OXFAM: Thousands of Syrians out of reach of aid
OXFAM: Thousands of Syrians out of reach of aid by alvaro | July 16, 2018 Replace this with image credit information Amid scorching summer temperatures, thousands of Syrians have been forced from their homes due to the recent fighting in Dar’a Thousands of Syrians forced from their homes due to the recent fighting in Dar’a…
Read MoreOXFAM: Hodeidah cannot be allowed to become a graveyard
Conditions for over half a million people in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah are steadily deteriorating with food in short supply and seriously damaged water and sewage systems increasing the risk of cholera, Oxfam said today. More than 80,000 people have fled their homes, despite a recent reduction in the intensity of the fighting, while…
Read MoreRohingya refugees unprepared as monsoon rains, flooding and landslides continue
The monsoon rains falling on the Rohingya refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar, southern Bangladesh, have caused over 130 landslides, damaged 3,300 shelters and affected 28,000 refugees, Oxfam said. A survey of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh carried out by Oxfam before the start of the monsoon season found that more than half were almost completely unprepared…
Read MoreOxfam provides desperately needed food in DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak
Oxfam has started to provide desperately needed food to thousands of people caught up in the Ebola outbreak in Equateur province. Oxfam is distributing rice, beans and flour, to about 4,525 people. It has already started in Mbandaka – the provincial capital – and plans to extend to rural communities. This is in addition providing…
Read MoreHodeida offensive must be stopped to save lives and the chance for peace
The UN and NGOs received warnings over the weekend for staff to evacuate Hodeida by Tuesday ahead of the offensive, affirming the humanitarian community’s worst fears for Yemen. The UN peace envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths has already said that this attack would “take peace off the table in a single stroke,” and the UN…
Read MoreG7 offers piecemeal solutions to reduce economic inequality and close gender gap
Reacting to the outcome of the G7 summit in Quebec, Canada, Oxfam International executive director Winnie Byanyima said: “The growing split among G7 leaders is bad news for millions of women and men around the world struggling for a better life. Extreme economic and gender inequality, fueled by decades of misguided policies from the G7,…
Read MoreOver 12,000 people evacuated due to continued volcanic activity in Guatemala, Oxfam provides humanitarian aid
More than 12,000 people have evacuated from their homes due to the eruption of Volcán de Fuego, which continues to spew fresh torrents of lava and rocks, thick ash and clouds of smoke. The official death toll stands at 99, but at least 197 people remain unaccounted for. Ana María Méndez, Oxfam in Guatemala Country Director,…
Read MoreG7 must make the economy work for women
The Group of Seven leaders must agree on concrete steps to combat women’s economic inequality and make the economy work for women, said Oxfam on the eve of the summit in Quebec, Canada. “Our global economy is generating extreme wealth on the backs of the poorest women—women who sew our clothes, grow our food and…
Read MoreYemen fighting near Hodeidah port threatens to cut lifeline to millions
Escalation of fighting around Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah threatens to cut off essential supplies to millions of people who are already one step away from famine, Oxfam warned today. The fighting has already forced hundreds of families to flee their homes. Oxfam’s Country Director in Yemen, Muhsin Siddiquey said: “Yemen is already the world’s…
Read MoreOxfam in Guatemala is assessing its humanitarian response to “Volcano of Fire” eruption
The June 3rd eruption of the “Volcan de Fuego” in Guatemala has claimed 65 lives, displaced 3,500 people and affected at least 1.7 million people, according to local media reports. It is expected that the death toll will rise in the coming hours, given that there are several communities near the volcano that authorities have…
Read MoreCanada provides assistance after two cyclones wreak havoc on Fiji islands
Canada is providing assistance to the Fiji islands after two cyclones struck in one week in April 2018 and forced more than 14,000 people to seek shelter in evacuation centres. At least eight people died during the two storms, Cyclone Josie (Category 1) and Cyclone Keni (Category 3), which caused extensive flooding, numerous landslides and…
Read MoreUrgent action needed to prevent famine in South Sudan – Oxfam
Oxfam today called for urgent action to prevent millions of people being hit by famine in South Sudan. The warning follows a report last week from the Famine Early Warning Network (FEWSNET) which said that a fifth of households in Pibor could already be classed as hitting famine levels of hunger. Four years of conflict…
Read MoreCorporate support for disclosing oil and mining deals is improving but more work needed to turn words into reality
