Oxfam Stories

Around the world, 2 billion people do not have safe drinking water, and up to 3 billion people experience water shortages for at least one month each year. In fact,…

by Oxfam Canada | April 17, 2024

Delivering aid in Gaza is incredibly complex and dangerous. There is limited aid access, and once inside, aid distribution requires staff, vehicles, roads, fuel, warehouses, and connectivity, all of which…

by Oxfam Canada | April 8, 2024

Oxfam and local partners are working tirelessly to provide urgent, life-saving assistance in the short term and, wherever possible, invest in longer-term programs to help protect communities from future hunger…

by Tara Robinson | March 20, 2024

Get water. Make Breakfast. Laundry. Kids drop off. Check in on Louise-Anne next door. Shift at hospital. Grocery shopping. Kids pick up. Make supper, do dishes, make kids lunches. Bath.…

by Rebecca Boyce | March 8, 2024

Explore the impactful efforts of organizations in February, including AI's role in gender-based violence in Jamaica, clean tech for Guatemalan farmers, and feminist art in India. Celebrate Black History Month…

by Oxfam Canada | March 1, 2024

Senator Paulette Senior on the importance for people in the margins to take up space.

by Caroline Leal | February 22, 2024

Five basic facts you should know about abortion to have an informed understanding of this healthcare procedure.

by Elena Sosa Lerín | February 15, 2024

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love here in Canada. Meanwhile, in Gaza, people are facing unimaginable injustice and suffering. The escalating crescendo of violence has, with the invasion…

by Vita Sgardello | February 13, 2024

Setzi's agricultural drying centre is a game changer for the community's small-scale farmers, as it harnesses energy-efficient technology to overcome climate challenges.

by Elena Sosa Lerín | February 9, 2024

TITLE FROMPOST TYPE A devastating, 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria in the early hours of February 6, 2023.  Background media: Two people wearing Oxfam branded vests discuss logistics. Oxfam…

by Oxfam Canada | February 2, 2024

Suspend Arms Transfers to Israel As we near four months into the current escalation in Gaza, we have continued to raise our voices calling for the UN General Assembly resolution…

by Oxfam Canada | January 30, 2024

After more than three months of conflict and siege in Gaza, civilians caught in the conflict are struggling to meet nearly every type of basic need – including water. Frustratingly,…

by Oxfam Canada | January 23, 2024

Three months of armed conflict and a complete collapse of health and sanitation systems have created an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. More than 22,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the majority of…

by Oxfam Canada | January 12, 2024

1. Making a Difference in Northern Ethiopia Globally, young girls aged 15 to 19 often face complications during pregnancy and childbirth, making it the second leading cause of death in…

by Oxfam Canada | December 18, 2023

Fighting gender-based violence includes protecting the intersection between digital rights, the right to information, and sexual and reproductive rights.

by Elena Sosa Lerín | December 10, 2023

The Oxfam Tax Calculator is powerful tool to provide a straightforward way to understand the tax benefits of your donation so you can supercharge your giving and have a bigger…

by Oxfam Canada | December 1, 2023

As the holiday season approaches, so does an opportunity to give back. This Giving Tuesday, November 28, you’re invited to join a global movement that seeks to dismantle the systems…

by Oxfam Canada | November 24, 2023

The brutal inequality in the way the world’s super-rich 1 percent emit climate pollution is the focus of our latest report, Climate Equality: A planet for the 99 percent. The…

by Oxfam Canada | November 20, 2023

Many in the international community including Canada are pressing for a “humanitarian pause”, while others have called for “humanitarian corridors” and so-called “safe zones” in Gaza. You may be surprised…

by Oxfam Canada | November 7, 2023

The care economy is a pivotal yet often undervalued sector in society, with unpaid care work playing a significant role in the well-being of individuals and communities.

by Oxfam Canada | October 19, 2023

Together, we can build a world of equality, not poverty. A more equal world where vulnerable people get the power and resources they need to survive climate change, and we…

by Oxfam Canada | October 11, 2023

No Way Out of Poverty A living wage is a fundamental human right. For Rya and thousands of female garment workers in Cambodia, it’s a fight. by Caroline Leal |…

by Caroline Leal | September 22, 2023

Oxfam has supported flood survivors in Baluchistan, Pakistan, since 2022 by providing water containers, hygiene items, cash grants, and support for rebuilding lives and enhancing sanitation systems.

by Oxfam Canada | August 30, 2023

This month, discover the transformative powers of reading multiple books at the same time, get inspired by women standing up to bullies, explore the intersection of art and motherhood and…

by Caroline Leal | August 11, 2023

Gain insights into this year's Women Deliver conference in Kigali, Rwanda, through the eyes of Erin Kiley, Oxfam Canada's director of international programs.

by Erin Kiley | July 28, 2023

Learn about the definition and causes of famine, and explore ways to support Oxfam in stopping and preventing it.

by Elena Sosa Lerín | July 14, 2023

Northern Ethiopia is emerging from a brutal two-year conflict. In spite of the trauma, communities are standing up and rewriting the rules.

by Jennifer Alldred | June 30, 2023

Why placing women's rights and gender equality at the heart of climate interventions is needed for more equitable, lasting and successful solutions.

by Dana Stefov | June 21, 2023

The Sexual Health and Empowerment (SHE) project provides women and girls with the knowledge and means to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health so that they can…

by Oxfam Canada | May 29, 2023

Hodan's dedication towards making a difference in people's lives is a shining example of what women can achieve when given the right opportunities.

by Oxfam Canada | April 5, 2023

A Diary of an Oxfamer from Syria.

by Dania Kareh | Oxfam in Syria | March 14, 2023

Oxfam Canada's testimony at the Parliamentary Subcommittee on International Human Rights on women's rights worldwide, including recommendations to the government of Canada on how to support women human rights defenders…

by Oxfam Canada | March 10, 2023

Oxfam Canada meets Penelope Sanyu, founder and CEO of Femme Forte Uganda.

