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Dismal conditions in shelters as hundreds of thousands of people in Syria and Türkiye lack water and basic sanitation

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

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…

EARTHQUAKE: Oxfam and partners aim to reach nearly 2 million affected people in Turkiye and Syria

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

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 –…

EARTHQUAKE: Oxfam and partners mounting response in Turkey, and Syria amidst destruction of life and property

Emergency Response

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 –…

Richest 1% bag nearly twice as much wealth as the rest of the world put together over the past two years

Advocacy in Canada

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…

People eating leaves to survive in South Sudan as aid fails to keep pace with spiralling hunger crisis - Oxfam

  • Climate Change
  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

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…

Global humanitarian needs highest on record – Oxfam Canada reaction

  • Climate Change
  • Hunger

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…

Oxfam supports partners and local government in responding to Cianjur Earthquake in Indonesia

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

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…

Has your favourite Canadian fashion brand been Naughty or Nice this year?

Advocacy in Canada

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…

A billionaire emits a million times more greenhouse gases than the average person

Climate Change

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…

189 million people per year affected by extreme weather in developing countries as rich countries stall on paying climate impact costs

Climate Change

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…

True value of climate finance is a third of what developed countries report: Oxfam

Climate Change

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…

Canada’s eight largest banks finance more than twice the total carbon footprint of the country: Oxfam report

Climate Change

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…

Hunger likely to claim a life every 36 seconds in drought-stricken East Africa over next three months: Oxfam

  • Climate Change
  • Water

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…

Rich countries' aid to West Africa to cope with climate change is insufficient and dangerously worsening debt levels

Climate Change

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…

Extreme hunger has more than doubled in 10 of the world’s worst climate hotspots over past six years

  • Climate Change
  • Hunger

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…

Flooding Crisis in Pakistan: Donations To The Humanitarian Coalition Will Be Matched By The Government Of Canada To Provide Emergency Assistance

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

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…

Pakistan floods: Oxfam begins relief response and calls for coordinated international action

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

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…

Two years after blast, Beirut still far from recovery

Emergency Response

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…

Yemen: Joint INGO statement on the UN-led truce

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Conflict and War

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…

Unprecedented spike in food prices puts Yemenis at risk of extreme hunger

  • Conflict and War
  • 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,…

Two-weeks of food billionaires’ wealth enough to fully fund East Africa hunger crisis response

Hunger

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…

G7 failure to tackle hunger crisis will leave millions to starve

Advocacy in Canada

Responding to news of the $4.5 billion pledge made by the G7 leaders to tackle global hunger, Max Lawson, Head of Inequality Policy at Oxfam said: “Faced with the worst hunger…

G7 broken promises on vaccines contribute to 600,000 preventable deaths

Rich countries have already bought majority of next generation COVID-19 vaccines Less than half (49 per cent) of the 2.1 billion COVID vaccine donations promised to poorer countries by G7…

Oxfam Canada reaction to US Supreme Court ruling on abortion

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

In reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on abortion, Lauren Ravon, Executive Director, Oxfam Canada stated: “Today, the U.S. Supreme Court has delivered a devastating blow to women’s human…

G7 must pursue windfall taxes on excess corporate 'pandemic profits' and cancel poor country debts to fund fight against hunger

Advocacy in Canada

The G7 must pursue windfall taxes on excess corporate profits including from those making huge returns from surging food and energy prices. The revenues can be used to fund an…

Worst monsoon rains in over a century submerge most of northeast Bangladesh and devastate the lives of 4.3 million people

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Monsoon rains – the worst in 122 years – have inundated major rivers in northeastern Bangladesh and submerged thousands of houses, impacting 4.3 million people. The worse is yet to…

Oxfam Canada launches new program to advance women’s empowerment in Myanmar

  • Feminist Aid
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

Thanks to a contribution of $7.9 million from the Government of Canada and close to $400,000 from Oxfam Canada, more than 20,000 crisis-affected women and adolescent girls in Myanmar will…

Nearly 30,000 people have died every day from COVID-19 since WTO talks on vaccine intellectual property began

