Rafah invasion compounds lethal cocktail of over-crowding, sewage and hunger
Israeli attacks since October caused at least $210m worth of damage to Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure The destruction of critical water and sanitation infrastructure by the Israeli forces along with severe over-crowding, malnutrition and heat is pushing Gaza to the brink of a deadly epidemic outbreak, Oxfam warned today. The situation is further compounded…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to Rafah evacuation order
In reaction to Israel’s imminent invasion of Rafah, Sally Abi-Khalil, Oxfam’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Director said: “We are horrified by Israel’s order to evacuate around 100,000 people and what appears to be an impending invasion of Rafah, despite a universal plea from world leaders urging it to stop its continued, barbaric, onslaught. …
Read MoreCanadian civil society organizations join global call to end all arms transfers to Israel
The full cessation of weapons transfers to Israel is a necessary step towards a ceasefire and ensuring humanitarian access in Gaza. Ottawa, May 2, 2024 – Human rights and humanitarian organizations will unite on Parliament Hill on May 2, 2024 staging a powerful media stunt to call on Canada to stop sending arms to Israel.…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to the Global Report on Food Crises 2024
Today’s “Global Report on Food Crises” (GRFC), led by the Food Security Information Network (FSIN), says that 281.6 million people across 59 countries are now experiencing acute hunger – 24 million additional people over last year. Reacting to the report, Oxfam Global Food and Economic Security Lead, Emily Farr, said: “The global hunger crisis is…
Read MoreOxfam Canada Reacts to Budget 2024
Oxfam Canada welcomes the announcement today in Budget 2024 of $350 million over two years for international humanitarian assistance. In a world of increasing conflicts and crises, Canada’s life-saving assistance is needed more than ever. In line with the Feminist International Assistance Policy, this modest increase in our country’s humanitarian envelope will support gender transformative…
Read MoreOver 24 million people in Southern Africa face hunger, malnutrition and water scarcity due to extreme weather
Millions of people across Southern Africa are grappling with the dual crises of hunger and flooding. Over half of Malawi’s 19 million population, six million people in Zambia, over three million in Zimbabwe, and three million more in Mozambique are facing hunger. Meanwhile, in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, floods wreaked havoc due to persistent heavy downpours…
Read MorePeople in northern Gaza forced to survive on 245 calories a day, less than a can of beans
Miniscule amount is less than 12% of average daily calorie needs Ottawa – People in northern Gaza have been forced to survive on an average of 245 calories a day – less than a can of fava beans – since January, as Israeli forces continue their military onslaught. Over 300,000 people are believed to still…
Read MoreTime is running out for international action to protect civilians and prevent atrocity crimes in Rafah, as UN Security Council resolution is ignored
RAMALLAH, 3 April 2024 – A week since the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, and days since the International Court of Justice issued additional provisional measures in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, States must act urgently to ensure its enforcement and prevent atrocity crimes in Rafah as attacks intensify,…
Read MoreAs Yemen enters tenth year of war, militarization and economic crisis compound suffering
As Yemen enters its tenth year of war, its people face renewed airstrikes and a deepening economic crisis that risks pushing millions into starvation, Oxfam has warned today. Today marks nine years since the escalation of the conflict. A temporary UN-brokered truce expired in 2022, and whilst it has largely held, recent Houthi military activity…
Read MoreUN Security Council Adopts Ceasefire Resolution for Gaza, Oxfam Responds
In response to the UN Security Council’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Oxfam’s UN Representative and Head of New York Office Brenda Mofya said: “We welcome the Security Council’s adoption of a ceasefire resolution so Palestinians in Gaza can have much-needed respite from the relentless and devastating Israeli violence and critical aid can…
Read MoreGlobal water crisis looms yet only one in four biggest food corporations reducing water use
Only 28 percent of the world’s most influential food and agriculture corporations report they are reducing their water withdrawals and just 23 percent say they are taking action to reduce water pollution. Oxfam’s new analysis of 350 corporations using World Benchmarking Alliance data comes ahead of World Water Day (March 22). The UN, which last year…
Read MoreGaza hunger figures “worst on record” – says Oxfam
In reaction to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report published today on Gaza stating that famine is imminent in Northern Gaza and, if Israel persists in its hostilities and restricting humanitarian access, there is a real risk of famine for the rest of the enclave, Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Middle East and North…
Read MoreIsrael government continues to block aid response despite ICJ genocide court ruling, says Oxfam