by Caroline Leal | March 2, 2023

When responding to emergencies, we work with local partners to support people when they need it most and stay for the long term to rebuild.

by Elena Sosa Lerín | February 10, 2023

How Oxfam's contributions to SDG 16 embrace inclusive dialogues and collaborations between civil society groups and institutional entities to achieve progress on the rest of the SDGs.

by Elena Sosa Lerín | February 6, 2023

How does the climate emergency deepen poverty, gender inequality, conflict, and hunger?

by Elena Sosa Lerín | November 9, 2022

The third and final 2022 funding recipients for the Her Future, Her Choice Financial Support for Community-Based SRHR Initiatives, funded by Global Affairs Canada.

by Lisa Gunn | October 17, 2022

Five reasons we need a law that requires Canadian fashion brands to end human rights abuses in garment factories abroad.

by Dana Stefov | October 3, 2022

Humanitarian needs are at an all-time high worldwide, but woeful underfunding hinders humanitarian action.

by Oxfam Canada | August 18, 2022

Nutrition challenges are increasing in Ethiopia's Tigray region as mothers struggle to keep their babies well-fed.

by Oxfam | July 12, 2022

The gender-crossing "babaylan," a Filipino version of a shaman in the pre-colonial era, is an icon for LGBTQIA+ activists fighting to outlaw discrimination in the Philippines.

by Cheng Pagulayan | June 29, 2022

We're living at a time of unprecedented global displacement. Here are 8 things you must know about refugees and forced displacement.

by Elena Sosa Lerín | June 20, 2022

Oxfam celebrates Pride Month to express gratitude to our LGBTQI+ partner organizations and activists for contributing to social progress, human rights and equality.

by Oxfam | June 2, 2022

The economic impacts of the war in Ukraine – including unprecedented food and energy price inflation – are being felt by the most vulnerable in our deeply unequal world.

by Oxfam Canada | April 26, 2022

Oxfam Canada's analysis of this year’s federal budget reveals it falls short of delivering a strong feminist economic recovery.

by Oxfam Canada | April 14, 2022

Through the Creating Spaces project, these women champion female leadership to advance gender justice.

by Asma Siyala and Farwah Qasim | March 8, 2022

Nearly 90 per cent of Somalia is in a severe drought resulting in 3.5 million people experiencing extreme hunger.

by Oxfam Canada | February 7, 2022

At Oxfam, we don't just do charity. We root our actions in community, advocacy and justice.

by Oxfam Canada | December 27, 2021

At Oxfam Canada, we share our supporters' belief that working together, we can realize a kinder, fairer and more sustainable world.

by Oxfam Canada | December 21, 2021

How communities in east and south Asia tackled gender-based violence and changed laws and social norms to protect women and girls.

by Megan Lowthers | December 6, 2021

Karen Sander, the Chair of the Board of Oxfam Canada, traveled to Bangladesh with senior and program staff from Oxfam. This is her story.

by Karen Sander | December 2, 2021

Oxfam expresses our solidarity with the First Nations peoples of the unceded, unsurrendered Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan territories, who are standing up for their rights and sovereignty in the face of…

by Oxfam Canada | November 24, 2021

Close to seven million need humanitarian assistance across Tigray, Amhara and Afar communities in Ethiopia.

by Oxfam | November 12, 2021

As restrictions ease in various provinces across the country, the idea of “returning to normal” remains far out of sight for the poorest people on the planet.

by Oxfam Canada | November 9, 2021

Canada and other wealthy countries made a commitment to deliver $100 billion per year by 2020 to help developing countries adapt to climate change and reduce emissions. This is where…

by Anya Knechtel | October 20, 2021

The fashion industry can inspire a number of glamorous thoughts – but it’s also complex with a dark side.

by Cassandra De Freitas | September 8, 2021

Announcing the funding recipients for the Her Future, Her Choice Financial Support for Community-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Initiative.

by Amanda Gomm | July 21, 2021

Fighting in the Tigray region, combined with the pandemic, drought, and an upsurge in locusts, is pushing hundreds of thousands into catastrophic hunger.

by Oxfam Canada | July 19, 2021

Social norms that restrict men’s participation in unpaid care work must change in order to achieve gender equality. But, how do they change?

by Lucia Rost | June 18, 2021

Oxfam Canada, Oxfam in Guatemala and five local partner organizations are working together to develop sustainable, small-scale enterprises headed by Indigenous women and youth.

by Caroline Leal | May 19, 2021

Noor, 18, shares her story of walking away from domestic violence in Pakistan, which has been labelled an endemic social and public health problem with more than 24 per cent…

by Oxfam Canada | May 7, 2021

India is experiencing a deadly wave of coronavirus deaths, and hospitals are unable to meet the demand for treatment.

by Oxfam Canada | April 28, 2021

Building a safer, fairer and sustainable recovery for garment sector workers.

by Nirvana Mujtaba | April 27, 2021

While Central America is responsible for only 0.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, families living in the Dry Corridor of El Salvador are heavily affected by the deepening…

by Anya Knechtel | April 20, 2021

Reframing care as a social good, offers us a powerful tool in the struggle to get unpaid care work valued. Let’s make our words count.

by Amber Parkes | April 6, 2021

Oxfam continues its work to assist families surviving a decade of war in Syria, but every day in Syria is a struggle to survive.

by Dania Kareh | March 15, 2021

Oxfam Canada Executive Director Lauren Ravon's testifies before the Parliamentary Health Committee on behalf of the People’s Vaccine Alliance, which calls for COVID-19 vaccines to be made available for all…

by Lauren Ravon | March 8, 2021

Over the past year, Oxfam has undertaken the following actions in support of becoming a more actively anti-racist organization.

by Oxfam Canada | February 17, 2021

When a public health crisis like COVID-19 makes the lives of Black and Brown communities even bleaker, it means that racism and inequality is the first crisis in Canada.

