A message from Oxfam Canada's Executive Director, Robert Fox

Good news. Around the world, in the face of daunting challenges, courageous and creative women and men are making a real difference in the day to day lives of people living in poverty.

They are helping people take control of their lives, build on their strengths and reduce their vulnerability. They are holding governments to account to protect rights and provide essential public services. And they are tackling the norms, attitudes and behaviours that create and perpetuate violence and inequality.

This past year I saw first hand the work of partners in Zimbabwe and Namibia who are tackling taboos by enlisting aunts and grandmothers to talk frankly with young people about sex and power, working to curb the spread of HIV. In Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala, I met women working in factories and on farms who are mobilizing to defend their rights and to ensure they and their families can live a life of dignity.

With your generous support, Oxfam Canada is making a remarkable contribution to their success. This past year, we’ve made real progress in strengthening our ability to increase our impact.

In 2007, we adopted a new six-year strategic plan built on five pillars: focusing on women’s rights and gender equality; boosting our budget; strengthening our staff; mobilizing more members; and nurturing a culture of learning and leadership. It’s an ambitious agenda that is putting a strain on all of us but there is already lots of evidence we are on track to make an even greater contribution to positive change in the years to come.

Why women’s rights and gender equality? We are convinced that equality among women and men, girls and boys will have the greatest impact in ending poverty and injustice and that without real progress in this area, substantive and sustainable change is not possible.

We also believe given our history, our strong support across Canada and our role within Oxfam International, we are well placed to build the expertise, the resources and the relationships to make a real contribution to this goal.

To make our vision a reality, we will continue to draw on the tremendous commitment, generosity and active engagement of our supporters – members, donors, volunteers – and staff.

We greatly appreciate your support, energized by the knowledge that working in partnership and solidarity with incredible people across this country and around the world, together we are making a difference.