Advocacy in Canada

Failure of the UK and EU countries to agree to TRIPS waiver costs lives and undermines credibility and future of WTO  17.5 million people have died from COVID-19 in the…

800% increase in UN appeal needs for extreme weather-related emergencies over last 20 years – new Oxfam research

Climate Change

The amount of money needed for UN humanitarian appeals involving extreme weather events like floods or drought is now eight times higher than 20 years ago – and donors are…

Pandemic creates new billionaire every 30 hours — now a million people could fall into extreme poverty at same rate in 2022

Advocacy in Canada

As the cost of essential goods rises faster than it has in decades, billionaires in the food and energy sectors are increasing their fortunes by $1 billion dollars every two…

One person dying from hunger every 48 seconds in drought-ravaged East Africa as world fails warnings

  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger

One person is likely dying of hunger every 48 seconds in drought-ravaged Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, according to estimates by Oxfam and Save the Children in a report published today…

Governments falling woefully short on goal to vaccinate 70 per cent in each country by September

Advocacy in Canada

Vaccine Access Still a Concern as President Biden Hosts Second COVID Summit World leaders have not done enough to achieve their goal of vaccinating 70 per cent of people in…

Will global donors rise to the occasion and prevent starvation and death for millions in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya?

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

As donors convene in Geneva, over 50 NGOs and NGO networks call for an urgent and substantial step-up in funding and leadership to respond to the humanitarian catastrophe facing millions…

Government of Canada announces new funding to support education for displaced children and youth as Canada hosts Together for Learning Summit

Refugees and Internal Displacement

(Ottawa) Thanks to a contribution of $13.8 million from the Government of Canada, more than 190,000 refugees and displaced children and youth in South Sudan and Uganda will be supported…

IMF must abandon demands for austerity as cost-of-living crisis drives up hunger and poverty worldwide

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

87 per cent of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) COVID-19 loans are requiring developing countries that have been denied equal access to vaccines and are facing some of the world’s…

West Africa faces its worst food crisis in 10 years, with over 27 million people already suffering from hunger

Hunger

An additional 11 million people could be pushed to hunger just over the next three months West Africa is hit by its worst food crisis in a decade, with 27…

Oxfam reaction to the IPCC’s Working Group III report on climate change mitigation

Climate Change

Responding to the publication today of the IPCC’s Working Group III report on climate change mitigation, Oxfam’s Climate Policy Lead Nafkote Dabi said: “This IPCC report pulls no punches. The…

Escalating death, destitution and destruction as Yemeni civilians left to bear brunt of 7-year war – Oxfam

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger

The human cost of the war in Yemen is rising sharply as the conflict enters its eighth year, with the number of civilian deaths increasing sharply, hunger on the rise…

As many as 28 million people across East Africa at risk of extreme hunger if rains fail again

  • Climate Change
  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

Global food and commodity prices spiking in reaction to Ukraine crisis set to worsen hunger for 21 million people already today in severe food insecurity As many as 28 million…

 “Before we feared dying of war, now we fear dying of hunger”: Ukraine crisis propelling hunger in Syria

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

Eleven years after the Syrian conflict began, six in 10 Syrians do not know where their next meal is coming from, according to Oxfam. It warned that reliance on imports…

Oxfam Feminist Scorecard exposes key gaps in federal action on gender equality

Advocacy in Canada

The federal government’s progress in delivering on their feminist commitments during a prolonged pandemic has been bumpy but is making some headway. Historic investments in the care sector are helping…

Covid-19 death toll four times higher in lower-income countries than rich ones

Advocacy in Canada

3 million people died since the Omicron variant emerged, shattering perceptions that the pandemic is over The COVID-19 death toll has been four times higher in lower-income countries than in…

Protection of civilians in Ukraine conflict

Conflict and War

As a humanitarian organization, Oxfam is horrified by the loss of life being witnessed, and gravely concerned by the impacts of the conflict in Ukraine.  We call for an immediate…

Oxfam reaction to the IPCC’s Working Group II report on climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability

Climate Change

Responding to the publication of the IPCC’s Working Group II report assessing climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, Oxfam Canada’s policy manager Ian Thomson said: “This catalogue of pain, loss…

Statement about the situation in Ukraine

Conflict and War

As a humanitarian organization, Oxfam is gravely concerned about the impacts of the conflict in Ukraine and calls for an immediate end to hostilities. The protection of life is of…

Yemen: Rise in airstrikes and landmines add to misery for civilians in Marib after year of increased conflict

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

One year after the battle for Yemen’s resource rich Marib governorate escalated, the humanitarian situation has worsened as shifting frontlines, airstrikes and landmines displace nearly 100,000 people, many of whom…

Over 40 NGOs warn of a deepening humanitarian crisis in Somalia and urge donors to urgently fund the UN appeal

  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger

7.7 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, as 98 per cent of Somalia’s humanitarian appeal remains severely underfunded Oxfam, together with over 40 NGOs representing the Somali…

10 richest men double their fortunes in pandemic while incomes of 99 per cent of humanity fall

Advocacy in Canada

New billionaire minted every 26 hours, as inequality contributes to the death of one person every four seconds The world’s 10 richest men more than doubled their fortunes from $875…

Philippines hit by over half a billion dollars in damages from Typhoon Rai; farming and fishing hardest hit

Emergency Response

Oxfam staff report people begging for food in towns worst hit The Philippines is struggling to recover from last month’s massive Typhoon Rai that caused losses worth 11.1 billion Php…

Rich countries have received more vaccines in run-up to Christmas than African countries have all year

Advocacy in Canada

The EU, UK and US have received more doses in the last six weeks than African countries have received all year. Global rollout at speed of UK’s booster programme could…

Oxfam, local officials call for urgent aid in typhoon-hit areas in Visayas

Emergency Response

Oxfam Pilipinas on Monday echoed local officials in Eastern Visayas calling for immediate assistance for survivors of Super Typhoon Rai (local name: Odette). Super Typhoon Rai, which is the strongest…

Groups provide pre-disaster financial aid to more than 2,600 families in Philippines before Typhoon Rai hit

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Humanitarian groups distributed through digital cash transfer more than $4 million (PHP) to 2,650 families in the Philippines. Forty barangays in Salcedo, Dolores, Lawaan, Quinapondan and Balangiga towns in Eastern…

Parts of Somalia hit by the driest season in 40 years as climate-fuelled drought worsens

  • Climate Change
  • Hunger
  • Water

Nearly 90 per cent of the country faces severe water shortages leaving 3.5 million people in extreme hunger Nearly 90 per cent of Somalia is now in a severe drought,…

Failure to vaccinate the world created perfect breeding ground for Omicron, say campaigners

Advocacy in Canada

A year since first Pfizer vaccine given, Sub-Saharan Africa has only received enough doses to fully vaccinate 1 in 8 people Campaigners from the People’s Vaccine Alliance say the refusal…

Human rights advocates eye legal action against Canadian, German, Norwegian and UK governments over global COVID vaccine inequality

Advocacy in Canada

Coordinated legal efforts call on “recalcitrant” governments to support proposed waiver of COVID-related intellectual property monopolies at the WTO Human rights lawyers have threatened legal action against the German, Norwegian,…

Action against gender-based violence being pushed to the outlying margins of the global COVID-19 response

Violence Against Women and Girls

A new Oxfam report shows an undeniable increase in gender-based violence (GBV) during the COVID-19 pandemic around the world to which too many governments and donors are not doing enough…

Oxfam Canada launches new program to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights in Mozambique and Uganda

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Thanks to a contribution of $19.6 million from the Government of Canada and close to $1 million from Oxfam Canada’s generous supporters, more than 370,000 marginalized and vulnerable young women…

Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna making $1,000 profit every second while world’s poorest countries remain largely unvaccinated

Advocacy in Canada

Demand grows for firms to share vaccine recipes and technology as billionaire pharma bosses convene for ‘Big Pharma Davos’ New figures from the Peoples Vaccine Alliance reveal that the companies…

