go hand in hand. To promote women’s rights we must fight racism too. We believe in the power of…
Read MoreOver 5 million Yemenis at risk of losing access to food and clean water as coronavirus spreads in Yemen
*Survey conducted in Yemen reveals impact of funding shortfalls as pledging conference is held today Recent funding gaps and other challenges in Yemen will put an additional estimated 5.5 million people in the war-torn country at risk of losing access to life-saving aid, such as food, cash and clean water this year, 24 international humanitarian…
Read MoreMoney transfers to Yemen plummet as needs surge amid war and COVID-19
There has been an unprecedented decline in the flow of remittances to Yemen – a vital source of money for millions – just as cases of COVID-19 surge and international aid dries up in a country already devastated by more than five years of war. Oxfam is calling on the international community to ensure funding…
Read MoreNew swarms of locusts threaten to increase hunger in East Africa reeling from floods and COVID-19: Oxfam
Flooding and COVID-19 restrictions create perfect conditions for locusts to multiply Oxfam warned today that millions of people in East and Central Africa, already suffering due to flooding and the impact of COVID-19, are at risk of increased hunger and poverty as the region braces for the latest generation of locusts which are due to…
Read MoreOxfam responds to devastation in the wake of Cyclone Amphan
Cyclone Amphan has left a trail of devastation throughout north-east India and the Bangladesh coast, with over 80 deaths reported so far, destroying homes, embankments and crops, and compounding the suffering in many communities already hit by coronavirus and the impact of the lockdown. The low-lying coastal communities in both countries are amongst the worst…
Read MoreOxfam Canada Statement on the Reorganization of Oxfam Confederation Structures
Following the announcement earlier this week on the acceleration of new strategic changes to Oxfam’s global operations, Oxfam Canada reconfirms its commitment to its existing programs and to a continued focus on women’s rights and gender justice. “Oxfam Canada will continue our programs worldwide to support women’s rights and tackle the root causes of poverty,…
Read More‘Crisis on top of crisis’ as India and Bangladesh brace for super Cyclone Amphan – Oxfam
Cyclone Amphan, the strongest ever cyclone recorded over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to hit north-east India and Bangladesh tomorrow (Wednesday, 20 May) threatening millions of people in vulnerable communities already affected by COVID-19 outbreaks and lockdown. Millions of people are being evacuated in India and 12,000 shelters have been prepared in Bangladesh to…
Read MoreCyclone threatens Cox’s Bazar as first Covid-19 cases are confirmed – Oxfam
Almost one million Rohingya people in the world’s largest refugee camp are facing the added threat of a cyclone as the first cases of Covid-19 are confirmed, Oxfam warned today. The cyclone, which looks likely to form off the coast over the weekend, could bring further suffering and destruction to the camps on top of a…
Read MoreVaccinating poorest half of humanity against COVID-19 could cost less than 4 month’s big pharma profits – Oxfam
Vaccinating the poorest half of humanity – 3.7 billion people – against COVID-19 could cost less than the 10 biggest pharmaceutical companies make in four months, Oxfam said today. The agency is urging governments and pharmaceutical companies to guarantee that vaccines, tests, and treatments will be patent-free and equitably distributed to all nations and people,…
Read MoreProtect the women who make our clothes: Canada’s unions and civil society organizations call for action
Seven years after the tragic Rana Plaza building collapse, Bangladesh garment sector workers now confront even more risk and vulnerability in the fight against COVID-19. Canada’s unions and civil society organizations are calling for immediate relief for workers and protection of rights in global supply chains. The coalition says that concerns for workers cannot stop…
Read MoreCOVID-19: 50 million people threatened by hunger in West Africa
According to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the impact of the coronavirus pandemic could increase the number of people at risk of a food insecurity and malnutrition from 17 million to 50 million people between June and August 2020. As Ramadan begins this week, eight regional and international organizations warn of the…
Read MoreIMF’s gold holdings soar by nearly $20B since start of COVID-19 pandemic