by Siham Rayale | February 8, 2021

Vaccines for the COVID-19 virus are becoming available – but who will get one, and how much will we pay for it? Here are five things we need to do…

by Oxfam Canada | January 14, 2021

For workers in Kenya who rely on daily wages to survive, the pandemic lockdown and unemployment translate into little food for their families.

by Blandina Ijecha Bobson | December 17, 2020

This week marks the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change, a landmark agreement by 196 countries to take action on climate change.

by Anya Knechtel | Oxfam Canada | December 10, 2020

Centering the voices of women in all of their diversity will ensure Canada's COVID-19 action plan uplifts the most marginalized.

by Oxfam Canada | November 18, 2020

While many communities and countries are still firefighting the COVID-19 crisis, several governments, including here in Canada, have begun outlining their blueprints for our social and economic recovery.

by Kate Higgins | September 24, 2020

In this open letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Oxfam and 39 civil society organizations express their opposition to arms export permits to Saudi Arabia.

by Oxfam Canada | September 17, 2020

Explaining my love of Beirut is equal parts tricky and hard. Since leaving the city, I have spent my life thinking of how and when to return.

by Mayssam Zaaroura | August 21, 2020

Is it possible to practice good hygiene without clean water? Huguette Yago faces a challenge of titanic proportions in this COVID-19 pandemic—a lack of water. “Without water, there is no…

by Oxfam Canada | June 8, 2020

While many sectors have been scaled down or put on hold, we cannot similarly press ‘pause’ on the life-sustaining carework that is currently holding up our households, communities, care homes…

by Amber Parkes, Anam Parvez & Dana Stefov | May 7, 2020

While we are in the midst of the most significant global public health crisis of our lifetime, the veil is being lifted on an economic system that rewards the wealthy…

by Dana Stefov | Oxfam Canada | April 24, 2020

The global community is saying ‘no one is safe until we are all safe’ but safety is a relative concept, depending on your location and reality.

by Simmi Dixit | Oxfam Canada | April 20, 2020

This open letter is a call for urgent action from doctors and nurses on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

by Oxfam Canada | April 14, 2020

How governments and communities respond to the coronavirus today have the potential to shape our society for years, and potentially generations, to come.

by Diana Sarosi | Oxfam Canada | April 3, 2020

Existing inequalities mean the most marginalized people around the world are at the greatest risk with COVID-19.

by Lauren Ravon, Oxfam Canada | March 20, 2020

These inspiring young SRHR activists are raising the equality bar for women in Mozambique.

by Paula Baker | March 8, 2020

People in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, like many others in Kenya and Somalia, are now enduring near-constant severe drought. Despite bearing no responsibility for the factors driving climate change,…

by Chris Hufstader | December 20, 2019

Gift giving isn’t only about who you value, it’s also about what you value. And when you put those two things together, you get Oxfam Unwrapped! This year, we’ve created…

by Jennifer Alldred | December 17, 2019

Canada desperately needs to update its approach on corporate accountability. The SNC-Lavalin affair that rocked the Canadian government earlier this year provided a stark picture of how corporate influence operates…

by Ian Thomson | October 16, 2019

When Fatima woke up three days into the new year, she had no idea the day would end with her becoming tied for the rest of her life to a…

by Mena Cepeda | September 18, 2019

An Oxfam in the Philippines SRHR project officer talks about the need to remove the veil of stigma and shame when it comes to viewing our bodies and sexuality.

by Rina Fulo | Oxfam in the Philippines | September 12, 2019

World Humanitarian Day is held every year to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service around the world. Here, we profile some of Oxfam’s inspiring…

by Paula Baker | August 16, 2019

After an alarming UN report saying a record-breaking 71 million people have been displaced by war in 2018, Susan Grace Duku, founder of Refugee Women and Youth Aid in Uganda,…

by Susan Grace Duku | Founder of Refugee Women and Youth Aid | June 20, 2019

In a time when women's rights are increasingly under threat, I find hope in reflecting on the examples of feminist fathers working to stand in solidarity with women and build…

by Elly Adeland | June 11, 2019

As the world’s largest humanitarian disaster - 80 per cent of Yemen’s population need humanitarian assistance and protection. Here are seven things you should know about Yemen and Oxfam’s response…

by Christine Martin | June 10, 2019

How do you talk about your period? Sure, menstruation may not be a common topic amongst friends on a Friday night but when it does crop up — do you…

by Paula Baker | May 28, 2019

Kent Macaulay is a longtime Oxfam supporter, volunteer and donor. He decided to leave a legacy gift to Oxfam Canada so that a portion of his estate would go to…

by first appeared in Senior Living Magazine | May 16, 2019

Forum Theatre is an innovative tool to help change the social norms and cultural practices that fuel inequality. It is a dynamic and successful component of Oxfam’s Creating Spaces project…

by Oxfam Canada | May 15, 2019

Cyclone Idai has caused widespread destruction and left communities in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi in urgent need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.

by Oxfam Canada | April 12, 2019

In the Philippines, deeply rooted social norms make it difficult for women and girls to take control of their sexual health. Daryl Leyesa, a women's rights activist leading Oxfam Canada's Sexual…

by Caroline Leal | March 4, 2019

Canada’s support for women and girls to exercise their rights to bodily autonomy, make choices about their own reproductive health and be treated with dignity and respect is driving economic,…

by Sandeep Prasad & Julie Delahanty | February 4, 2019

On September 28, 2018, a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck Sulawesi. More than 2,000 people died, 68,000 homes were destroyed, 211,000 people were displaced and more than 2…

by Luna Allison | January 17, 2019

There is no greater responsibility than to ensure the safety and dignity of the people we serve. The critical mistakes that were made in Haiti in 2011 have pushed us…

by Julie Delahanty | November 15, 2018

Written by Eric Gould. Eric is a Canadian currently on the ground in Nepal.  He is a donor and a strong supporter of Oxfam’s work. My name is Eric Gould.…

by Eric Gould | November 1, 2018

As International Day of the Girl approaches, it got me thinking about how lucky we are. We don’t live in the same world that our grandmothers and mothers did, where…

by alvaro | October 10, 2018

As Oxfam works to end women’s economic inequality, transforming the mining, oil and gas industries is an enormous challenge – and also a big opportunity.