International community resorts to sea routes and air drops rather than challenge Israel for systemically undermining unfettered access of relief Israeli authorities have rejected a warehouse full of international aid including oxygen, incubators and Oxfam water and sanitation gear all of which is now stockpiled at Al Arish just 40 km away from the border…
Read MoreGaza: Airdrops and sea routes are no alternative to aid delivery by land
25 NGOs call on governments to prioritize ceasefire and ground-based humanitarian aid as deaths from malnutrition and disease rise Human rights and humanitarian organizations present on the ground in the Gaza Strip have reiterated since the start of the current escalation that the only way to meet the unprecedented humanitarian needs in the enclave is…
Read MoreTropical storm Filipo hits Mozambique
Millions of people have nothing left to eat but wild roots as they have lost their crops to repeated extreme weather Tropical storm Filipo has hit Mozambique today, leaving hundreds of thousands of people in urgent need of humanitarian support. The storm, which made landfall in Inhambane province in Mozambique, comes just a year after Cyclone Freddy ravaged several…
Read MoreOver six million people face hunger, malnutrition and water scarcity in Zambia
Oxfam warns that over six million people from farming families in Zambia are facing acute food shortages and malnutrition until next growing season, which is twelve months away, due to a severe drought, exacerbated by climate change and El Nino, which has caused massive crop failures for half of the nation’s “planted area”. The drought…
Read MoreOxfam Canada’s Statement on Canadian Aid Airdrops in Gaza
We welcome Canada’s commitment to delivering aid to the people in Gaza facing starvation and famine. However, the Government of Israel has a legal obligation to ensure aid reaches civilians in Gaza. Indiscriminate airdrops in overpopulated areas are not only symbolic and degrading; they risk harming people, undermining the existing aid architecture, and cannot ensure…
Read MoreCrisis in South Sudan: 300+ Share a single water Tap, Cholera Risk Soars
The influx of over half a million people fleeing Sudan’s conflict meant that transit centres in Renk – a border town in neighbouring South Sudan- are swelling with people four times their capacity, with more than 300 people sharing one water tap. The lack of clean water and sanitation is increasing the risk of cholera,…
Read More‘Golden Time’ harvest ravaged in northern Gaza amid concerns of hunger and starvation
Gaza farmers’ two-month-long “golden time” of agricultural production has been destroyed by Israel’s military bombing and sealing of northern Gaza, ruining the enclave’s richest farmlands which are one of its biggest sources of fruit and vegetables. With Israel’s actions also severely restricting humanitarian aid, the loss of local agricultural production is worsening malnutrition and hunger,…
Read MoreFeminist groups condemn Premier Smith’s threat to trans youth rights and medical care
We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the Government of Alberta’s planned changes to gender-affirming care, education, and sports in the province. These changes amount to an attack on trans people, and in particular trans youth. On January 31, 2024, the Premier of Alberta announced sweeping policy changes that will disproportionately impact trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse youth. The changes…
Read MoreConflict in North Kivu leaves 100,000 without water
More than 133,000 people who fled the fighting in North Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), live in unimaginable conditions without one single toilet or water, posing serious consequences for their health and safety, warns Oxfam. Oxfam staff report that people are forced to pay US$0.40 to use the…
Read MoreTigray and Amhara hunger crisis: Oxfam sounds alarm as families take extreme measures to survive
Families still reeling from the aftermath of a two-year conflict in Tigray are now resorting to increasingly desperate measures to survive. The conflict and erratic rainfall throughout the north of the country has further exacerbated the planting season which threatens to plunge the region into deeper humanitarian catastrophe if nothing is done, warns Oxfam. Hareyat…
Read MoreOpen Letter: Civil society coalition urges Canada to stop arms transfers to Israel
Dear Minister Joly, We, the undersigned civil society organizations, express profound concerns about the legal and humanitarian implications of Canada’s transfer of weapon systems to the government of Israel. These concerns have been further amplified following the January 26th provisional ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Since the onset of Israel’s response to…
Read MoreUNRWA funding cuts threaten Palestinian lives in Gaza and region, say NGOs
As aid organisations, we are deeply concerned and outraged that some of the largest donors have united to suspend funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main aid provider for millions of Palestinians in Gaza and the region. This comes amid a rapidly worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The suspension of…
Read MoreReaction to ICJ court statement on South Africa’s case against Israel