Oxfam Reaction To COP26 text

Climate Change

As the latest draft COP26 text is published, Tracy Carty, head of Oxfam’s COP26 delegation said: “Here in Glasgow, the world’s poorest countries are in danger of being lost from…

Oxfam reaction to AstraZeneca’s plan to take profits from the COVID-19 vaccine

Advocacy in Canada

In response to the announcement that AstraZeneca is to move away from the non-profit model for COVID-19 vaccines, Anna Marriott, Oxfam’s Health Policy Manager and spokesperson for the People’s Vaccine…

Oxfam reaction to COP26 draft text

Climate Change

Responding to the draft COP26 decision text, Tracy Carty, head of Oxfam’s COP26 delegation said: “This draft COP decision text is too weak. It fails to respond to the climate…

Campaigners petition UN to investigate racial and gender discriminations in global COVID-19 vaccine roll-out

Advocacy in Canada

US, UK, Germany, Norway, and Switzerland in violation of international human rights law in “prolonging the pandemic” ahead of vital World Trade Organization meeting  GENEVA – An international coalition of human…

A year since conflict erupted, nearly 7 million people still suffering in Northern Ethiopia as humanitarian catastrophe outpaces aid

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

One year since conflict broke out in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, almost seven million people in Tigray and in neighboring Amhara and Afar are suffering from the toll of violence,…

Oxfam calls for urgent G20 action to tackle vaccine inequality, hunger, climate change, and promote a fair economic recovery

Advocacy in Canada

Ahead of the G20 Summit in Rome, Italy, Oxfam calls on G20 leaders to take urgent action to dramatically scale up manufacturing and access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world,…

Oxfam reaction to the UNFCCC’s updated NDC Synthesis Report

Climate Change

Responding to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) updated NDC Synthesis Report, Oxfam France’s Advocacy Manager Armelle Le Comte said: “This confirms we are still dangerously off track…

Roadmap confirms rich nations will meet $100 billion climate finance target later than promised: Oxfam reaction

Climate Change

Today, rich nations published a Climate Finance Delivery Plan claiming that it will take until 2023 to meet their commitment to mobilize $100 billion each year to support poorer nations…

Pharmaceutical companies and rich nations delivering just one in seven doses promised for developing countries

Advocacy in Canada

Firms and rich nations continue to block moves to share vaccine technology and recipes Developing countries have been hit with an endless tide of inadequate gestures and broken promises from…

Third COVID-19 wave engulfs Yemen with 99 per cent of people unvaccinated

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response

Yemenis are battling a third wave of COVID-19, which threatens 99 per cent of the population who are unvaccinated, Oxfam said today. Recorded cases of COVID-19 have tripled and the…

Empty promises will not save the world from COVID, campaigners warn ahead of Biden global vaccine summit

Advocacy in Canada

Leaders already failing to meet previous commitments as only 1 in 8 of doses promised at G7 have been delivered On the eve of President Biden’s global COVID summit on…

Poorer nations expected to face up to $75 billion shortfall in climate finance: Oxfam

Climate Change

Wealthy nations are expected to fall up to $75 billion short of fulfilling their long-standing pledge to jointly mobilize $100 billion a year from 2020 to 2025 to support the…

Pharmaceutical companies reaping immoral profits from COVID vaccines yet paying low tax rates

Advocacy in Canada

Moderna, BioNTech and Pfizer cashing in thanks to taxpayer investments, monopolies, and low taxes while leaving millions unprotected Moderna, BioNTech, and Pfizer are reaping astronomical and unconscionable profits due to…

Can you believe this is ‘What She Makes’

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women’s Economic Justice

OTTAWA – The fashion industry is huge and glamourous – and yet it’s built on the backs of millions of women who live in poverty despite working countless hours making…

Haiti earthquake: Canadian charities join forces to raise funds for emergency assistance

Emergency Response

In response to the devastating earthquake in western Haiti on August 14, leading Canadian aid agencies, including Oxfam – through the Humanitarian Coalition – are launching an appeal to raise…