by Oxfam Canada | September 12, 2018

For some young people, the road to education can be long and arduous – quite literally. In Balaka District, southern Malawi, where many schoolgirls live up to 25km from the…

by alvaro | August 13, 2018

Climate change has affected the normally predictable seasons in this impoverished region of India. The monsoons last longer, are larger and, in 2017, were accompanied by Cyclone Mora.

by Paula Baker | June 29, 2018

Rajiah, 46,  fled violence near her home in Myanmar 6 months ago with her youngest daughter, age 15. She is one of close to one million Rohingya people have fled…

by Hammad | June 19, 2018

As I leaned over, I felt a tug on my headscarf, which led me to believe that I was stuck. Very stuck. At that very moment, my long dress was equally…

by Oxfam Canada | June 14, 2018

It can be particularly challenging as a young woman leading men in many African societies. As a native Tanzanian and Swahili speaker, Gloria is up to the task. “It’s important…

by Oxfam | June 3, 2018

On April 25, 2015, a massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal that left nearly 9,000 people dead and destroyed or damaged more than 850,000 homes. Transportation and communications were severely disrupted.…

by Hammad | April 25, 2018

Oxfam has come to know Rajiah as a leader when she was unanimously selected to represent her community during an Oxfam assessment of what their most pressing needs were. This…

by Oxfam | March 28, 2018

Gender inequality is the most serious and pervasive form of discrimination in the world. But with new laws and social movements, change is possible.

by Oxfam Canada | March 8, 2018

I want to address a distressing story you may see in the news describing acts of sexual misconduct carried out by Oxfam UK staff working in Haiti in 2011. At…

by Julie Delahanty | February 12, 2018

The #MeToo campaign is empowering survivors across the globe to share their stories. Sexual abuse and violence against women are more pervasive than we ever thought – whether in the…

by Hammad | February 8, 2018

Since August 25, over 600,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed over into Bangladesh’s southeastern districts. More than half are women, and 60 percent of these are girls under 18. They have faced…

by alvaro | December 6, 2017

Following the Harvey Weinstein allegations, I kept hearing the same refrain as more women added their voices to #MeToo and shared stories of sexual violence: how did I let that…

by Mayssam Zaaroura | October 27, 2017

Climate change, conflict and the failure of governments to tackle them have left more than 800 million people living with hunger around the world. When hunger strikes, women are more likely…

by Hammad | October 16, 2017

“Do not get married if you are a child, because you do not yet understand about the household. “  These are the words of Putri (15) who, married at 13,…

by alvaro | October 11, 2017

For the first time in more than a decade, the United Nations reported a sharp increase in hunger around the world. Reacting to the news, Oxfam International’s executive director Winnie…

by Hammad | September 19, 2017

Partners and community define our humanitarian work.  Her excitement was contagious. Renata Dia stood at the base of the brand new water tap. The solar-powered water system was only a…

by alvaro | August 19, 2017

Yemen’s human-made catastrophe is forcing people to make stark live or die choices. Yemenis, already on the tipping point after more than two years of war, are now being forced…

by Oxfam Canada | August 16, 2017

Millions of people have been displaced from their homes in South Sudan. They are facing hunger and acute food insecurity as a result of on-going conflict. Oxfam is responding to…

by Hammad | June 19, 2017

A large double-decker truck is quickly making its way towards Garadag from Fadigaab, in the south of Somaliland. It is carrying nine families and what is left of their herds:…

by alvaro | April 27, 2017

What does hunger have to do with climate change? A lot. Wild weather and unpredictable seasons are changing what farmers can grow. Food prices are going up. Food quality is…

by Oxfam Canada | April 7, 2017

This fund will support Canadian and international organizations currently hard at work helping those in need in the affected countries and neighbouring regions. Understand how this fund works. This is…

by Oxfam Canada | March 24, 2017

Getting laws on paper is one critical step in global efforts to address violence against women and girls, but we must also continue in our struggle to get governments to…

by Christine Hughes | March 4, 2017

And they aren’t alone in facing profound challenges: Countless other families are striving to rebuild their lives and communities after two years of ISIS occupation. I was there to visit…

by alvaro | January 27, 2017

The moral poverty of the America First idea lies in the false choice it presents: are you a part of the American family or the human family? We shouldn’t have…

by alvaro | January 24, 2017

Oxfam’s new inequality report, which found that just 8 men own the same wealth as half the world, is making headlines around the globe. Since we launched we have been…

by alvaro | January 17, 2017

The year 2016 is almost over, but there's still time to make a special gift and receive a charitable tax receipt.If you have not yet made your year-end donation, please…

by Hammad | December 30, 2016

Written by María José Agejas, journalist in the Communication Department of Oxfam Intermón. Jean Robert looks around, still unable to believe his eyes. “I never saw anything like it, the…

by alvaro | November 4, 2016

Blog contribution by Coco McCabe World Humanitarian Day honors the aid workers who are helping millions of people weather unimaginable crises. Today marks World Humanitarian Day—a time designated by the…

by alvaro | August 19, 2016

Last week, Canadians came together to celebrate their country’s 149th birthday. This week, South Sudan marks 5 years as an independent nation. Yet, for many there is little to celebrate.…

by alvaro | July 7, 2016

We know that clean water saves lives, but in order to access it, people need to be able to safely transport and store it. That’s why a better bucket makes…

by Oxfam Canada | June 14, 2016

By Melanie Gallant, Oxfam Canada’s Media Relations Officer Whether through civil war or other forms of conflict, natural disasters or climate related disasters such as drought, the global scale of…

by alvaro | June 14, 2016

Oxfam's urgent response In the immediate aftermath we deployed a humanitarian assessment team and we sent 2 tons of water pipes with the help of the Spanish Cooperation Agency AECID.…