In reaction to today’s statement by the International Court of Justice order to South Africa’s court case, which requests Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent and punish the commission of all acts in relation to the articles of the Genocide Convention, Sally Abi-Khalil, Oxfam Regional Director for the Middle East said:…
Read MoreCanadian humanitarian organizations join global open call to stop arms transfers to Israel and Palestinian armed groups
Today, Canadian humanitarian organizations working in Gaza, join an alliance of 16 global humanitarian and human rights organizations calling on all States – including Canada – to immediately halt the direct or indirect transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to Israel and Palestinian armed groups while there is a risk they are used to commit…
Read MoreSouthern African countries face “terrifying and overwhelming” cholera outbreak
Southern African countries face “terrifying and overwhelming” cholera outbreak as Covid19 cases begin to rise again, Oxfam warns. Southern African countries including Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe are facing an unprecedented surge of cholera cases, warns Oxfam. The situation could become uncontrollable and difficult to managed due to steady increase of Covid19 cases and the…
Read MoreWealth of five richest men doubles since 2020 as five billion people made poorer in “decade of division,” says Oxfam
January 15, 2024 (Ottawa) — Oxfam today released their Inequality Inc. report showing that people worldwide are working harder and longer hours, often for poverty wages in precarious and unsafe jobs. The wages of nearly 800 million workers have failed to keep up with inflation and they have lost $1.5 trillion over the last two years, equivalent…
Read MoreOxfam: Daily Death Rate In Gaza Higher Than Any Other Major 21st Century Conflict
Israeli military killing 250 Palestinians per day with many more lives at risk from hunger, disease and cold Israel’s military is killing Palestinians at an average rate of 250 people a day which massively exceeds the daily death toll of any other major conflict of recent years, Oxfam said today, as the escalation of hostilities…
Read MoreOxfam: UNSC’s failure to call for a ceasefire “utterly callous”
In reaction to the UN Security Council’s passing of a watered-down resolution instead of calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Oxfam Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Sally Abi-Khalil, said: “The failure to call for a ceasefire after five days of deliberate delays and dilutions of the resolution is incomprehensible and utterly…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to the IPC food security figures for Gaza
In reaction to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report published today on Gaza warning of a risk of famine if intense hostilities and restricted humanitarian access persist or worsen, Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Director, said: “Gaza’s shocking descent into starvation was so predictable as to be premeditated;…
Read MoreCOP28 outcome misses the mark on justice for the majority of the world
In response to the outcome of COP28, Oxfam International’s Climate Change Policy Lead Nafkote Dabi said: “Everyone fighting against the global climate crisis has little to celebrate from this disappointing COP28. Its final outcome is grossly inadequate. Oil, coal and gas won again, but they had to struggle harder to do so and their era…
Read MoreHumanitarian organizations welcome Canada’s vote in favour of a ceasefire
For immediate release Montreal/Ottawa/Toronto, December 12, 2023 – Canada’s position on a ceasefire in Gaza is finally moving forward. In addition to calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages, Justin Trudeau today expressed Canada’s support for a ceasefire, heeding the calls of millions of Canadians. We welcome this change in Canada’s…
Read MoreEast Africa floods wipe out harvests leaving four million hungry
East Africa’s floods decimate almost entire rainy season harvest leaving over four million people with no food or income As COP28 comes to a close, rich polluting nations must accelerate loss and damage compensation for countries hit hardest by climate change Six months after a historic five-season drought, massive floods have inundated vast swaths of…
Read MoreUN Security Council must reconvene and pass resolution for ceasefire: aid agencies
We are appalled at the failure of the UN Security Council to authorise a resolution demanding a humanitarian ceasefire and unconditional release of hostages held in Gaza. If implemented, this would have provided much needed respite for civilians in Gaza who are under constant bombardment. This was a missed opportunity to stop the violence. We…
Read MoreInternational community complicit in Gaza catastrophe
Abject failure to forge ceasefire means international community complicit in unfolding catastrophe in Gaza The Israeli military onslaught in southern Gaza is causing destruction, danger, and civilian terror and suffering at such a scale that makes any humanitarian response impossible across the entire enclave, says Oxfam. The nightmare is unfolding in full view of the…
Read MoreJoint Statement from Oxfam Canada and Oxfam Québec
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada Hill Office House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 December 1, 2023 Dear Prime Minister, On behalf of Oxfam Canada and Québec, and the 95,000 people who have signed our petition, we ask you to mobilize the international community to demand that the humanitarian truce initiated…