A new Oxfam survey of 40 oil, gas and mining companies has found that they are warming to the idea of disclosing their lucrative deals signed with governments, but much work remains to be done. Oxfam welcomes the progress made by major extractive companies in supporting the move to open up contracts and urges them to work…
Read MoreWorse to come as first rains cause damage in Rohingya camps in Bangladesh
Damage and fear caused by the first rains of the monsoon season in the Rohingya refugee camps are an ominous warning of what is to come Oxfam said today. Oxfam’s Rohingya Response Advocacy Manager Dorothy Sang said the worst is still to come when the monsoon seasons hits Bangladesh with full ferocity from late May to…
Read MoreFirst-ever feminist summit on sidelines of G7 to tackle top global issues
(Ottawa) As Justin Trudeau prepares to host G7 leaders in Charlevoix in June, the firstever feminist summit on its sidelines — W7: Feminist Visions for the G7 – kicks off in Ottawa this week, bringing together some 70 women from 20 countries to tackle the pressing global issues of our time. The W7 brings together…
Read MoreOxfam Canada Partners with Hot Docs to Raise Awareness about Violence against Women and Girls
Oxfam Canada is proud to partner with Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival to tell the stories of brave women speaking up about violence against women and girls in Canada and around the world. From the extraordinary tale of a group of female cyclists defying the rules in the Afghan mountains, to the inspiring activism…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to Syria air strikes
In response to the U.S., French and British air strikes on Syria, Moutaz Adham, Country Director, Oxfam in Syria said: “While chemical attacks should be effectively deterred, choosing to use military force to do so risks escalating the crisis, putting civilians, who have already suffered so much, at even greater risk. “World leaders must work…
Read MoreOxfam announces Zainab Bangura and Katherine Sierra to co-lead Independent Commission on Sexual Misconduct
Zainab Bangura, a former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations,and Katherine Sierra, a former Vice-President of the World Bank, will co-chair an Independent Commission on Sexual Misconduct, Accountability and Culture Change, Oxfam said today. The Independent Commission has been formed in response to incidents of sexual misconduct by Oxfam staff in countries including Chad and…
Read MoreMore wins for women at home and abroad, but progress lacking on work and wages: Oxfam
(Ottawa) Over the past year, the federal government’s bold feminist words have translated into tangible action to advance gender equality at home and abroad, but progress is lacking on women’s work and pay equity, according to a new report from Oxfam Canada. On the eve of International Women’s Day, the second annual scorecard, Turning Feminist…
Read MoreBudget 2018 takes strong steps on gender equality, with some victories for women at home and abroad
The federal government released Budget 2018 today, with a focus on advancing gender equality. Oxfam Canada and Oxfam-Québec applaud the government for listening to women, demonstrating a clear determination to level the playing field and end gender-based violence – a key impediment to women’s economic empowerment. Over the past year, the government has made good…
Read MoreOxfam releases report into allegations of sexual misconduct in Haiti
A full copy of Oxfam’s final internal report into allegations of sexual misconduct and other unacceptable behaviour during Oxfam’s humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake has been made public today. Oxfam is publishing the report, written in 2011, in order to be as transparent as possible about the decisions made during the investigation and in recognition of…
Read MoreOxfam asks women’s rights leaders to carry out urgent independent review
An independent commission will be set up with immediate power to carry out a wide-ranging review of Oxfam’s practices and culture, including its handling of past cases of sexual misconduct. It comes as Oxfam announces a comprehensive plan of action to strengthen safeguarding systems across the organization, and stamp out abuse. Oxfam International Executive Director Winnie Byanyima…
Read MoreOxfam Canada Statement on Sexual Misconduct in Haiti in 2011
In 2011, several Oxfam UK staff were accused of sexual exploitation and abuse in Haiti during the earthquake response. Their behavior was totally unacceptable – an appalling mark against the high values we set for ourselves at Oxfam. At the time, Oxfam Great Britain operated separately from Oxfam Canada. As far as we know, no…
Read MoreRichest 1% bagged 82% of global wealth created last year, poorest half of humanity got nothing: Oxfam
(Ottawa) Eighty two per cent of global wealth generated last year went to the richest one per cent, while the 3.7 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity saw no increase, according to a new Oxfam report. ‘Reward Work, Not Wealth’, is being released as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joins political and…
Read MoreOxfam Canada welcomes new ombudsperson to address human rights impacts of Canadian business abroad