by alvaro | May 30, 2016

What is Equal Pay Day all about anyway? On April 19, 2016, The Ontario Equal Pay Coalition marks Equal Pay Day – the day when a typical woman’s earnings have…

by alvaro | April 19, 2016

Written by Deborah Hardoon, Oxfam's Deputy Head of Research  This week the Panama Papers leak blew the lid on the murky world of industrial scale tax abuse. For over 40…

by alvaro | April 12, 2016

  While President Obama's visit has put Havana in the spotlight, more remote communities are preparing for earthquakes and natural disasters. Those who live in La Flora, a community in…

by alvaro | March 23, 2016

by Julie Delahanty,Executive Director of Oxfam Canada  We'll leave it to the courts to decide the fate of former CBC broadcaster Jian Ghomeshi, whose trial on five counts of sexual…

by alvaro | February 1, 2016

Written by Winnie ByanyimaExecutive Director, Oxfam International Yet again I am attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, warning about the global inequality crisis – and proposing steps to tackle…

by alvaro | January 17, 2016

by Joelle Bassoul, Media Advisor for Oxfam in Beirut  Hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria have seen another winter descend on the Middle East, for some this is their…

by alvaro | January 8, 2016

In Paris, the world’s powers have come together and agreed a global climate deal. Unfortunately, it is a deal that has short-changed  the poorest and most vulnerable people as they…

by alvaro | December 13, 2015

I’m very lucky to work for Oxfam Canada. Sometimes I travel to remarkable places and meet extraordinary people who are making such a difference in their lives, in the lives…

by alvaro | December 8, 2015

With climate change, the droughts in Chad are getting longer and rainfall less predictable, making farming an ever more precarious enterprise for people living in this landlocked country. But a…

by Oxfam Canada | December 8, 2015

By Bailey Reid, Women’s Rights Campaigner, Oxfam Canada Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) programs are popular among development interventions. They enhance the economic security of women and households by developing skills…

by alvaro | December 3, 2015

Over the years, thousands of Oxfam supporters like you have responded powerfully to our annual Threads of Change campaign.

by Oxfam Canada | October 20, 2015

Written by Julie DelahantyExecutive Director, Oxfam Canada Early reviews of last night’s Munk Debate on foreign policy have been positive. There was a substantive airing of some important issues. And…

by alvaro | September 29, 2015

Written by Julie DelahantyExecutive Director, Oxfam Canada Election season is heating up. The leaders debate on economic policy is almost upon us. And my mother wants me to say a…

by alvaro | September 17, 2015

Written by Julie Lafrenière Women’s Rights Knowledge Specialist On September 15th, 2015 in Ottawa there was an important event featuring three female Nobel Peace Laureates: Shirin Ebadi (Iran), Mairead Maguire…

by Oxfam Canada | September 15, 2015

Privthyva was born April 25th – an hour after the earthquake. In rural Dolakha, even in good times, women do not give birth in a hospital. A few, lucky women…

by alvaro | August 19, 2015

Written by Kelly Bowden, National Campaign Manager If you ask political parties or the media, this election is about the middle class. If you ask me, it’s about people living…

by alvaro | August 6, 2015

An end to the fighting would go a long way toward solving the challenges so many families now face in meeting their basic needs.   In South Sudan, only 55…

by alvaro | July 24, 2015

The world’s most powerful political leaders will be quietly absent from the UN Financing for Development Conference when it kicks off in Addis next week.  They would rather not put…

by alvaro | July 7, 2015

Amidst bombings and shortages in fuel, food and vital supplies, a group of Yemeni women came together for an unconventional demonstration against the war… and the lack of women’s rights.…

by alvaro | July 6, 2015

Written by: Adeline Guerra, Regional Campaigns and Communications adviser Children hide behind water tanks while clothes dry outside flimsy tents in the Mediterranean sunshine. We have arrived at a refugee…

by alvaro | June 20, 2015

By Lisa Rutherford (press office, Oxfam Great Britain) The 7.9 magnitude earthquake on 25th April left the country reeling, killing over 8,000 people, injuring more than 18,000 and leaving 2.8 million…

by alvaro | May 19, 2015

Written by Sarah Rooney, Oxfam Canada’s intern and 3rd year law student at University of Ottawa. As we see the poignant images coming out of Nepal’s catastrophic earthquake, it’s important…

by alvaro | May 1, 2015

By Shaheen ChughtaiOxfam’s Deputy Head of Humanitarian Policy and Campaigns Kathmandu was ever a disaster-in-waiting. The densely populated capital of one of the world’s poorest countries clings to the slopes…

by alvaro | April 26, 2015

An Oxfam staff worker has written a blog about what life has been like in Yemen for the past week. She is based in Sanaa. Oxfam has been working in…

by alvaro | April 16, 2015

Syrian civil society leader and astrophysicist Rim Turkmani may live in the UK, where she is raising her young children while juggling her academic duties with her peacebuilding activities, but…

by alvaro | March 24, 2015

This Mother’s Day, why not honour your mother by helping a mother a world away? Whether is by helping mothers in Nepal, or the Congo, the women we work with…

by Oxfam Canada | March 17, 2015

Four years since it began, the Syrian crisis continues to deepen, and the human suffering is greater than ever before. Women and children are particularly affected by the violence. Satellite…

by alvaro | March 14, 2015

This morning, the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), the world’s biggest event in over a decade aimed at tackling the devastating impacts of hazard events on lives, livelihoods…

by Ben Murphy | March 14, 2015

Noor, 30, fled the war in Syria with her handicapped husband and two children, a girl, 4, and a boy, 3. She is a teacher by training and has set…

by alvaro | March 11, 2015

Eight years ago, Rebecca Elija moved to South Sudan with her father and little sister, leaving the rest of the family in Khartoum, Sudan. Although she has been in part…

by alvaro | March 5, 2015

Make It Happen: Stories From south sudan Stella's story “I hope that I don’t continue writing about war and destruction. I want peace to come so that I can write…