One-off emergency tax on billionaires’ pandemic windfalls could fund COVID-19 jabs for entire world

Emergency Response

A one-off 99 per cent levy on billionaires’ wealth gains during the pandemic could pay for everyone on Earth to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide a $20,000 cash grant…

Oxfam reaction to IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report

Climate Change

Responding to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Working Group I contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), Oxfam Climate Policy Lead Nafkote Dabi said: “Amid a world in…

Vaccine monopolies make cost of vaccinating the world against COVID at least 5 times more expensive than it could be

Advocacy in Canada

The cost of vaccinating the world against COVID-19 could be at least five times cheaper if pharmaceutical companies weren’t profiteering from their monopolies on COVID-19 vaccines, campaigners from the People’s…

Six-fold increase in people suffering famine-like conditions since pandemic began

Hunger

11 people are likely dying every minute from hunger, now outpacing COVID-19 fatalities, warns Oxfam A new Oxfam report today says that as many as 11 people are likely dying…

Federal COVID-19 Funding to Alberta’s Oil Patch "Not Well Spent"

Advocacy in Canada

EDMONTON and OTTAWA – A new report by the Parkland Institute and Oxfam Canada exposes how $1 billion in federal COVID-19 emergency funding transferred to the Alberta government is failing to…

Canada commits to bold and unprecedented global investments to support a caring economy and advance women’s rights

Advocacy in Canada

OTTAWA – Today Prime Minister Trudeau took bold action in support of a global feminist economic recovery by announcing $100 million in new international assistance funding dedicated to paid and…

Oxfam reaction to WTO agreement on text-based process on waiving IP rule for COVID-19 vaccines

Advocacy in Canada

World Trade Organization members (who met today for a council on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights) have just agreed that they will engage in a text-based process on waiving Intellectual…

Canada’s economy could shrink by 6.9 per cent per year by 2050 without more ambitious climate action – Oxfam

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Climate Change

Human and economic impact on low-income nations will be much worse Canada’s economy could shrink by 6.9 per cent annually by 2050 without more ambitious climate action, according to Oxfam’s…

More than a million COVID-19 deaths in 4 months since G7 leaders failed to break vaccine monopolies

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Emergency Response

At current vaccination rate low income countries would be waiting 57 years for everyone to be fully vaccinated More than a million people have died from COVID-19 since G7 leaders…

After the bombing, Gaza struggles to restart power, water, hospitals, markets and fishing for its 2.1 million people  

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response

400,000 people now without regular water supply 400,000 people in Gaza do not have access to regular water supply after 11 days of bombardment devastated electricity and water services and…

Right to live without a blockade: Oxfam calls for lifting US sanctions against Cuba

Advocacy in Canada

78 per cent of women and girls living in Cuba were born under the pressure exerted by the US blockade on the island for nearly six decades. According to a…

Statement on ceasefire in OPTI  

Shane Stevenson, Oxfam Country Director for the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel said: “Finally, for the first of 12 consecutive nights, two million Palestinians in Gaza, including hundreds of thousands…

COVID-19 vaccines create 9 new billionaires with combined wealth greater than cost of vaccinating world’s poorest countries

Advocacy in Canada

At least nine people have become new billionaires since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the excessive profits pharmaceutical corporations with monopolies on COVID-19 vaccines are making, The…

Nearly half a million people out of reach in Gaza: Oxfam 

Conflict and War

Oxfam said today that it cannot reach around 450,000 or more people in Gaza because of fighting and aerial bombardment. Oxfam staff are trying to resume their humanitarian and livelihood…

Oxfam statement on the escalation of hostilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel  

Conflict and War

Civilians are once again paying the price for the failures of political leaders to negotiate a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis. Instead, we are witnessing yet another…

Canada still stalling on support of WTO TRIPS Waiver on COVID-19 Vaccines

Advocacy in Canada

In response to today’s announcement that the Canadian government is ready to discuss proposals on a waiver for intellectual property (IP) protection for COVID-19 vaccines under the WTO Agreement on…

