All Publications

The AK-47: the world's favorite killing machine

mborum — 2009-02-25T23:09:17Z

The AK-47 assault rifle (including its many variants) is the world's favourite killing machine, used by soldiers, fighters, and gang members to inflict terrible suffering. It is estimated that there are between 50 and 70 million of them spread across the world's five continents. There is no global treaty to regulate their sale and no international organisation to monitor transfers. At the forthcoming United Nations Small Arms Conference, governments must agree a comprehensive set of controls, including a new global set of rules based on states' existing responsibilities under international law, in order to help prevent the proliferation and misuse of small arms, including assault rifles like the AK-47. In October, states must agree to a new international Arms Trade Treaty to help prevent all categories of conventional weapons falling into the wrong hands

Consequences of the Proliferation and Misuse of Small Arms and Light Weapons

mborum — 2009-04-30T22:35:22Z

An estimated 639 million small arms and light weapons (SALW) are currently in circulation around the globe

Five years ago, the U.S. Small Arms Working Group (SAWG)* produced eleven fact sheets that highlighted the many ways in which small arms proliferation and misuse affects various aspects of life and society. Over the last five years, national, regional, and global initiatives have also been undertaken to mitigate these consequences.

SAWG has again updated the 11 original fact sheets (they were also updated in 2003), and added two more. These fact sheets are intended to serve as a resource for those interested in exploring the varied ways in which small arms proliferation and misuse affect people’s lives.

They are not comprehensive, but rather give readers a glimpse into the complex consequences of these deadly weapons.

Ammunition: The Fuel of Conflict

mborum — 2009-04-30T22:14:53Z

Hundreds of thousands of people are killed each year through the misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law.

Small arms ammunition is the fuel that keeps many of the world’s conflicts raging. While small arms do not themselves cause conflict, they make it much deadlier, and a shortage of bullets can reduce or even stop fighting altogether. In the Central African Republic, fighters have been known to throw away weapons because they cannot buy the right bullets for them.

On 26 June, the UN Review Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons begins in New York. At this conference, governments must adopt a new global set of rules and standards for transfers of small arms and ammunition. In October 2006, at the UN General Assembly, governments should agree to negotiate a new international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to regulate transfers of all conventional arms, including ammunition.

Transparency Begins at Home

chufstader — 2009-06-08T16:17:14Z

The Oxfam America report compares how the United States collects, verifies and discloses the benefit streams it is due from the gas, oil, and mining industries to the standards of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

Song of the Sirens

mborum — 2010-08-10T20:50:14Z

US free trade agreements with Peru and Colombia, as well as the possible agreement with Ecuador, were negotiated under the promise of great opportunities in the world’s richest market, but the truth is that these agreements will have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of small farmers, public health, and the regulation of investment to protect the public interest.

Furthermore, they will weaken existing regional processes of integration and co-operation. Trade rules with the Andean region need to be substantially modified in order for development to become a priority once again.

Oxfam Impact June 2006

mborum — 2009-03-25T20:43:40Z

Reliable water sources lead to a better life in Ethiopia.

OXFAMExchange Spring 2006

mborum — 2009-04-30T19:23:19Z

Challenging Injustice:

Stories include environmental campaigns in Peru, controversy over gold mining, coffee farmers demand role in international coffee organization, and citizens work for peace in Africa.

Grounds for Change

rbaker — 2009-05-27T22:46:58Z

Coffee plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of millions of rural households in the developing world. Small-scale family farmers produce over 75% of the world’s coffee. Market volatility and declining terms of trade, along with inadequate access to infrastructure, financial resources, and market information, put sustainable livelihoods out of reach for millions of rural families. The coffee market continues to be a showcase of the need to address the commodity crisis on a global scale, a crisis that is hampering the development of many countries. This is directly linked to the global interest in wider peace and stability.