by alvaro | March 5, 2015

If there is one person on the planet who embodies what Oxfam is all about, it’s Ipaishe. Her resourcefulness, resilience and compassion in facing the challenges of extreme poverty are…

by alvaro | March 1, 2015

South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia By Ann Witteveen In the last six months two new towns have emerged in the vast and beautiful plains of Western Ethiopia, in Gambella region.  …

by alvaro | February 5, 2015

Why is Oxfam calling for a World Tax Summit? by Winnie Byanyima As the World Economic Forum in Davos draws to a close, the real work to identify joint solutions…

by alvaro | January 23, 2015

Living and making history in CubaJérôme Fauré, Country Director for Oxfam in Cuba Amazing… Miraculous… Unexpected … There is no shortage of adjectives to describe the events of Wednesday, December…

by alvaro | January 15, 2015

December 26, 2014 marks the 10 year anniversary of the 9.1 Richter Scale earthquake that struck the western coast of the Indonesian province of Northern Sumatra. It was the third…

by Oxfam Canada | December 18, 2014

From Nigeria to Canada to the UK gender-based violenceknows no borders Blog by:  Chioma Akuabia Ukwuagu Programme Officer, Female Leadership/Gender Justice and Good Governance, Genevieve Gauthier Gender Justice Programme Officer,…

by alvaro | December 9, 2014

On International Volunteer Day Google search reveals truth about volunteers When you Google “volunteers” you automatically get another word added to your text: needed. Oxfam’s vision is a just world…

by alvaro | December 5, 2014

Oxfam verdict on the G20 summit Steve Price-Thomas It’s been hot in Brisbane today, with temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius and the day has felt heavy with a sense…

by alvaro | November 17, 2014

Alima Jamboria is a Community Health Worker and Chairperson of the Community. I'm a Community Health Worker in Tengeh Town Community. We learnt how to wash hands properly because that…

by alvaro | October 23, 2014

Blog by Christine McCartney, Oxfam Ireland Inequality is rising – to the detriment of us all. You might expect an organisation like Oxfam to say that, but it’s not just…

by alvaro | October 20, 2014

“I see the climate is changing a lot. Before it wasn’t like this.” Climate change is already having an impact on the ability of communities to feed themselves – communities…

by alvaro | October 17, 2014

Blog post by Winnie Byanyima – Oxfam International’s Executive Director Across South Asia and Southeast Asia, millions of small family farms are the bedrock of national food security. But the…

by alvaro | October 15, 2014

It’s 4am. You get up like any other morning with your young baby. Except today is different. Last night a freak storm flooded your fields and your crops are out…

by alvaro | October 14, 2014

Abel Veiga Esperon was not afraid of hurricanes until Paloma hit, a day forever etched in his mind. The 53 year old farmer took refuge with nine co-workers in the…

by alvaro | October 6, 2014

by Sarah Watson, Oxfam Great Britain On Sunday the 21st of September 2014, just days before world leaders gathered for a UN summit on climate change, people around the world…

by alvaro | September 26, 2014

by Winnie Byanyima In the five years since global leaders met in Copenhagen to discuss climate change, a lot has changed, and too much has stayed the same. Climate change…

by alvaro | September 22, 2014

Bright peeled paint covers humidity stains on the walls. An old bed has been pushed into a corner. Thin mattresses are strewn on the floor. Clothes hang on a lonely…

by alvaro | September 9, 2014

Despite the ceasefire, there remain enormous humanitarian needs in Gaza. The bombing of the past seven weeks has caused massive damage to water supplies. Hundreds of thousands of people are…

by alvaro | September 5, 2014

By Cathy Stephen I am the Technical Advisor for the Liberia WASH Consortium, a group of six international NGOs, managed by Oxfam, working together to provide and advocate for water…

by alvaro | August 22, 2014

by Martin Butcher Around 1,500 people a day are killed in conflicts and armed violence across the globe, and among that loss are humanitarian aid workers who were trying to…

by alvaro | August 19, 2014

“Rather than being a human, be a humanitarian” ― Kowtham Kumar K Today, August 19th, is World Humanitarian Day. Currently, Oxfam is responding to over 35 humanitarian crises around the…

by alvaro | August 19, 2014

Kellogg has announced it is stepping up to address climate change in a very big way. It has committed to reduce harmful emissions across both its supply chain and operations,…

by alvaro | August 13, 2014

We tell our children that schools are places where they can make their hopes and dreams come true. But today in Gaza, schools have become places of desperation – a…

by Arwa Mhanna | August 11, 2014

After nearly a month of bombardment, Gaza’s food supplies are running low and an entire year’s harvest is at risk. In many markets, fresh food and vegetables are scarce. Cucumbers,…

by Oxfam Canada | August 9, 2014

by Simon Starling It was boiling hot last Friday afternoon when I heard the news. I was just getting used to the idea of drinking a land-grab-free soft drink to…

by alvaro | August 6, 2014

by Aimee Brown Today marks South Sudan’s third year of independence. But in the past seven months, the sense of unity that brought its people together in 2011 has been…

by alvaro | July 9, 2014

Jenny Enarsson, Oxfam's Syria crisis response gender advisor, explains why including Syria's women in negotiations is critical for the peace process. A few days after the high-profile summit on ending…

by alvaro | June 26, 2014

Everyone’s got a right to Pride! Oxfam supporters, partners and staff from around the world celebrated our work to advance LGBTI rights at WorldPride 2014! WorldPride took place in Toronto from…

by Oxfam | June 21, 2014

What does it feel like to be a refugee, forced to flee to an unfamiliar country and dependent on humanitarian assistance to survive? How do you know where to turn,…

by alvaro | June 20, 2014

by Lauren Ravon and Lise Martin Last week the international community was shocked when two little girls in India looking for a safe place to go to the toilet were…

by alvaro | June 12, 2014

by Emily Brown, Oxfam Great Britain Have you ever felt like no one is listening to you? Do you think it’s fair? No, Oxfam doesn’t either…  And that’s why Raising Her…