(OTTAWA) Oxfam Canada welcomes news that the federal government is creating the office of Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise. For years, human rights advocates, including Oxfam, have called on Canada to hold companies accountable for their actions abroad. Today, the government heeded these calls and committed to appoint an ombudsperson with powers to investigate allegations…
Read MoreINGO Joint Statement on the complete opening of Hudaydah Port
Seventeen aid agencies working in Yemen are urging for the complete and unconditional opening of Hudaydah port to allow for the uninterrupted flow of food and fuel. A thirty-day concession period enabling the delivery of commercial supplies has brought only brief reprieve within the context of a sustained blockade on Yemen’s Red Sea Ports. Parties…
Read MoreYemen being pushed ever closer to famine
Yemen is being pushed ever closer to famine after 1,000 days of a brutal war, exacerbated by a crippling blockade of its key northern ports which is starving its people of food, fuel and medicine, Oxfam warned today. Some 90 per cent of Yemen’s food has to be imported. Since a Saudi-led coalition imposed a…
Read MoreRohingya refugees say no return to Myanmar without equal rights
(Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh) Rohingya refugees interviewed by Oxfam in Bangladesh say they will not go back to Myanmar until their safety can be guaranteed and they have equal rights, including being able to work and travel freely. Women in particular were deeply traumatized by their experiences – including rape and seeing loved ones killed –…
Read MoreOxfam Canada thanks Canadians for their generosity in helping Rohingya refugees
(OTTAWA) Oxfam Canada would like to thank Canadians who opened their hearts and wallets to help deliver life-saving aid to Rohingya refugees, more than half of whom are women and girls in need of protection. Since August, more than 646,000 Rohingya people have crossed over to Bangladesh. The overcrowded camps are inadequate to support such…
Read MoreJOINT STATEMENT: Immediate Ceasefire Needed – Yemeni Civilians Cannot Take Any More Suffering
International humanitarian agencies in Yemen are urgently calling on all warring parties for an immediate ceasefire in Sana’a. Escalating clashes between forces aligned with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Houthis are trapping civilian populations across Yemen’s governorates and exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian situation. The Yemeni population simply cannot take any more blows. …
Read MoreOxfam Canada launches project to ‘Power Up’ women’s political participation in Indonesia
(Jakarta) Thanks to a $2.6 million contribution from the Canadian government, Oxfam Canada will harness the power of technology to help Indonesian women develop a stronger voice in their communities and advocate for their rights. Over the next three years, PowerUp: Shaping Women’s Futures through Technology aims to reach 12,000 people across 52 villages in…
Read MoreOxfam Canada receives federal funding to empower women and girls in Philippines
(Ottawa) Thanks to a contribution of $17.5 million from the Government of Canada, Oxfam Canada will empower women and girls in six disadvantaged and conflict-affected regions of the Philippines with gender-sensitive sexual and reproductive health and rights services. The Sexual Health and Empowerment (SHE) Women’s Voice and Leadership project will reach approximately 300,000 people over…
Read MoreHumanitarian agencies condemn the closure of Yemen’s air, sea and land ports
Oxfam and 17 other humanitarian agencies expressed serious concern today over the Saudi Arabia-led coalition’s decision to temporarily close all entry points to Yemen, effectively sealing the country off. The agencies demand that humanitarian operations be allowed to resume immediately, and request clarity on the planned duration of the current closure and contingencies to allow…
Read MoreOxfam Canada welcomes federal legislation to target sexual harassment and violence in the workplace
(Ottawa) Oxfam Canada welcomes the federal government’s announcement today of legislation aimed at addressing sexual harassment and violence in the workplace. This is an important step to ensure women working at the federal level feel safe and know they will be supported if they speak out. The current sexual harassment provisions are weak and do…
Read MoreOxfam Canada welcomes federal Crisis Relief Fund for Rohingya refugees
(Ottawa) Oxfam Canada welcomes the Government of Canada’s announcement that for every eligible donation made by individuals to registered Canadian charities until November 28, 2017, it will contribute an equivalent amount to the Myanmar Crisis Relief Fund. That means every dollar will have double the impact. “Canada’s leadership comes at a critical time, with the concentration…
Read MoreMore funds needed to help Rohingya women who have fled rape and violence
There are now more than 120,000 pregnant women and mothers with new babies struggling to survive in cramped camps and settlements that are ill-equipped to deal with their needs. Among them are many pregnant teenagers and victims of rape. According to Cox’s Bazar Civil Surgeon’s office, 50 infants are born daily into dire conditions in…
Read MoreTourism’s Dirty Secret: Oxfam Canada highlights exploitation of women hotel housekeepers