Read MoreHumanitarian pause ends: Oxfam reaction to renewal of hostilities in Gaza
Reacting to news today that the humanitarian pause agreed between the Government of Israel and Hamas has ended, with renewed hostilities, Oxfam Humanitarian Director Marta Valdes Garcia said: “While Oxfam welcomes the release of Israeli and foreign national hostages back to their families during the pause, and the reuniting of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in…
Read MoreBabies dying from preventable causes in besieged Gaza – Oxfam
Premature births increase by up to a third in the last month The collapse of Gaza’s hospitals and healthcare system, coupled with the catastrophic living conditions, is resulting in babies dying of preventable causes, Oxfam warned today. Newborns up to three months old are dying of diarrhoea, hypothermia, dehydration and infection as mothers have little…
Read MoreGaza humanitarian pause “a band-aid to a bleeding wound”: Oxfam
In response to the announcement of the release of hostages and prisoners, and of the four-day humanitarian pause to escalated hostilities in Gaza, agreed today between Hamas and the Government of Israel, Oxfam’s Humanitarian Director, Marta Valdez Garcia, said: “We welcome the fact that a number of the Israeli and foreign national hostages will be…
Read MoreRichest 1% emit as much planet-heating pollution as two-thirds of humanity
The super rich produce as much carbon pollution as the poorest five billion people on earth. Oxfam is calling on the federal government to implement a billionaire wealth tax and a windfall profits tax. November 19, 2023 (Ottawa) — Oxfam today released the report Climate Equality: A Planet for the 99% showing how the impacts…
Read MoreGaza water supply is just 17 percent of pre-siege levels, despite new fuel announcement
Total bottled water delivered into Gaza so far is equivalent to just 1.6 liters per person The amount of water available to people trapped in Gaza will still be just 17 per cent of pre-siege levels, despite the Israeli government announcing that two trucks of fuel will now be allowed in each day, Oxfam warned.…
Read MoreFeminist Organizations Joint Appeal for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
November 17, 2023 Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2 Subject: Feminist Organizations Joint Appeal for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, We, the undersigned, a coalition of feminist, gender justice, and human rights organizations, come together to add…
Read MoreFuel has run out, stalling humanitarian operations in Gaza, warn aid agencies
Aid agencies operating in Gaza issued an urgent warning that fuel reserves critical for aid operations have run out, bringing the limited assistance delivered in Gaza in recent weeks to a complete halt. On Monday 13 November 2023, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs…
Read MoreHalf a million civilians caught in northern Gaza “siege within a siege” – Oxfam
Oxfam is gravely concerned for the lives of around 500,000 Palestinians, alongside the more than 200 Israeli and other national hostages, currently trapped in a “siege within a siege” in northern Gaza. Israeli forces have imposed a near-complete stranglehold on Gaza City and the northern region, effectively cutting the enclave in half from the border…
Read MoreStarvation as weapon of war being used against Gaza civilians – Oxfam
Just 2 per cent of usual food delivered to Gaza since siege imposed Starvation is being used as a weapon of war against Gaza civilians, Oxfam said today as it renewed its call for food, water, fuel and other essentials to be allowed to enter. The international agency analysed UN data and found that just…
Read MoreGazans face threat of cholera and other infectious diseases, says Oxfam
Food, water, power all nearing exhaustion; Oxfam partners begin small distribution but scale of need and logistical chaos pose massive challenges to humanitarian response Gaza is facing an unprecedented health crisis that risks an outbreak of deadly infectious diseases, like cholera, because water and sanitation services have completely broken down, says Oxfam. All five of…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to Israel’s order for northern Gaza to evacuate
Responding to the Israeli government’s order for northern Gaza to evacuate, Amitabh Behar, Oxfam International Executive Director said: “The world can see that this evacuation order is both utterly inhumane and impossible; the Israeli government must rescind it immediately. We implore the international community to use its utmost influence to intervene – there are hospitals…
Read MoreSiege on Gaza will be a humanitarian catastrophe – Oxfam
Oxfam is warning that a total siege on Gaza will lead to a humanitarian catastrophe. Yesterday’s announcement from the Israeli government, in response to the appalling attacks by Hamas, will stop all food, water, electricity and fuel from reaching an already vulnerable population. The siege adds to the ongoing blockade of Gaza, which has endured…
Read MoreExtreme hunger on the rise in Yemen, one year from end of ceasefire: Oxfam
