All Publications

Working with women

Oxfam America — 2011-07-28T19:08:52Z

More than 40 percent of the world's population—2.5 billion people—live in poverty, surviving on less than $2 a day. Our aim is to find lasting solutions to that poverty, and to the hunger and injustice that accompany it. But we can't begin to tackle those problems without considering the vast inequities that exist between women and men—the access each has to education, to resources, to political engagement.

Women, on every score, fall far behind.

No solution to poverty can endure without the full participation of women: They make up half the people on Earth.

To achieve that goal—to end poverty—we need to address discrimination and the uneven balance of power between men and women. At Oxfam, we support opportunities for women and girls to change the circumstances of their lives. We help them claim their rights, live free from violence, earn a decent income, get an education, become entrepreneurs, and make their voices heard. Guiding us is our belief in basic human rights, which includes the conviction that women—like men—have the capability to make a profound difference in the lives of their families, their communities, and their nations.

Ready or Not

Oxfam America — 2011-07-29T13:41:51Z

The floods that hit Pakistan in 2010 were the worst in the country’s history. The humanitarian response achieved remarkable successes in minimizing the immediate loss of life and providing relief to millions of people. However, it could have been better: more than 800,000 families remain without permanent shelter and more than a million people remain in need of food assistance. These unmet needs must be addressed as a matter of urgency.

As Pakistan faces another monsoon season and the likelihood of more disasters, the country is not prepared. Many factors which have hampered the relief and reconstruction effort are still present, such as an inadequate disaster management system and a lack of emergency relief co-ordination and leadership. These institutional challenges must be resolved as soon as possible. The government and donors need to invest heavily in measures to reduce disaster risks such as better early warning systems, flood control, and more resilient housing. They should also tackle the underlying social inequalities which leave people vulnerable to disasters through a pro-poor national development plan. Spending on risk reduction and preparedness not only saves lives and livelihoods but hugely reduces the economic impact of disasters.

The Human Cost: Cubans and Cuban Americans talk about their lives and the U.S. Embargo

kharrison — 2011-07-28T18:26:35Z

Over the course of three years, author Dr. Mercedes B. Arce Rodriguez interviewed Cubans and Cuban Americans about their lives, collecting testimonies about the impact of the U.S. embargo. She lets their personal stories speak for themselves while reflecting on the social impact of the blockade from a deeply human dimension. The publication was made possible through the support of Oxfam America.

In war-torn Darfur, a stove with a mission

csoares — 2011-07-28T18:27:23Z

But when engineers, aid agencies, and disaster-affected communities join forces to confront a challenge like this, the results can be far-reaching.

An eternal stranger comes home

csoares — 2011-06-22T14:36:23Z

In southern Mali, organic farming helps women overcome inequality and claim a place of their own.

Adapting for a Green Economy: Companies, Communities and Climate Change

aperera — 2011-06-20T18:29:02Z

At the end of this year, governments will gather in Durban, South Africa, for the next round of United Nations negotiations to advance global action on climate change. In June 2012, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) will seek to secure new and comprehensive commitments to sustainable development.

This publication aims to support the efforts leading up to Rio+20, as well as the activities, processes, commitments and partnerships that flow from it. By highlighting the nexus among climate change risks and opportunities, sustainable development and climate change adaptation,

Adapting for a Green Economy provides useful guidance to business leaders and policymakers alike.

An Ounce of Prevention:

aperera — 2011-06-21T15:36:32Z

This report examines the likely impacts of a changing climate on the US government’s civilian and military humanitarian response systems. We analyze both humanitarian and security implications of climate change as well as how the US government responds to overseas climate-related emergencies. We want to understand the changes that can be made now to better prepare these systems for the long-term effects of climate change.

Growing a Better Future

akramer — 2011-08-15T15:24:14Z

We face three interlinked challenges in an age of growing crisis: feeding nine billion people without wrecking the planet, finding equitable solutions to end disempowerment and injustice, and increasing our collective resilience to shocks and volatility.

The good news is that practical solutions are both urgent and available—from simple common sense acts we can all take, to bold shifts in how we manage shared resources and value social progress. They are good for producers, good for consumers, and good for the planet. Their benefits can be shared by the many, not just the few, and they are built to be resilient in the long run.

Growing a better future will take all the energy, ingenuity and political will that humankind can muster. If the best solutions are to win out, we must mount powerful campaigns to win significant reforms in how our societies manage common threats and resources and create platforms for opportunity. From global negotiations to national decision making, this report outlines the shifts we must work for to make food justice a reality.

Open publication

OXFAMExchange, Spring 2011

csoares — 2011-07-28T21:36:16Z

Development work is hard to write about. At Oxfam, we try to avoid simplistic storytelling on one hand and impenetrable analysis on the other, because both do a disservice to our supporters and the people we serve. The issues that we face, however, are complex, and effective solutions require careful thought, sustained investment, and hard work. We worry that even our best-told stories may produce the same passivity that TV engenders. Like watching a movie unfold—however fascinating, the characters often seem distant, unrelated to your life.