(Ottawa) Profits in the global hotel industry are based on the systematic exploitation of housekeepers, the majority of whom are poor women living in fear of losing their jobs, says a new report by Oxfam Canada entitled Tourism’s Dirty Secret: The Exploitation of Hotel Housekeepers. In interviews with current and former hotel housekeepers in Canada,…
Read MoreWorld Food Day in Chad: Oxfam talks to the forgotten people within a silent crisis
More than 335,000 people continue to go hungry in the Lake Region of Chad – a place where only ten doctors are currently working and the international community has only funded $40 million of a $121 million humanitarian appeal. “Today, on World Food Day, more than 200,000 children in the Lake Region of Chad are…
Read MoreOxfam warns threat of disease rapidly rising as thousands more Rohingya arrive daily in Bangladesh
Oxfam warned today that an outbreak of cholera would devastate the camps in Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees are without safe water, shelter or enough food to eat. More than 50,000 newly arrived refugees have been hit by diarrhea, pneumonia, skin disease and acute malnutrition as aid agencies struggle to meet the…
Read MoreRace to prevent disease as thousands more Rohingya arrive daily in Bangladesh
Aid workers are in a race against time to stop the rapid spread of disease as thousands of Rohingya people arrive in Bangladesh every day. Oxfam warned that an outbreak of cholera would devastate the camps where hundreds of thousands are without safe water, shelter or enough food to eat. More than 50,000 newly arrived…
Read MoreYemen cholera outbreak now the world’s largest on record
Yemen’s five-month old cholera crisis is now the world’s largest outbreak since records began, Oxfam said today, as the number of suspected cases rose to over 755,000. The Yemen outbreak has overtaken the 754,373 suspected cases recorded in Haiti in the six years between 2010 and 2015. More than 2,100 people have already died from…
Read MoreHundreds of thousands of Rohingya without shelter & clean water in flooded camps: Oxfam
More than 70 per cent of the nearly 430,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled to Bangladesh are without adequate shelter and half have no safe drinking water, Oxfam warned today. Heavy rains and floods in camps have left people facing extreme hardships, and have slowed down the building of emergency shelters and clean water tanks,…
Read MoreOxfam warns of Hurricane Maria’s impact on thousands of vulnerable families in Dominican Republic
Oxfam is currently preparing to respond to the likely humanitarian needs of people now being hit by Hurricane Maria in Dominican Republic. Much of the country is already saturated after the recent heavy rains caused by Hurricanes Irma and José. This flooding has put the most vulnerable population at risk, especially those living in mountainous…
Read MoreMexico earthquake: Oxfam sends in assessment teams to two worst hit areas
Oxfam is sending in two teams of humanitarian experts to Morelos and Puebla, with more on the way, following the 7.1 earthquake that struck central Mexico on September 19th. This is the second earthquake to strike Mexico in less than two weeks. Over 200 people have died and hundreds are injured. Many remain trapped under…
Read MoreOxfam mobilizing to help Cubans devastated by Hurricane Irma with a focus on women and girls
After completing a fact-finding mission in Cuba to identify those most in need, Oxfam is working with partners and Cuban officials to respond to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Irma. One of the most powerful storms in recent history, Irma killed ten people on the island and caused damage to 13 of Cuba’s 15…
Read MoreStill no real progress one year after landmark UN refugee pledge
The Declaration, first adopted last September, reaffirmed the responsibility of all nations to refugees, and laid out a two-year timeline for countries to develop and agree on a “global compact” that would make these commitments a reality. But 12 months later, there has been no improvement in refugee crises globally. There has been little sign…
Read MoreOxfam providing life-saving help to over 200,000 Rohingya in Bangladesh
Nearly 370,000 people crossed into Bangladesh in the past four weeks, doubling the number seeking refuge in the south east of the country. Many are now sleeping under open skies, by roadsides and in forests with no protection from the elements. The existing camps in Bangladesh are ill equipped to handle this large influx of…
Read MoreHurricane Irma: Oxfam assists the poorest people hardest hit by disaster
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Oxfam and its Caribbean partner organizations are helping the most vulnerable people who have lost their homes and livelihoods to recover from the disaster, including ensuring access to clean water and basic sanitation. Irma’s severe flooding and strong winds caused considerable damage to people’s homes, infrastructure and agricultural production.…
Read MoreHurricane Irma: Oxfam collaborates with Cuban authorities to assess and mitigate damage
Oxfam has been working with the Cuban authorities to develop one of the most effective disaster prevention and response systems in the Caribbean. Oxfam’s risk management projects on the island strengthened early warning capacity, helping the most vulnerable residents and their communities to better prepare for Irma’s wrath. In response to Irma’s threat, Cuba’s National…