Over a third of the Yemeni population is facing extreme hunger, with child malnutrition rates amongst the highest in the world. One year after the temporary peace agreement’s expiration, Oxfam calls on all sides of the conflict to strive for a sustainable and inclusive peace and for cuts to the international aid effort to be…
Read MoreCampaign action calls on Aritzia to lift garment workers out of poverty
Today, Oxfam Canada and partners are organizing an event in Vancouver to raise awareness about the difficulties faced by Cambodian garment workers and to encourage reflection on these issues. To participate, people can visit the Aritzia store at 1100 Robson St. from 3 to 5 p.m. PDT. Sewing machines will be set up outside the…
Read MoreRich nations paid less than 5 percent of the $53.3 billion East Africa needs to confront the climate crisis
Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan have incurred $7.4bn of livestock losses alone as a result of climate change Despite being largely responsible for the worsening climate crisis in East Africa, rich nations paid Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan just $2.4 billion in climate-related development finance in 2021, in stark contrast to the $53.3…
Read More1 in 5 water boreholes we dig now is dry, unfit for humans to drink : OXFAM
Climate-induced water insecurity poses one of the biggest threats to humanity and will lead to more hunger, disease and displacement Oxfam water engineers are having to drill deeper, more expensive and harder-to-maintain water boreholes used by some of the poorest communities around the world, more often now only to find dry, depleted or polluted reservoirs.…
Read MoreBangladesh’s Monsoon: At least five killed in Cox’s Bazar camps due to flooding and landslides– Oxfam responds
At least five people were killed in the Cox’s Bazar Rohingya camps today, as the monsoon floods that hit Southern Bangladesh earlier this month caused severe landslides and left a trail of destruction. Oxfam is mounting a response to address the immediate needs of the most affected people. “Nearly 300,000 people across 60 union parishads…
Read MoreOxfam Canada launches new program to support care infrastructure and gender equality in Kenya
Thanks to a contribution of $4.9 million from the Government of Canada and almost $231,000 from Oxfam Canada, more than 5,916 people in Kenya (including 4,451 women) will be directly supported through the Time to Care project. The project will be implemented by Oxfam Canada in partnership with Oxfam in Kenya, Youth Alive! Kenya, Kenya…
Read MoreOxfam reaction to the UN Global Hunger Report – ending hunger is possible but requires bold collective action
In reaction to FAO’s new “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023” report, stating that up to 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, and that 600 million persons will be chronically undernourished in 2030, Hanna Saarinen, Oxfam International Food Policy Lead said: “It is unforgivable for governments to watch billions…
Read MoreBig business’ windfall profits rocket to “obscene” $1 trillion a year amid cost-of-living crisis; Oxfam and ActionAid renew call for windfall taxes
722 mega–corporations raked in $1 trillion a year in windfall profits in 2021 and 2022. A windfall tax of 90 per cent on last years’ windfall profits could generate $941 billion — money that now could be used to tackle poverty and climate change. While profits soared, one billion workers across 50 countries took a…
Read MoreStatement of Solidarity: Oxfam Condemns the Killing of Union Leader, Shahidul Islam
Oxfam stands in solidarity with the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF), trade union leaders and all human rights defenders who stand up for workers’ rights and protect human rights. Oxfam learned of the horrific news of the brutal murder of Shahidul Islam, a union leader who was beaten to death on June 25th…
Read MoreAid for Afghanistan Coalition Statement: The Passage of Bill C-41, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
The Aid for Afghanistan Coalition welcomes the adoption of Bill C-41 as a first step in enabling Canadian aid organizations to provide crucial humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and other similar contexts. This legislation is needed to give Canadian aid organizations a path forward to ensure those who are in need of assistance receive it, regardless…
Read MoreOxfam Canada and War Child Canada and recognize World Refugee Day with the launch of Geared for Success
Toronto – On this World Refugee Day, War Child Canada and Oxfam Canada stand in support of the 110 million displaced people around the world – a devastating new record high. An estimated 43.3 million are children under the age of 18. “War and climate change are displacing unprecedented numbers of people from their homes.…
Read More‘Deep-rooted’ crisis in care systems in Canada need major paradigm shift: Oxfam report
Decades of underfunded care services, inadequate compensation for care workers, and an unequal distribution of care responsibilities have left communities across the country with little to lean on when it comes to care, according to a new report released today by Oxfam Canada. The report, How Much Do We Care? An Assessment of the Canadian…
Read MoreCanadian charities unite to respond to humanitarian crisis in East Africa
In response to the combined impact of conflict, climate and hunger in parts of east Africa, along with the ripple effects of the conflict in Sudan, Oxfam Canada, along with leading Canadian aid agencies are working together as the Humanitarian Coalition in raising funds to rush assistance to people in need. The Canadian government has…
