Blogs & Stories
Six Women Creating Spaces for Gender Justice in Asia
Tags: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
Through the Creating Spaces project, these women champion female leadership to advance gender justice.
by Asma Siyala and Farwah Qasim | March 8, 2022
I’m in the Right Place with Oxfam
Tags: Emergency Response, Violence Against Women and Girls
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
Open Letter to Ministers Bennett and Miller on Solidarity with the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc People
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Conflict and War, Violence Against Women and Girls
This open letter to Ministers Carolyn Bennett and Marc Miller expresses solidarity with Indigenous people in Canada in the face of ongoing genocide.
by A coalition of gender justice organizations | June 9, 2021
Finding the Path to Voice, Choice and Agency
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls
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
‘There is no focus on domestic workers’: The invisible workforce in Bangladesh during COVID-19
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women’s Economic Justice
The life of a domestic worker in Dhaka city...
by Shamminaz Polen | Oxfam Canada | June 11, 2020
5 ways Oxfam's Feminist Leadership is in Action
Tags: Feminist Aid, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women’s Economic Justice
Find out the five ways Oxfam’s LAC Regional Women’s Rights and Gender Justice group are bringing feminist learning into the centre of our organization.
by Tamsin Smith | Oxfam | April 19, 2020
Too young to marry
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls
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
71 million people displaced in 2018 due to conflict: 'We did not choose to become refugees'
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Conflict and War, Emergency Response, Refugees and Internal Displacement, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Violence Against Women and Girls
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
Using Forum Theatre to engage communities in ending violence against women and girls
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls
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
Protecting the people we serve
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Violence Against Women and Girls
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
A voice from the field: Oxfam's donor Eric Gould shares his personal experience from Nepal
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls
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
How the humanitarian sector is taking action after its #MeToo moment
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls
This year has proven to be a reckoning on women’s rights around the world and the humanitarian and development sector is no exception. In recent months shocking stories of abuse…
by oxfamcanada | September 21, 2018
Creating space to tackle violence against women and child marriage in Bangladesh
Tags: Natural Disasters, Violence Against Women and Girls
“Who here was married before they were ready?” Every single woman raises her hand. The women tell us what it was like to be married at a young age, and…
by Karoline Kemp | July 9, 2018
Executive Director Julie Delahanty addresses the 2011 staff sexual misconduct in Haiti
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls
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
Turning #MeToo Into A Meaningful Global Phenomenon
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 Luna Allison | February 8, 2018
SEE ME: The perilous flight of a Rohingya refugee
Tags: Refugees and Internal Displacement, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 Sara Thaw | December 6, 2017
The Girl Child is Resilient, Strong and Unstoppable
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
“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 Sara Thaw | October 11, 2017
Protection of women and girls: a bright idea
Tags: Emergency Response, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
Sometimes we harm the people we try to help. As humanitarians we deliver life-saving assistance to people who need it, but sometimes, the way we provide that assistance can inadvertently…
by Luna Allison | August 18, 2017
Hope and resilience: Sylvie’s life in Buporo refugee camp
Tags: Emergency Response, Hunger, Refugees and Internal Displacement, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Violence Against Women and Girls, Water
When Sylvie’s husband died of disease in Buporo refugee camp, it was not only heartbreaking for this young mother and her four children. It was also terrifying. Sylvie’s days became…
by Oxfam Canada | June 19, 2017
Strawberry Fields
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership, Women’s Economic Justice
Written by Julie Delahanty, Executive Director, Oxfam Canada Driving through Larache in Northern Morocco I was struck by the large-scale modern agricultural feel of the countryside. Travelling frequently throughout Asia…
by Oxfam Canada | March 8, 2017
What we really really want is an end to violence against women
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
Written by Julie Delahanty, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. First published in The Hill Times on July 27, 2016. To mark its 20th anniversary, artists from India to Nigeria revamped…
by Luna Allison | August 11, 2016
Ghomeshi Trial Shows That Violence Against Women Knows No Borders
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | February 1, 2016
Beyond the Nine-to-Five: A world where women are valued
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
On October 19th, 2015, Canadians told the world they were ready for something different. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was elected on the promise of action on climate change, a valued…