Read MoreOxfam Responds to Urgent Needs of People Fleeing Conflict to Bangladesh
“Oxfam is deeply concerned about the plight of more than 160,000 civilians who have crossed the border into Bangladesh, and countless others caught up in the conflict in Rakhine State, Myanmar resulting in a large-scale humanitarian crisis. Every day, thousands of people are taking the dangerous journey across the border, and due to access restrictions…
Read MoreHurricane Irma: Oxfam assessing damage in Haiti and Dominican Republic
Hurricane Irma caused widespread damage in Haiti and Dominican Republic overnight. Oxfam teams will immediately asses the needs of the most vulnerable people in the hardest-hit areas, mainly in the north of both countries. “We believe the worst of the hurricane has passed and people here hope to have fortunately escaped the worst,” said Oxfam’s…
Read MoreHurricane Irma: Oxfam in Haiti preparing for the worst
Many supermarket shelves in northern Haiti are now empty and many people in coastal areas are being evacuated inland to schools and public buildings in preparation for the worst of Hurricane Irma today and tomorrow. Oxfam’s Tania Escamilla is in Cap Haitien – Haiti’s second-largest city with a population of 280,000 – with Oxfam’s 27-person…
Read MoreOxfam ready to respond to Hurricane Irma and watching tropical storm Jose closely
Oxfam country teams and partner organizations in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba are now preparing to respond to probable damage from the impact of Hurricane Irma, to help people who are likely to be hit hardest. The category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale has just made landfall in the Caribbean with winds up…
Read MoreOxfam responds as 43 million hit by South Asia Floods
Some 1,200 people have died and 43 million people have been hit by the monsoon rains and heavy flooding in the South Asian nations of Bangladesh, India, and Nepal so far. Families have lost their homes and crops, and the number of casualties is likely to increase over the coming days. Oxfam is providing more…
Read MoreNumber of South Sudanese fleeing to Uganda tops one million in the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis
In response to the announcement by the UNHCR that one million South Sudanese refugees are now in Uganda, Ranjan Pudyal, Oxfam South Sudan’s Country Director, said: As long as the senseless, costly and brutal war in South Sudan continues, its people will continue to flee to find protection, food, water and shelter. -Ranjan Pudyal “As…
Read MoreOxfam Canada thanks Canadians for their generosity to help fight famine
With an estimated 55 million women, children and men struggling to find food and safe drinking water in one of the worst food security crises the world has ever seen, Oxfam Canada thanks Canadians for donating over one million dollars to the organization in the “Stop Famine Together” campaign. “Thanks to the generosity of the…
Read MoreOxfam providing clean water and hygiene kits to survivors of Sierra Leone mud slide
The international agency initially plans to help almost 2,000 households amidst concerns that continued heavy rains, overcrowding and inadequate water and sanitation systems will leave people extremely vulnerable to outbreaks of cholera and other diseases. Daniel Byrne, part of the Oxfam team that visited the worst affected areas, said, “We saw mass destruction – people…
Read MoreHalf a million suspected cholera cases in Yemen in just four months
In reaction to the announcement that more than 500,000 people are suspected of contracting cholera in Yemen, Katy Wright, Head of Advocacy, Oxfam said: “Yemen’s catastrophic cholera crisis is rewriting the miserable history of this disease. Our common humanity tells us that this massive crisis demands a massive response.” “This is no accidental disaster, it…
Read MoreFood shortages and funding gap push extra 700,000 people to verge of starvation in Ethiopia
In response to the newly released Humanitarian Response Document by the Government of Ethiopia, Victoria Hopkins, Humanitarian Manager at Oxfam Canada said: “The third poor rainy season in a row has plunged 700,000 more people into crippling hunger and on the verge of starvation in the Somali region of southern Ethiopia. Now in the midst…
Read MoreOxfam Canada Statement on Canada’s first Feminist International Assistance Policy
On June 9, 2017, Minister of International Cooperation Marie-Claude Bibeau launched Canada’s first Feminist International Assistance Policy – the result of an internal review and consultations with more than 15,000 people in 65 countries that began in the spring of 2016. The new policy is ambitious, putting women’s rights and gender equality squarely at the…
Read MoreOxfam brings aid to 23,000 people in India
Heavy, sustained rains across the northeastern states in India caused extensive damage and affected close to 400,000 people as the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries overflowed, causing widespread and devastating flooding. The rains triggered by cyclone Mora began in late June and continued into July. Communities already living below the poverty line in Assam province…
Read MoreYemen cholera worst on record & numbers still rising