Read MoreRich countries’ continued failure to honour their $100 billon climate finance promise threatens negotiations and undermines climate action
Flawed accounting systems are not giving the true picture of climate finance As global greenhouse emissions continue to rise, and climate change wreaks more havoc upon the people and places least responsible for the problem, rich polluting countries are now three years overdue on their promise to mobilize $100 billion a year in climate finance…
Read MoreG7 owes huge $13 trillion debt to Global South
Wealthy Group of Seven (G7) countries owe low and middle-income countries $13.3 trillion in unpaid aid and climate action funding, reveals new analysis from Oxfam ahead of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan. Despite failing to pay what they owe, G7 countries and their rich bankers demand that Global South countries pay $232 million daily…
Read MoreStruggling communities in South Sudan open their doors to refugees from war-torn Sudan
Urgent international support needed now to help communities buckling under the strain Thousands of South Sudanese communities are opening their own doors and offering their meagre resources to refugees fleeing the conflict in neighbouring Sudan. Oxfam is calling for donor countries to step up to avoid a disaster. During a three-day operations review to South…
Read MoreOxfam responds in Bangladesh and Myanmar as Cyclone Mocha leaves a trail of destruction
Super cyclonic storm Mocha made landfall in Myanmar’s Rakhine state area, reaching a speed of 250 kmph and crossing low-lying areas, including Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, on Sunday. As per the initial reports, at least 8 people have been killed, and the powerful storm has caused extensive destruction to infrastructure in the western Myanmar…
Read MoreConflict in Sudan worsening humanitarian situation in neighbouring countries, Oxfam responding
6,000 new people arriving daily at the South Sudan borders, straining already stretched humanitarian needs Oxfam is supporting a humanitarian response for refugees arriving from Sudan into South Sudan’s Renk and Raban counties in Upper Nile State, and in Chad’s Sila province. Nearly 30,000 people have already crossed the border to South Sudan following fighting…
Read MoreOxfam Canada calling for ‘fair and equitable’ legislation on forced and child labour in Canadian supply chains
In response to the vote on May 3 against a private member’s bill (S-211) to fight forced labour and child labour in Canadian supply chains, Nirvana Mujtaba, Oxfam Canada’s Women’s Rights Policy and Advocacy Specialist said the following: “Bill S-211 won’t curb human rights abuses or incentivize action. We need robust mandatory human rights and…
Read MoreTop CEOs got a 9% real pay raise in 2022 while workers worldwide took a 3% pay cut
Workers on average worked six days “for free” last year because their wages lagged behind inflation — while real pay for top executives jumped nine per cent (16 per cent if not adjusted for inflation). Canadian workers’ total losses were almost $39 billion CAD and worked over seven days unpaid because wages did not keep…
Read MoreStatement Of Solidarity With Wet’suwet’en Nation Land Defenders
Oxfam Canada stands in 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 the largest fracking project in Canadian history, the Coastal Gas Link pipeline. On the morning of March 29, 2023, RCMP forces raided a Gidimt’en…
Read MoreOne in five persons don’t have enough water in drought-stricken East Africa
Up to 90% of water boreholes in parts of Somalia, Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia have entirely dried up One in five people in drought-stricken East Africa – a total of 33.5 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia – don’t have enough safe drinking water. Failed rain is predicted to persist for a sixth…
Read MoreAfter eight years of war, Yemen on the brink of economic collapse – Oxfam
As Yemen enters its ninth year of war, its people are facing a devastating humanitarian crisis with more than two million children acutely malnourished. Rounds of currency depreciation, an economy on the brink of collapse, and sharp increases in the cost of fuel and other key commodities, have left millions more Yemenis in danger of…
Read MoreTurkiye-Syria Earthquake: Pledges come at a make-or-break moment
In response to the EU’s donor conference for Turkiye and Syria earthquakes, Oxfam calls on the international community to leave no one behind in providing aid to the communities affected. Şengül Akçar, Oxfam KEDV Executive Director said: “The pledges come at a make-or-break moment. Torrential floods in recent days have swept away temporary accommodations and…
Read MoreOxfam raises fresh concerns for Türkiye earthquake survivors as torrential rains and flooding batter devastated region
Survivors of last month’s devastating earthquakes in southern Turkiye have been dealt a fresh blow as heavy rains and severe flooding hit the region, with further downpours forecast in coming hours. At least five people have been killed so far and at least five others are reported missing, with the provinces of Sanliurfa and Adiyaman…