by alvaro | June 11, 2014

A group of Oxfam executive directors and board chairs recently took to the fields of Cuba, traveling with the Oxfam in Cuba team to Holguin, east of Havana. The bus…

by alvaro | June 3, 2014

by Winnie Byanyima I have joined global decision makers in Maputo this week for the IMF and Mozambiquan government’s joint “Africa Rising” conference, to take stock of Africa’s economic performance,…

by alvaro | May 30, 2014

No company is too big to listen to its customers. When enough of us speak out, companies listen. Last year more than 400,000 of you called on companies to do…

by alvaro | May 20, 2014

by Ed Pomfret New emergencies seem to hit the world on a monthly basis. Right now we are grappling with situations in the DRC, South Sudan, Sudan, Central African Republic…

by alvaro | May 7, 2014

by Caroline Gluck When typhoon Haiyan hit the central Philippines last November, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying millions of people’s houses and livelihoods, people like fisherman Lionel Advincula,…

by alvaro | April 30, 2014

by Ann Witteveen I was last in Juba in South Sudan in February 1999. At that time, it was a northern held town in southern Sudan and there was only…

by alvaro | April 22, 2014

In the current discussions around this week’s first High-Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, transparency, accountability, and inclusion are not being sufficiently integrated. Tariq Sayed Ahmad…

by alvaro | April 15, 2014

by Françoise Venni This year the World Economic Forum (or WEF) for the Latin America region was held in Panama. A country where growth levels, which are among the 20…

by alvaro | April 8, 2014

The evidence is clear: Strong development and the achievement of women’s rights are intrinsically bound – in everything from economic growth, access to education, food and health security to the…

by Winnie Byanyima | March 31, 2014

by Yeb Sano Typhoon Haiyan, the biggest storm to ever make landfall, devastated my homeland. Three days later I attended the opening of the UN climate change talks in Poland.…

by alvaro | March 26, 2014

Shy at first, the twenty or so teenage girls and boys sitting around the table eventually opened up. They came together to discuss rape in their communities, and to share…

by alvaro | March 26, 2014

What an amazing display of support for the #WithSyria campaign for the third anniversary of the Syria crisis – congratulations one and all for a truly moving display of solidarity!…

by Oxfam | March 20, 2014

Photo: (l-r) Nicole Kieley, Oxfam Canada board member; Debbie Forward, President of the Newfoundland & Labrador Nurses' Union (NLNU); and Bill Hynd, Oxfam Canada. Bill is presenting a plaque recognizing…

by alvaro | March 14, 2014

Popular British graffiti artist Banksy has shown his support for the #WithSyria campaign by reworking his iconic image of a little girl with a balloon, entitled “There is Always Hope“,…

by alvaro | March 11, 2014

It’s not only Diana Ross who is left singing “upside down you’re turning me…” In the last twelve months Oxfam’s Behind the Brands campaign and hundreds of thousands of people…

by Oxfam | February 26, 2014

“This resolution should not have been necessary”, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon told the 15 member states of the UN Security Council on their unanimous adoption of a resolution…

by alvaro | February 24, 2014

“Even if peace would come, we cannot return home. We are not safe.”  These words, spoken by a grandmother who I met at an IDP camp in South Sudan, demonstrate…

by alvaro | February 17, 2014

by Steve Cockburn Moussa – not his real name – stood with his last pile of groundnuts, just one of three traders left in a vast, empty market that, before…

by alvaro | February 14, 2014

by Shaheen Chughtai, Oxfam Great Britain Nestling between picturesque snow-capped mountains and the shimmering waters of Lake Geneva lies the Swiss town of Montreux, which hosted the opening day of…

by alvaro | February 12, 2014

by Jane Beesley We might feel aggrieved when we’ve gone out of our way to do something for someone and receive no word of thanks afterwards. I’m sure most of…

by Oxfam | February 8, 2014

by Nick Galasso, Oxfam America research and policy advisor   It’s time they pay their taxes, stop using wealth to influence politics. Last week, we released a new report on…

by alvaro | January 27, 2014

Things are heating up in Montreux, on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, where Oxfam campaigners are amongst the hundreds of diplomats, journalists, civil society and solidarity groups gathering for the beginning…

by alvaro | January 22, 2014

by Lina Holguin Today, mining companies and civil society organizations came together to ask the Government of Canada to establish strong rules on mandatory reporting of payments made by Canadian…

by alvaro | January 16, 2014

Typhoon Haiyan caused widespread damage to livelihoods. Among the worst affected, was coconut farming with millions of trees being uprooted, damaged or destroyed. One coconut farmers association estimated the damage…

by alvaro | January 9, 2014

Oxfam started distributing 400 tons of rice seeds in six rural municipalities south of Tacloban on 12 December 2013, to help farmers win their ‘race against time’ to avoid missing…

by alvaro | December 12, 2013

Statement by Robert Fox, Oxfam Canada Executive Director In South Africa, every six hours a woman is killed by her partner. In Guatemala, two women are murdered on average daily.…

by alvaro | December 10, 2013

It was the kindness of strangers. When Aziz fled from the Syrian conflict to Lebanon, he heard about a farmer who allowed Syrian refugees to camp on his land. “How…

by alvaro | December 9, 2013

By Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam International, and Raymond Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America Jobs, innovation, wealth creation: the private sector has great potential to pull people out of…

by alvaro | December 2, 2013

by Winnie Byanyima Today I led hundreds of people from around the world in a walk out of the 19th UN climate talks. Oxfam has been keenly involved in the…

by alvaro | November 22, 2013

This weekend, thousands of people marched at the UN climate talks in Warsaw, to send the message that we must stop climate change now. Among the people gathered was a…

by alvaro | November 18, 2013

The response we’ve had to the Philippines typhoon has been phenomenal so far, but we’ve also had a number of you get in touch asking if you can do anything…

by alvaro | November 14, 2013

by Al Kinley, Oxfam Great Britain Digital campaigner I’ve just arrived at the annual UN climate change talks. Here, governments from around the world come to try and work out…