The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) gold holdings have increased in value by USD $19.3 billion since the start of the global coronavirus pandemic, said Oxfam today. This increase alone is equivalent to more than the total debt (USD $12.4 billion) owed this year by the poorest countries to multilateral institutions like the IMF and World…
Read MoreHalf a billion people could be pushed into poverty by coronavirus, warns Oxfam
The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic could push half a billion more people into poverty unless urgent action is taken to bail out developing countries, said Oxfam today. The agency is calling on world leaders to agree an ‘Economic Rescue Package for All’ to keep poor countries and poor communities afloat, ahead of key…
Read MoreUp to 250 people per single water tap in refugee camps braced for arrival of coronavirus
Refugees living in camps are sharing one tap between up to 250 people and many have less than 3.5 square metres of living space per person, which will make it extremely difficult to contain a coronavirus outbreak, Oxfam said today. The virus could also be catastrophic for people and places hit by conflicts, like Yemen,…
Read MoreHealth spending in poor countries must double immediately to prevent millions of deaths: Oxfam
Oxfam today called for a package of nearly CAD $224.4 billion in immediate debt cancellation and aid to fund a Global Public Health Plan and Emergency Response, to help prevent millions of deaths as a result of the Coronavirus. The five-point plan would enable poor countries to take action to prevent the spread of the…
Read More50 suspected cholera cases every hour for five years in Yemen
Covid-19 pandemic poses new challenge to country already devastated by war With a recent upsurge in fighting in Yemen, the forthcoming rainy season and tightening of borders due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, there’s no end in sight to the daily toll of death, disease and displacement five years after the conflict escalated, Oxfam warned…
Read MoreOxfam Feminist Scorecard shows federal government falling short on women’s rights on economy, climate and Indigenous women
(Ottawa) –The federal government’s progress in delivering on its bold feminist commitments has been uneven over the past year and, despite some historic policy changes, falls particularly short in areas rooted in the economy, climate, and Indigenous women’s rights, according to a new report from Oxfam Canada. On the heels of International Women’s Day, Oxfam…
Read MoreTens of thousands of people are still suffering one year on from Cyclone Idai
Tens of thousands of people across Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique are still suffering 12 months after Cyclone Idai battered Southern Africa, warned Oxfam today. Cyclone Idai, one of the worst cyclones to hit Africa, made landfall on March 14, 2019. A new Oxfam briefing, ‘After the Storm,’ highlights that over 100,000 people in Mozambique and…
Read MoreRainy season threatens huge cholera spike in Yemen as conflict hampers efforts to address forgotten crisis
Yemen is suffering a forgotten cholera crisis, Oxfam said today, as it warned the number of people there with the disease could spiral as the country approaches rainy season in April and health systems are close to collapse. The north is at greatest risk because of the scarcity of water in the area. The five governorates…
Read MoreOxfam and aid organizations extremely concerned about recent military escalation in Yemen
In reaction to the strikes on Jawf governorate, northern Yemen, which killed 31 and injured 12 civilians on February 15, Oxfam and ten international aid organizations working in Yemen said: We are shocked and deeply saddened to hear about the deaths of 31 civilians and the injury of 12 others in strikes on Al Jawf…
Read MoreStatement of Concern – Northwest Syria
As violence continues to escalate in northwest Syria, 10 Canadian aid agencies are warning that the number of people displaced could reach one million by next week unless immediate action is taken. In the past five days alone, 142,000 people have fled their homes, bringing the total number of people displaced – most of them…
Read MoreLocusts swarm into northern Uganda as Oxfam looks toward a $5m humanitarian response across region
Locust infestations have just hit two new districts in northern Uganda as they continue to plague Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, and threaten Sudan and South Sudan. There are also reports of the swarms now in Tanzania. “Everyone is in panic and trying to make noise to drive the locusts away,” says Oxfam’s Ethiopia Country Director…