The number of people with cholera in Yemen is now the largest ever in any country in a single year since records began, Oxfam said today. At more than 360,000 suspected cholera cases in just three months since the outbreak started, it now tops the previous annual record of 340,311 in Haiti in 2011. Though…
Read MoreOxfam celebrates 15 years working with Coldplay
The 2017 leg of Coldplay’s Head Full of Dreams tour – which arrives in Montreal on Tuesday, August 8 – marks 15 years of Oxfam working with the band. In that time, more than 60,000 Coldplay fans have signed up to support Oxfam campaigns to highlight unfair trade practices and the plight of refugees. Coldplay…
Read MoreMosul residents continue to face severe risks despite end of military offensive
In response to the Iraqi Security Forces’ announcement that they have retaken the city of Mosul from ISIS, Oxfam’s Country Director in Iraq, Andres Gonzalez said: “The retaking of Mosul will no doubt inspire hope among many Iraqis: hope that they can return home, rebuild their lives, and heal the divisions within their society. But these…
Read MoreSouth Sudan: famine pushed back but more people hungry than ever before
In response to the new IPC figures that show that famine has been pushed back in the two counties of Leer and Mayendit (which have now gone from being in famine to humanitarian crisis), Sara Almer, Oxfam South Sudan Country Director, says: “Thanks to aid efforts, famine has been pushed back in most of Leer and Mayendit,…
Read MoreYemen cholera killing one person nearly every hour
Yemen is in the grip of a runaway cholera epidemic that is killing one person nearly every hour and if not contained will threaten the lives of thousands of people in the coming months, Oxfam said today. The agency is calling for a massive aid effort and an immediate ceasefire to allow health and aid…
Read MoreOxfam Canada welcomes Government relief fund, hopes Canadians will join the fight against famine now to double the impact of their donations
Oxfam Canada welcomed the Government of Canada’s announcement today, that for every eligible donation made by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities between March 17 and June 30, 2017, it will contribute an equivalent amount to the Famine Relief Fund to fight famine across 10 affected countries, including South Sudan where famine has already been…
Read MoreAs world faces unprecedented famine threat, G7 should pay up and push for peace
Deadly famine is already affecting 100,000 people in parts of South Sudan and threatens to extend to Yemen, Somalia and northeast Nigeria. Widespread famine across all four countries is not yet inevitable, but G7 leaders need to act now with a massive injection of aid, backed with a forceful diplomatic push to bring an end…
Read MoreUnifor donates $100,000 to Oxfam Canada South Sudan famine relief
TORONTO, CNW – Unifor is proud to partner with Oxfam Canada to help provide famine relief in South Sudan and other countries facing a food crisis in the region, with a $100,000 donation from the Unifor Social Justice Fund. “Roughly five million people are struggling to survive the hunger crisis in South Sudan and immediate…
Read MoreOxfam Canada Partners with Hot Docs to Present Powerful Films on Issues Facing Women and Girls
Oxfam Canada is proud to announce that it has partnered with Hot Docs Canadian Documentary Film Festival – North America’s largest documentary film festival – to present two powerful films on important issues facing women and girls, in Canada and around the world. The films include the world premiere of A Better Man – a…
Read MoreOxfam calls for greater G7 support for Syria peace talks
As G7 foreign ministers meeting in Lucca, Italy, failed to reach agreement on sanctions, Oxfam has called for a renewed push on Syria peace talks. Elisa Baccioti, Oxfam’s Campaigns Director attending the event in Lucca, said: “Now, more than ever, Oxfam urges a redoubling of efforts to find a lasting and peaceful solution to this conflict…
Read MoreOxfam condemns US defunding of UN agency focusing on reproductive health and rights of women and girls
Oxfam strongly condemns the decision by the US Government this week to withhold funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The decision puts women’s lives at risk and will deny thousands of women their right to comprehensive healthcare. This decision is part of a pattern of action that seriously undermines the health and human rights…
Read MoreCanada not pulling its weight internationally
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published its annual review of development aid assistance today, ranking Canada as the 11th largest OECD-DAC donor, down from 9th in 2015 and 10th in 2014. In terms of ODA/GNI ratio, Canada now ranks 15th among the 29 DAC members, with a ratio of 0.26% putting it…
Read MoreBudget 2017 takes positive steps for women, but more needed on foreign aid.
The Government of Canada released its Federal Budget 2017 today, announcing a few new measures and investments aimed at making the economy work for women. Gender inequality is one of the most widespread and pernicious drivers of poverty and inequality worldwide. Promoting its feminist agenda worldwide has put Canada back on the international stage as…
Read MoreOxfam Canada sends work boots to Minister in hopes for a budget that works for women world-wide.