by alvaro | November 11, 2013

By Julie Thekkudan, Gender Justice – Lead Specialist, Oxfam India India is a land of many contrasts where goddesses are revered for their strength and invincibility yet violence against women…

by alvaro | November 5, 2013

Explaining the links that connect the sugar in your Coke or Pepsi to the global scandal of land grabs that kick poor farmers off their land can be a long…

by Oxfam | October 22, 2013

Village chief Ezequiel Joâo Kaiowá leads me to a forest clearing located on his tribe’s ancestral land known as Panambi-Lagoa Rica, in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, south-western…

by Oxfam | October 17, 2013

The Cuban town of Jesus Menendez bursts with color and life. Palm trees line the streets. A bright mural decorates the local radio station. The weekly farmers’ market is a…

by Oxfam Canada | October 15, 2013

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Associated British Foods (ABF) have had varied reactions to Oxfam’s new report, Sugar Rush, exposing land grabs and conflicts in their sugar supply chains, and their need…

by alvaro | October 4, 2013

The Maasai are semi-nomadic pastoralist peoples that live in North Eastern Tanzania. From birth, Maasai girls face cultural traditions and norms that deny them chances and opportunities. Some Massai families…

by alvaro | September 27, 2013

This week has been action-packed for Oxfam Canada! In addition to preparing the ground work for this weekend’s Gender Justice Summit, Oxfam, campus and youth leaders have been participating in…

by alvaro | September 20, 2013

by Joel Bassuk Amidst the horrific images (which I’ll not link to here) coming out of Syria this week, the UN has announced that more than one million children from…

by alvaro | August 23, 2013

When Funeka Soldaat went to the police after being raped, they beat her and put her in the back of the police car. “They threw me so hard into the…

by alvaro | August 12, 2013

  By Erinch Sahan and Will Martindale, Oxfam Policy Advisors. Erinch Sahan is a private sector policy adviser at Oxfam. He led the team across Oxfam International who put together…

by alvaro | August 9, 2013

by Carsten Völz, Oxfam International Humanitarian Director The Global Humanitarian Assistance report is eagerly anticipated by some of us in the humanitarian field, as it provides us with hard data…

by alvaro | August 7, 2013

We’re already seeing companies committing to do business better. That’s because of you – but there’s more we can do to put the pressure on through Twitter and Facebook. Since…

by alvaro | July 24, 2013

  by Vanita Suneja The recent flash floods in Uttrakhand have already claimed around 1000 lives and more than 3000 people are still missing.   One of the worst calamities caused…

by alvaro | July 4, 2013

  by Victoria Marzilli Two months. That is all it took for chocolate lovers and social justice activists to stand up to three of the biggest food companies in the…

by alvaro | June 25, 2013

  by Ann Witteveen Since 1970 the number of people exposed to floods and tropical cyclones has doubled and the latest climate science indicates worse to come.  Volatility in food…

by alvaro | May 23, 2013

  by Irit Tamir While gender equality is enshrined in the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights, in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women…

by alvaro | May 17, 2013

by Melissa Ekdom-Delorme Saturday evening I spent reconfiguring my toilet to a 4L flush and filling small bottles and jugs of water carefully portioned for drinking and cleaning. I was…

by Oxfam Canada | May 10, 2013

Oxfam donors offer letters of support in honour of the courageous women we work with around the world. Defere is a schoolgirl in Ethiopia. Farida is a mother in Mozambique.…

by Oxfam | May 3, 2013

  by Karen A. Murray So, I just got back from a week of walking through the Sahara Desert.  Yep, I did just say, a week of walking, through the…

by alvaro | April 29, 2013

  It’s been a busy few months for Oxfam campaigners, and it’s all been leading up to this moment: the World Bank Spring Meetings. Here’s why they’re so important to…

by alvaro | April 19, 2013

  Volunteers are active in Oxfam’s campaigns, organizing fundraising and raising awareness in their communities.  “My experience with Oxfam goes all the way back to the 70s when I was…

by Oxfam | April 17, 2013

  Volunteers are active in Oxfam's campaigns, organizing fundraising and raising awareness in their communities. Here are some Oxfam members who make a difference by volunteering.   "What first drew…

by alvaro | April 17, 2013

  Volunteers are active in Oxfam's campaigns, organizing fundraising and raising awareness in their communities. Here are some Oxfam members who make a difference by volunteering.   "In the past…

by alvaro | April 17, 2013

  by Hannah Stoddart At the beginning of its Land and Poverty Conference this week, the World Bank Group put out a statement on land that follows many months – and in some cases…

by alvaro | April 15, 2013

  In the once tranquil Casiguran municipality of the Philippines, a powerful local political dynasty has started building. There are plans for a deep water shipping port, and plans to…

by alvaro | April 10, 2013

Muslimah learned how to manage land, plant, raise seedlings, and make compost at a three-month field school provided by the Mangrove Action Project, a local partner in Oxfam Canada's Restoring…

by alvaro | March 26, 2013

Wildfires have long been a major problem in Ethiopia. Hunters use fire in forests to flush out wild life and smoke out honey bees. Farmers use fire in fields to…

by alvaro | March 8, 2013

by Nidhi Tandon The first and greatest violence is the systematic exclusion of people – a great number of people – by society. From this violence other violence directly and indirectly flows. Where you exclude, you must establish instruments…

by alvaro | March 7, 2013

  There’s been a great response to the Behind the Brands launch. Consumers clearly care about the people behind the foods they buy. Thousands of people have taken action; the…

by alvaro | February 28, 2013

  First question: How does Oxfam take the potential for gender-based violence into account when planning cash distributions to women in emergencies? Second question: What is the global South? Over…

by alvaro | February 4, 2013

Gathered together under the shade of a big leafy tree, a group of men and women listen attentively to Rupiya Avenqee present the results of a “leaky bucket” exercise by…

by alvaro | January 23, 2013