Read MoreOxfam Canada welcomes Lauren Ravon as new Executive Director and Kate Higgins as Interim Executive Director
Following a rigorous international search, the Oxfam Canada Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that Lauren Ravon will be the next Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. Lauren has been with Oxfam Canada since 2011, holding a number of roles and working tirelessly to put women’s rights at the heart of Oxfam’s work. She is…
Read MoreWorld’s richest 1% have more than twice as much wealth as 6.9 billion people, says Oxfam
(Ottawa) – Global inequality is out of control with the world’s richest one per cent having more than twice as much wealth as 6.9 billion people, and much of that wealth is built on the backs of women working billions of hours every day doing unpaid or underpaid care work, according to a new Oxfam…
Read MoreUS-Iran conflict restricting aid work in Iraq: Oxfam
Oxfam’s humanitarian work in Iraq is restricted due to heightened security concerns, road checkpoints and travel difficulties, following Iranian missile attacks on US military bases in Iraq overnight in retaliation for the US killing of the Iranian General Suleimani. “We have had to suspend work in three locations where we were delivering cash aid to…
Read MoreWater, food and shelter first priorities in coastal communities devastated by Typhoon Phanfone
After the devastation wrought by Typhoon Phanfone (local name Ursula), which made seven landfalls mainly in Central Philippines between December 24 until the afternoon of December 25, development agency Oxfam and its partners say there is an urgent need for humanitarian assistance. Oxfam Philippines Country Director Maria Rosario Felizco said that many of communities impacted…
Read MoreOxfam Office in Al Dhale’e, Yemen Hit by RPGs
On 22 December, at around 1am, Oxfam’s office in Al Dhale’e was attacked by two RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades). One hit the roof, while the other hit the office gate. Neither of the guards on duty were injured and there were no other staff present. The offices of several other agencies in Al Dhale’e were also targeted…
Read MoreGlobal refugee forum promotes refugee participation, but world leaders need to do more to deliver real change for refugees, says Oxfam
The Global Refugee Forum ended today with refugees making sure that their message to be fully included in all decisions about their futures was heard by world leaders. Oxfam welcomes the real strides which have been taken to include more refugees at the Forum, they have been represented on high-level panels alongside governments, business leaders,…
Read MoreGlobal Refugee Forum crucial moment to deliver on commitments
The processes for supporting the world’s 25.9 million refugees and 3.5 million asylum seekers, continue to be fatally flawed and putting the responsibility unfairly upon some of the poorest countries, says Oxfam ahead of the first ever Global Refugee Forum, taking place in Geneva this week. Danny Sriskandarajah, the Chief Executive at Oxfam Great Britain…
Read MoreOne year since Stockholm Agreement, Hudaydah still most dangerous place in Yemen for civilians: Agencies
A quarter of all civilian casualties across Yemen in 2019 were recorded in Hudaydah governorate. Despite a ceasefire in the port city being at the heart of last year’s Stockholm Agreement, Hudaydah has seen 799 civilian deaths and injuries since the Agreement was signed, the highest toll countrywide. Families continue to flee for their lives…
Read MoreClimate fuelled disasters number one driver of internal displacement globally forcing more than 20 million people a year from their homes
Climate fuelled disasters were the number one driver of internal displacement over the last decade, forcing more than 20 million people a year – one person every two seconds – to leave their homes, said Oxfam today. The contentious issue of financial support for communities, including displaced communities, which have suffered loss and damage as…
Read MoreTidal surge risk as Cyclone Bulbul nears India and Bangladesh – Oxfam prepares to respond
Oxfam spokespeople available for interview via phone or Skype in India and Bangladesh, including Cox’s Bazar Rohingya refugee camps Oxfam is preparing for a potential response to flooding and landslides as Cyclone Bulbul nears the coasts of India and Bangladesh. The powerful storm forming over the Bay of Bengal is currently expected to make landfall…
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