Read MoreAlmost three-quarters of displaced Syrians surveyed in Aleppo say they are having to skip a meal every day since the earthquake
Three in every four people in Aleppo have had to reduce daily meals since the earthquake and near all of them say they have taken on extra debt or their children out of school in order to cope, says Oxfam. Oxfam surveyed 300 people displaced in Aleppo, and living in collective shelters, in the lead-up…
Read MoreOxfam and partners mounting a humanitarian response to help people affected by cyclone in Malawi and Mozambique
More than 80 people including women and children have been killed in Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar, and millions more need urgently need clean water, shelter and food following Cyclone Freddy – the longest and strongest tropical storm on record in the Southern hemisphere – which has damaged thousands of homes, roads, and telecommunication infrastructures. Oxfam…
Read MoreFederal action still falling short on gender equality: Oxfam Feminist Scorecard
(Ottawa) – Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the deteriorating global situation – climate change, spiking food and energy price inflation and worsening conflict – has set progress towards achieving gender equality back by more than a generation globally. While the federal government’s feminist response put forward several worthy initiatives this past year, gaps still…
Read MoreAid dwindling in spite of dire conditions one month after the earthquakes in Türkiye
One month after the earthquakes that struck Türkiye killing more than 45,000 people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of buildings and major infrastructure, aid and donations for survivors has sharply declined in spite of continuing urgent needs. Hundreds of thousands of families are residing in informal settlements to stay close to homes that have been…
Read MoreDismal conditions in shelters as hundreds of thousands of people in Syria and Türkiye lack water and basic sanitation
Hundreds of thousands of people, among those who lost their homes in the massive earthquakes that hit Türkiye and Syria ten days ago, are now crammed into temporary shelters with insufficient clean water or toilets. In some shelters in Aleppo, Syria, as many as 150 people are having to share a single toilet. Women and…
Read MoreEARTHQUAKE: Oxfam and partners aim to reach nearly 2 million affected people in Turkiye and Syria
Oxfam, together with our partners in Turkiye (Turkey) and Syria, is working to reach nearly two million people – 10 per cent of the population affected by the quake – with aid and support so that they can rebuild their lives. Meryem Aslan, Oxfam Spokeswoman in Turkiye said: “People are living in cars, mosques, in…
Read MoreEARTHQUAKE: Oxfam and partners mounting response in Turkey, and Syria amidst destruction of life and property
Oxfam teams in Turkey and Syria are assessing along with partner organisations the fastest, most appropriate humanitarian efforts to help affected people in the aftermath of Monday’s devastating earthquake – the biggest in Turkey since 1938. An Oxfam colleague in Turkey – an expert amateur mountaineer – travelled today into south-west Turkey, part of an…
Read MoreRichest 1% bag nearly twice as much wealth as the rest of the world put together over the past two years
The richest one per cent grabbed nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created since 2020, worth $42 trillion, almost twice as much money as the bottom 99 per cent of the world’s population, according to a new Oxfam report. “Survival of the Richest” is being released as political and business elites gather at the World…
Read MoreJoint Statement in solidarity with Indigenous families mourning the murder of four Indigenous women
As we observe the 16 Days of Activism on Gender-Based Violence and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, the announcement of charges in the murder of four Indigenous women at the hands of an alleged serial killer linked to white supremacist ideology is a tragic indication that the urgent action…
Read MorePeople eating leaves to survive in South Sudan as aid fails to keep pace with spiralling hunger crisis – Oxfam
More than half the population of South Sudan – 6.6 million people – are severely hungry, including 2.2 million people at risk of starvation. Yet the humanitarian response remains woefully underfunded and without an urgent increase in aid now, 7.7 million people or two-thirds of the population will face severe food shortages next year, Oxfam…
Read MoreGlobal humanitarian needs highest on record – Oxfam Canada reaction
Today’s UN 2023 Global Humanitarian Overview report reveals that 339 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid – the highest caseload in history. One in every 23 people around the world is now in urgent need of humanitarian aid, the equivalent of nearly nine times the population of Canada. This news must be…
Read MoreOxfam supports partners and local government in responding to Cianjur Earthquake in Indonesia
Oxfam is supporting the Humanitarian Knowledge Hub (JMK) in responding to the earthquake which hit Cianjur and Sukabumi in Indonesia last week. The partners have started distributing basic sanitation kits to displaced people. The earthquake has killed at least 323 people, damaged more than 62,628 buildings in Cianjur and around 443 others in Sukabumi and…
Read MoreHas your favourite Canadian fashion brand been Naughty or Nice this year?