by oxfamcanada | December 9, 2015
Ending Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Settings: Let’s Make it Happen
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Conflict and War, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
By Julie Lafrenière, Women’s Rights Specialist at Oxfam Canada. In South Sudan, domestic violence is widespread and largely tolerated. In the all-too-common words of two young women from Warrap State:…
by oxfamcanada | December 3, 2015
For Us, With Us: Women’s Economic Empowerment Programs & Women’s Safety
Tags: Conflict and War, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership, Women’s Economic Justice
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 oxfamcanada | December 3, 2015
Happy Eid – from Yemen
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Conflict and War, Emergency Response, Hunger, Violence Against Women and Girls
Eid is upon us. But it doesn’t feel like Eid. Fighting in Yemen has not ceased throughout the month of Ramadan – in fact it intensified. The upcoming holiday is…
by oxfamcanada | July 16, 2015
Yemen: Women get on their bikes for their rights
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Conflict and War, Emergency Response, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | July 6, 2015
Fostering gender equality in emergencies
Tags: Emergency Response, Natural Disasters, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | May 1, 2015
Gender-based violence knows no borders
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | December 9, 2014
16 Days Stories - Oxfam Partners In Action
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership, Women’s Economic Justice
Worldwide violence against women and girls is a widespread human rights violation. Oxfam is part of a global movement challenging systems and beliefs that perpetuate violence against women and girls.…
by Oxfam | November 24, 2014
Ending violence against women and girls—in times of conflict and peace
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | June 12, 2014
Raising Her Voice: Feminism around the world
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
by Emily Brown, Oxfam Great Britain Yesterday I shared with you a new animation on women’s political voice – and today, to inspire you, I would like to share with…
by oxfamcanada | June 12, 2014
Raising her voice: making women’s invisibility, visible
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | June 11, 2014
Breaking free of gender-based violence
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
photo: Oxfam America by Coco McCabe, Oxfam America Yadira Leticia Tziná Mendoza explains why she’s taking on a taboo and helping other women realize their rights. If Yadira Leticia Tziná…
by oxfamcanada | April 16, 2014
Rape Crisis Peer Educators: Leading change and changing attitudes
Tags: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Violence Against Women and Girls
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 oxfamcanada | March 26, 2014
Oxfam Partners Speaking Up for Women’s Rights
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
by Melanie Gallant Violence against women and girls is an attack on human rights – it ruins lives and impoverishes communities. It is present in all nations – rich and…
by oxfamcanada | December 11, 2013
Statement on International Human Rights Day
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | December 10, 2013
From shadow into light: Tackling gender violence through photography
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
As part of the international campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence,” Oxfam in Mali, Wildaf – a local partner – and International Medical Corps launched an exhibition in Bamako, Gao…
by oxfamcanada | December 4, 2013
Closing the Gap on Gender: Is India up for the challenge?
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | November 5, 2013
The Power of People against Poverty - Oxfam Canada’s National CHANGE Summit
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Hunger, Violence Against Women and Girls
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 oxfamcanada | September 20, 2013
Cape Town’s Triangle Project Defends Rights of Women
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | August 12, 2013
Horizonte Azul: A Brighter Future for Impoverished Youth in Maputo
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
by Melanie Gallant Maxaquene is an impoverished neighborhood on the outskirts of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. The unpaved and pot-holed streets are filled with mud-brick houses, chickens, and…
by oxfamcanada | August 8, 2013
The power of You behind the brands
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Hunger, Violence Against Women and Girls
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 oxfamcanada | June 25, 2013
On Mother's Day
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Violence Against Women and Girls
by Shawna Wakefield On mother’s day, instead of valorizing moms with well-intended, but often artificial appreciation for the vast amounts of unpaid labor that women do every day, I…
by oxfamcanada | May 14, 2013
Deeper issues in violence against women
Tags: Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | March 7, 2013
Go behind the brands you buy
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Emergency Response, Violence Against Women and Girls
What do Toblerone and Tropicana have in common? The same as Coca-Cola, Cheerios and Cadbury’s and Oreos, Pringles and Pop Tarts. They’re all made by the “Big 10” food…
by oxfamcanada | February 26, 2013
Making CHANGE: Summits focus on Gender Justice
Tags: Advocacy in Canada, Violence Against Women and Girls, Women's Transformative Leadership
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 oxfamcanada | February 4, 2013