Take the story of Chanthy Dam (see pg 6); it is a compelling one, but its relevance to your life may not be immediately clear. Oxfam’s work targets not only the symptoms of poverty, like hunger, but the root causes. “Root causes” refers to an interwoven system of relationships. Poverty is about power, and power is about how people relate to each other. Thus, providing only goods—like food— can be counterproductive unless we also help people raise their voices and claim the right to hold their leaders accountable. And Chanthy is doing that: ensuring that marginalized people in the Cambodian highlands recognize the power of their own voices.

I don’t want to underestimate Chanthy’s role or courage, but you and I have a role to play in her story. Those of you who are donors have supported her work financially. But all of you reading this now play a role too. After several threatening incidents, Chanthy admitted, “I did not realize how much I had upset powerful people.” We considered with care whether reporting on her work would put her at risk, but concluded that telling her story—elevating her voice―might be the best way of helping to keep her safe. Most injustice flourishes in darkness.

By reading this, you broaden the circle of those listening to Chanthy Dam. Amplify her voice by sharing her story. In doing so, you acknowledge your role—not as a passive viewer to the struggles of people like Chanthy, but as an integral part of the solution to injustice.

Open publication - Free publishing - More exchange

Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation (HARITA) quarterly report: January 2011–March 2011

cengstrom — 2011-07-25T18:54:46Z

For the 1.3 billion people living on less than a dollar a day who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, vulnerability to weather-related shocks is a constant threat to security and well-being. As climate change drives an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural hazards, the challenges faced by food-insecure communities struggling to improve their lives and livelihoods will also increase. The question of how to build rural resilience against weather-related risk is critical for addressing global poverty.

In response to this challenge, Oxfam America has developed a holistic risk management framework to enable poor farmers in Ethiopia to strengthen their food and income security through a combination of improved resource management (risk reduction), microcredit (“smart” risk taking), risk transfer (insurance), and risk reserves (savings). The Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation (HARITA) project implemented in Ethiopia is the first example of this pioneering approach. Initiated in 2007 through an innovative partnership that brought together Ethiopian farmers, the Relief Society of Tigray (REST), Nyala Insurance Share Company, Dedebit Credit and Savings Institution (DECSI), Mekelle University, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), Swiss Re, the Rockefeller Foundation, and six other organizations including a farmers’ cooperative, local government agencies, a local agriculture research organization, and global legal experts, the project has broken new ground in the field of risk management by enabling Ethiopia’s poorest farmers to pay for their insurance with their own labor.

GROW: Food. Justice. Planet.

mborum — 2012-10-03T14:46:51Z

Soon there'll be nine billion of us on the planet. All of us, our friends and our families, deserve enough to eat. The food, water, and land we all rely on could soon be used up. So more of the same is not enough. It's time to change the way we produce, consume, and share. GROW is the new campaign to do just that. Starting now. To grow for all. A better way of living. Shared solutions for a safer planet. So the next generation can join us at the table.

Open publication

Oxfam America Mid-‐Term Climate Change Campaign Evaluation Executive Summary

aperera — 2012-01-09T19:47:19Z

This is a final report of iScale’s mid-‐term review of Oxfam America’s (OA) Climate Change Campaign (CCC). The purpose of the review is to assess the effectiveness of OA’s campaign efforts to influence US policy and leadership in international fora as well as its efforts to promote greater action on climate change through its country assistance programs. As a
member of Oxfam International (OI), OA carries out the majority of its policy and campaign work in conjunction with OI. The CCC in the US and the climate change work of other OI affiliates (Oxfam Great Britain and Oxfam Australia) were designed to contribute to the objectives of the OI Climate Change Campaign.

Enough for Everyone

cengstrom — 2012-10-03T14:32:53Z

Right now the power to overcome the failures of our food system sits neither with the billion-plus farmers who produce food nor the billions of consumers who eat it. Instead, companies and governments set policies Oxfam America’s five-point plan to respond to the emerging food crisis and reduce food insecurity around the world and control markets—and they often determine who eats and who doesn’t. We must all work to deliver a future in which everyone has enough healthy food to eat. But the most powerful actors—President Obama, the US Congress and US companies—must take urgent action to begin to build a better food system today.

This plan alone won’t end hunger. But by taking immediate action on these priorities, President Obama, Congress, and companies can ensure greater economic prosperity and national security, a better life for poor farmers, and a more stable food supply for everyone for generations to come.

Protect Community Rights and Resources Fact Sheet

Oxfam America — 2011-07-21T19:40:10Z

But oil, gas, and mining projects don't have to add to poverty and powerlessness; in fact, they can help communities overcome these challenges.

More and more, poor people are asserting their right to decide if or how they want oil, gas, and mining development to take place in their community—and their right to know about the impacts and benefits of these projects.

Foreign aid 101: A quick and easy guide to understanding US foreign aid

mborum — 2012-09-21T20:03:24Z

Why does the US give foreign aid? How much does foreign aid cost? What is the US doing to make foreign aid more effective? And why does Oxfam care about foreign aid?

In its revised edition of "Foreign Aid 101," Oxfam sets out to answer these fundamental questions through a quick and easy guide to understanding foreign aid. The report dispels common myths about aid, explains the terminology, and through examples illustrates how the US is making foreign aid more effective while also making recommendations on how the US can ensure that its foreign aid leads to broad-based growth.