Oxfam Canada delivered a pair of work boots to Finance Minister Bill Morneau today, in the hopes that he will wear them ahead of budget day 2017 to signal his support for women’s rights world-wide. Almost every year Canada’s Minister of Finance buys new shoes to wear on the day the budget is delivered in…
Read MoreOxfam polls Canadians and will send feminist shoes to Finance Minister ahead of Budget 2017
Ottawa, March 14 – Almost every year, sometime before delivering his budget speech to the House of Commons, Canada’s Minister of Finance buys new shoes. This year, Oxfam asked Canadians: “What shoes should Finance Minister Bill Morneau wear on budget day to show he is serious about women’s rights?” Votes have already been cast from…
Read MoreNo escape for Syrians seeking safety six years after first protests – Oxfam
Six years since the demonstrations that triggered the descent into a brutal civil war, millions of Syrians are bearing the brunt of increasingly restrictive policies around the world and inside Syria to stop them reaching safety, Oxfam warned today. Those who have fled Syria are seeing doors slammed in their faces as rich countries across…
Read MoreOxfam Canada Welcomes Funding for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights from Government of Canada on International Women’s Day
Women’s Day In response to Prime Minister Trudeau and International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau’s announcement today of $650 million over three years towards sexual and reproductive health and rights, Oxfam Canada Executive Director, Julie Delahanty, said: “Today’s announcement comes at a critical moment. We are seeing the clawing back of hard-won women‘s rights in many…
Read MoreOxfam condemns President Trump’s latest attempt to slam the door on vulnerable refugees
Ottawa – Oxfam condemns President Trump’s latest effort to slam the door on refugees by signing yet another Executive Order denying safe refuge for the tens of thousands of people who urgently need the help of the United States. This repackaged ban is another affront to the world’s most vulnerable people and to the core…
Read MoreOxfam scorecard tracking Liberal Government action on women’s rights shows progress – but more needed to turn feminist words into action
Ottawa – Despite noble intentions and some important steps in the right direction, the bold feminist rhetoric from the current Liberal government has not yet translated into meaningful policy and spending decisions, says a new scorecard and report from Oxfam Canada. In the lead up to International Women’s Day, Oxfam Canada has published its first…
Read MoreCanada’s $20M pledge for sexual and reproductive health and welcome, but more needed to address gap
Canadian civil society leaders in Brussels as part of the Canadian delegation for the She Decides funding conference welcomed International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau’s initial pledge today of $20M to address for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), saying it was in line with other Governments and an important first step in the right…
Read MoreThreat of four famines in 2017 “a catastrophic betrayal of our common humanity”
The world stands on the brink of an unprecedented four famines in 2017 due to a catastrophic failure of the global community to uphold its obligations to the most vulnerable of people. Oxfam today calls on donors to take immediate action to help as many as 20 million people now at risk of starvation. Famine…
Read MoreAid agencies in South Sudan warn that funds are urgently needed to stop the spread of famine
Twenty seven humanitarian agencies working in South Sudan have warned that unless substantial funds are immediately provided to those working on the ground, organizations will struggle to stop famine spreading across the country in the next few months. The statement follows Monday’s declaration of famine in parts of the country. The UN has appealed…
Read MoreFamine in South Sudan reflects international failure, Oxfam
Emma Jane Drew, Humanitarian Program Manager in South Sudan says: “This is a man-made tragedy, and we are running out of time to avoid it getting worse. In over 30 years working in the affected areas, Oxfam has never witnessed such dire need. Vulnerable people, out of reach of life-saving assistance due to the conflict,…
Read MoreFears for 750,000 people trapped in western Mosul as battle draws near, Oxfam
An estimated 750,000 people are trapped in western Mosul without any safe means of escape from the latest military offensive that could start any day, Oxfam warned today. Humanitarian conditions in the west of the city are deteriorating after supply routes were cut off in November when the east of the city was being recaptured.…
Read MoreOxfam condemns President Trump’s discriminatory Executive Order on refugees and urges Canadian action
Oxfam Canada is deeply concerned about President Trump’s Executive Order on refugees and the impact it could have on refugees and immigrants worldwide. The Executive Order has indefinitely suspended the US refugee program for Syrian resettlement, put a temporary hold on all refugee admissions, and put in place a travel ban on citizens from 7…
Read MoreOxfam Response to US President Trump’s Executive Orders to reinstate the Global Gag Rule (Mexico City Policy)
Oxfam Canada strongly condemns the recent decision of the US Government to reinstate the Global Gag Rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy. This policy will leave a major funding gap for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and severely impact access to services for women and adolescents in developing countries. Canada must…
