What Oxfam is Doing
Over 60 percent of the world's poorest people live in countries rich in natural resources—but they rarely share in the wealth. Oxfam America is undertaking a new campaign focused on the theme "Right to Know, Right to Decide," which is calling on oil, gas, and mining companies to fully respect the right of communities to participate in decision-making and to fully disclose money they pay to foreign governments—information that is crucial for ensuring that governments use these funds to reduce poverty and protect human rights.
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.
If they are consulted in advance, communities can decide whether they want companies to begin or expand operations on their land. And if they know how much extractive companies are paying their government for their natural resources, they can ensure that a fair share of the profits go to community needs like education, health care, and jobs.
Oxfam America has a long history of supporting these community rights in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the US. In Ghana, we help communities access information about water contamination caused by mining. In Cambodia, we support a coalition of local nongovernmental organizations working to ensure that the revenues from the country’s coming oil boom are shared in a transparent way. In El Salvador, we work with grassroots organizations to promote informed public debate about mining projects. And in the US, we help Native American communities protect their sacred sites from encroachment by mining.
Now, Oxfam America is calling on international oil, gas, and mining companies to show their respect for the following
- A community’s right to know: Companies must provide complete and timely information about how their work affects communities—environmentally, socially, and economically. They must also disclose how much they are paying governments for natural resources so that poor communities get a fair share of the profits.
- A community’s right to decide: Companies must obtain the free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) of communities affected by oil, gas, and mining operations. For indigenous peoples in particular, respect for FPIC is a critical means of protecting sacred lands and cultural identity.
Oxfam and our supporters can make a difference
- By supporting the passage of Congressional legislation that would require oil, gas, and mining companies to make public what they pay to the countries where they operate.
- By challenging leading oil, gas, and mining companies to respect communities’ right to know and right to decide.