The discussions on the future of the International Coffee Agreement present an historic opportunity to address the ongoing crisis facing smallholder coffee farmers and farmworkers by contributing to sustainable coffee supply chains. At the 2nd World Coffee Conference in September 2005 several organizations presented the International Coffee Organisation and its delegates with the Carta de Salvador—the Salvador Declaration, which stressed the ongoing effects of the coffee crisis facing small-scale family farmers and farmworkers. This paper calls on International Coffee Organization members to support small-scale farmers and farmworker organizations by ensuring space for their direct participation in international debate, creating mechanisms that enhance the availability of market information to small-scale farmers, and maximizing opportunities to develop cohesive international strategies to provide technical support, access to credit, and direct access to markets.

A Recipe for Disaster

mborum — 2009-05-27T22:48:40Z

As yet another deadline approaches in the Doha Round of trade negotiations, the chances of a deal being done this year that helps developing countries are looking increasingly slim.

Aggressive demands by rich countries mean that, far from being able to pursue reforms that will lift people out of poverty, poor countries are having to engage in damage limitation.

Unless the substance of the offers on the table changes radically, then no deal should be signed in 2006.

Public Health at Risk

rbaker — 2010-08-10T20:49:10Z

New stringent drug patent and marketing rules being negotiated in a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the US and Thailand would limit competition and reduce access to affordable medicines in Thailand. This would threaten the future of existing successful Thai HIV/AIDS treatment programmes, which rely on inexpensive generic drugs, and thus deprive thousands of people of effective treatment. Oxfam opposes an FTA with intellectual property rules that exceed the standards agreed at the World Trade Organization.

This document is available for download (below) in English, French, Thai, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Indonesian translations.

Oxfam Impact Special Report

mborum — 2009-03-25T20:57:03Z

Oxfam's extensive work in East Africa has always focused on those most vulnerable—particularly subsistence farmers and nomadic herders.

Annual Report 2005

mborum — 2009-06-01T23:23:13Z

Oxfam America revenues for 2005 set a record at just over $79 million. This represents tremendous growth both in revenues—a $39 million increase over revenues from 2004—and in numbers of people like you who make up the Oxfam family.

Much of our growth in 2005 was a result of the tsunami, which garnered more than 100,000 first-time donors and more than $30 million in tsunami-related donations. Oxfam America pooled two-thirds of these funds with resources from other Oxfam affiliates into an Oxfam International Tsunami Fund to support our coordinated rehabilitation effort. We expect to spend the remainder of the funds on our rebuilding work over the next three years.

Beyond the tsunami, this was a record year for growth in other categories as well. Regional programs grew from $13 million to nearly $17 million. This allowed for new and expanded programming, including our robust new microfinance efforts, an increased presence in the Horn of Africa, and the launch of an HIV/AIDS program in southern Africa. Public education and policy and advocacy grew by a combined total of $3.5 million.

Oxfam Impact February 2006

mborum — 2009-03-25T20:40:21Z

As health food's popularity grows, Oxfam partner Community Cooperative for Rural Development establishes the first certified organic rice mill in the country.

What happened in Hong Kong?

mborum — 2009-05-27T22:53:12Z

The WTO Hong Kong ministerial meeting was a lost opportunity to make trade fairer for poor people around the world. Rich countries put their commercial interests before those of developing countries. Most of the difficult decisions were put off to a further meeting in early 2006, but it is far from clear why rich countries that were unable to show the necessary leadership in Hong Kong will behave any differently in a few months’ time.

Fish Trade, Food, and Income Security

mborum — 2009-05-27T22:56:46Z

As riparian governments advoate freer trade and develop physical infrastructure, trade networks, including for aquatic living animals, trade will likely become more efficient through largers investment by fewer traders. Whether this trade efficiency and economic growth are accompanied with a progressive distributional change, among farmers and fishers, is currently under debate. Without a clearer policy agenda that reflects the diversity and social nature of fish trade relations at the local levels, the ability of fishers, farmers, and traders to secure their food and income may be compromised.