Read MoreJoint Statement on Trump’s Global Gag Rule Re-Enactment
We, the undersigned organizations, strongly condemn President Trump’s signing of the Global Gag Rule on January 23rd 2017, one of his first acts as President of the United States. During the Reagan, Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. administrations, the Global Gag Rule prohibited foreign NGOs receiving U.S. assistance related to family planning and reproductive health…
Read MoreOpen Letter to Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau
Dear Minister Morneau, It’s 2017 and we want to see real change. Last week Oxfam revealed that just 8 men own the same wealth as the bottom half of humanity. There is no clearer sign that our global economic system is broken. We are writing to remind you to keep women – and particularly those…
Read MoreJust 8 men own same wealth as half the world, says new Oxfam report
Eight men own the same wealth as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity, according to a new report by Oxfam. Here at home, just 2 people own the same wealth as the poorest 30% of Canadians. Oxfam's report, ‘An economy for the 99 percent’, published to mark the World…
Read MoreOxfam warns of hunger in Haiti 3 months after Hurricane Matthew
Hundreds of thousands of Haitians who survived Hurricane Matthew, which ripped through their country three months ago, will go hungry if governments, donors and aid agencies do not step up efforts to help them, warned Oxfam today. A $139m UN fund set up to respond the most urgent post-Hurricane Matthew needs is 38 percent underfunded. People in the South and…
Read MoreOxfam Response to CEDAW Concluding Observations and Recommendations
Oxfam welcomes today’s concluding observations and recommendations on Canada’s progress on women’s rights and gender equality from the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the UN body responsible for upholding women’s human rights. While the Committee recognizes that some progress has been made on the implementation of Canada’s women’s human rights obligations,…
Read MoreOxfam Canada response to Canada Revenue Agency’s report on tax evasion and tax avoidance
Oxfam Canada welcomes the Canada Revenue Agency’s close review of the ways in which the Canada Revenue Agency can combat tax evasion and tax avoidance in it’s newly released report: The Canada Revenue Agency, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion: Recommended Actions. Governments the world over are losing trillions of dollars each year that could be spent…
Read MoreOxfam Canada response to House of Commons Finance Committee pre-budget consulation report
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance released its report Creating the Conditions for Growth: Tools for People, Business and Communities on December 7, 2016. The report captures the testimony and recommendations of 293 witnesses and 445 briefs. As a result, the Finance committee made 81 concrete recommendations to the government of Canada, with…
Read MoreOxfam response to report on development cooperation of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
Oxfam welcomes the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development’s report, Development cooperation for a more stable, inclusive and prosperous world: a collective ambition. The report puts forth 7 strong recommendations that, if implemented, would certainly contribute to greater effectiveness of Canada’s development approach. One of the key findings of the report is the…
Read MoreLess than 3% of five million Syrian refugees resettled in rich countries: Oxfam
Less than three per cent of nearly five million refugees living in Syria’s neighbouring states have been resettled in rich countries according to a new report published today by Oxfam. Instead a lack of political will and a rise in xenophobia have driven a backlash against refugees in many countries. Oxfam reviewed the resettlement policies…
Read MoreOxfam response to news of execution-style killings in Aleppo
In response to news of execution-style killings in Aleppo, Andy Baker, Oxfam’s Regional Program Manager for the Syria crisis response, said: “Oxfam is deeply concerned at reports that dozens of civilians, including women and children, have been executed in Aleppo by pro-government forces. The government of Syria and their armed allies must ensure civilians who…
Read MoreAlmost 100 dead after Indonesia earthquake, Oxfam responding
Oxfam is mounting a response to the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that hit the northern end of the Indonesian island of Sumatra near Banda Aceh yesterday morning. Almost 100 people have been killed and more than 500 injured, according to local military officials. Up to 200 buildings have been destroyed and many of the people killed…
Read MoreOxfam Canada response the unfolding situation in Aleppo, Syria
"It is only now that residents of east Aleppo – who have faced intense and sustained bombardment by air and by land for years – are fleeing across conflict lines. This is a sign of how extreme the situation is in the east of the city, and the fact their safety is far from guaranteed…
Read MoreOxfam Canada response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s funding announcement in Liberia
In response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement on funding in Liberia, Oxfam Canada’s Senior Policy Advisor Diana Sarosi, said: “At Oxfam, we know from our work that empowering women and girls is the only way to bring an end to poverty and inequality. We are thrilled to see Canada contribute $10 million over 5…
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