Major Canadian fashion brands – like lululemon, Joe Fresh, Aritzia, Herschel Supply Co and Roots – all need to pay living wages to the women who make our clothes. As Canadians hit the Black Friday sales and start their holiday shopping, Oxfam Canada has released its first ever Naughty or Nice list, which calls out…
Read MoreA billionaire emits a million times more greenhouse gases than the average person
Billionaire investments in polluting industries, such as fossil fuels and cement, double their weighting in the Standard and Poor group of 500 companies – Oxfam The investments of just 125 billionaires emit 393 million tonnes of CO2e each year – the equivalent of Ontario and Alberta combined – at an individual annual average that is…
Read More189 million people per year affected by extreme weather in developing countries as rich countries stall on paying climate impact costs
Lower income countries paying the highest price as emissions and fossil fuel profits rocket An average of 189 million people per year have been affected by extreme weather-related events in developing countries since 1991 – the year that a mechanism was first proposed to address the costs of climate impacts on low-income countries, according to…
Read MoreTrue value of climate finance is a third of what developed countries report: Oxfam
Reporting international climate finance remains flawed, and profoundly unfair Many rich countries are using dishonest and misleading accounting to inflate their climate finance contributions to developing countries – in 2020 by as much as 225 per cent, according to investigations by Oxfam. Oxfam estimates between just $21-24.5 billion as the “true value” of climate finance…
Read MoreCanada’s eight largest banks finance more than twice the total carbon footprint of the country: Oxfam report
If Canada’s eight major banks were a country, they would be the fifth-largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter in the world. This is one of the revelations of an exclusive report on the carbon footprint of Canada’s major banks, released today by Oxfam. The report, produced in collaboration with Institut de Recherche en Economie Contemporaine (IREC), shows…
Read MoreHunger likely to claim a life every 36 seconds in drought-stricken East Africa over next three months: Oxfam
One person is likely to die of hunger every 36 seconds between now and the end of the year in drought-stricken East Africa as the worst hit areas hurtle towards famine, Oxfam warned today. The international agency warned that the situation in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya is deteriorating fast. In Somalia, it is the worst…
Read MoreRich countries’ aid to West Africa to cope with climate change is insufficient and dangerously worsening debt levels
Rich countries and multilateral donors have so far mobilized only 7 per cent of the estimated $198.88 billion that West African countries need by 2030 to cope with the climate crisis and pursue their own green development. According to a new Oxfam study today, Climate Finance in West Africa, 62 per cent of $11.7 billion…
Read MoreExtreme hunger has more than doubled in 10 of the world’s worst climate hotspots over past six years
Less than 18 days of fossil fuel companies’ profits would cover the entire UN humanitarian appeal for 2022 Ten of the world’s worst climate hotspots – those with the highest number of UN appeals driven by extreme weather events – have suffered a 123 per cent rise in acute hunger over just the past six…
Read MoreFlooding Crisis in Pakistan: Donations To The Humanitarian Coalition Will Be Matched By The Government Of Canada To Provide Emergency Assistance
The Humanitarian Coalition commends the commitment of the Canadian government to match the donations made to provide assitance to the 33 million people impacted by the flooding in Pakistan. The Government of Canada has announced that it will match donations to the Humanitarian Coalition and its member charities up to $3 million. “This announcement comes…
Read MorePakistan floods: Oxfam begins relief response and calls for coordinated international action
Oxfam is mounting a humanitarian response to the catastrophic flooding in Pakistan working with a network of local partner organizations. Relief efforts will focus on two of the hardest-hit provinces of Balochistan and Sindh in the south-west of the country. The response will target 25,000 families and households affected by the floods. Oxfam’s partners are…
Read MoreTwo years after blast, Beirut still far from recovery
Two years since one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history ripped through Beirut, the city and the people living in it are still struggling to recover from the impact of the devastating blast, even more now with a soaring cost of food as a result of economic decline. The World Bank said that Lebanon…
Read MoreYemen: Joint INGO statement on the UN-led truce
Ahead of the end of the current UN-led truce agreement on August 2, 2022, humanitarian organizations in Yemen urge all parties to the conflict to adhere to and extend the agreement to protect civilians across the country and allow them to rebuild and recover their lives. As organizations working in Yemen, we recognize and applaud…
Read MoreUnprecedented spike in food prices puts Yemenis at risk of extreme hunger
Yemen is facing unprecedented rises in the price of food putting millions more people in danger of catastrophic hunger, Oxfam warned today. Already exhausted by over seven years of conflict, Yemen has been hit hard by the worsening global food crises. The prices of wheat, flour, cooking oil, eggs and sugar have all increased by…
Read MoreTwo-weeks of food billionaires’ wealth enough to fully fund East Africa hunger crisis response
Food inflation in some East African countries outstrips global average leaving millions hungry Food inflation in East African countries where tens of millions of people are caught in an alarming hunger crisis has increased sharply, reaching a staggering 44 per cent in Ethiopia – nearly five times the global average. It is estimated that one…
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