Oxfam reaction to US support of WTO TRIPS waiver on COVID-19 vaccines

Advocacy in Canada

In response to today’s announcement that the US Trade Representative is supporting waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Campaigns said the…

An average of 7 in 10 across G7 countries think their governments should force big pharma to share vaccine know-how

Advocacy in Canada

G7 governments still refusing to waive intellectual property on Covid-19 vaccines, despite widespread public support People’s Vaccine Alliance calls for G7 leaders to support a vaccine patent waiver at today’s…

Oxfam responds to deadly COVID-19 wave in India

Emergency Response

Oxfam India has deployed teams to five of the worst-hit states in India where a second wave of coronavirus is sweeping the country. The international organization is urgently appealing for…

COVID-19 cost women globally over $800 billion in lost income in one year

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women’s Economic Justice

Women’s lost income in 2020 totaled the combined wealth of 98 countries The COVID-19 crisis cost women around the world at least $800 billion in lost income in 2020, equivalent…

Canada steps up its climate commitments, but total ambition falls short of what's needed

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Climate Change
  • Feminist Aid
  • Natural Disasters

Today at the Earth Day Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau announced Canada’s commitment to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change by 40 to 45 per cent below 2005 levels…

Pharmaceutical giants shell out billions to shareholders as world confronts vaccine apartheid

Advocacy in Canada

Total pay-outs enough to vaccinate 1.3 billion people, the same as the population of Africa Ahead of shareholder meetings for the giant pharmaceutical corporations, the People’s Vaccine Alliance calculates that…

Budget 2021 delivers historic feminist investments domestically, but falls short on global response

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Feminist Aid
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

Budget 2021 presents the government’s plan to tackle COVID-19 and was highly anticipated, considering it is the first federal budget in over two years. It is also the first budget…

Massive fire in Bangladesh’s Rohingya refugee camps leaves 45,000 people displaced

  • Emergency Response
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

A massive fire that swept through the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on Monday has left 10,000 families – roughly 45,000 people – displaced and in urgent need of…

Yemen at tipping point as COVID-19 second wave hits amid renewed fighting and famine fears – Oxfam

Conflict and War

Evidence is mounting that a second wave of COVID-19 is already underway in Yemen, Oxfam warned today, with a 22-fold increase in recorded cases in recent weeks. It comes at…

Oxfam scorecard shows federal government provided critical services during pandemic but marginalized populations fell through cracks

Advocacy in Canada

(Ottawa) – In a year that continues to be buried in challenges due to the pandemic, the federal government’s feminist response was quick and included an influx of resources but…

Garment workers suffer while fashion brands’ profits return

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women’s Economic Justice

A coalition of more than 200 organizations today announced sweeping demands of apparel brands and retailers for cash relief for suffering garment workers and reform of the industry. Millions of…

Oxfam reaction to Canada's inaction to TRIPS waiver on intellectual property for COVID-19 vaccines at WTO meeting

Advocacy in Canada

In response to the March 10 position by Canada at the WTO meeting on the TRIPS waiver on intellectual property and technology on COVID-19 vaccines, Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada’s Director…

Rich nations vaccinating one person every second while majority of the poorest nations are yet to give a single dose

Advocacy in Canada

Canada, US, UK and EU blocking proposals at WTO to help poorer countries get vaccines more quickly One year on from the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the People’s Vaccine…

Climate national action plans “appalling and irresponsible” - Oxfam

Climate Change

“Today’s report findings are appalling. The combined climate plans submitted account to a dismal 1 per cent emissions reduction, far below the 45 per cent reduction needed to limit global…

Oxfam reaction to G7 and Canadian government's additional contributions to COVAX program for COVID-19 vaccines

Advocacy in Canada

Canada was one of the G7 countries to make welcome steps to increase the supply of vaccines to poor countries. This leadership plays and important role in pushing others to…

Nearly 40 per cent of Yemen families forced into debt to pay for essentials – Oxfam

Conflict and War

Nearly two out of every five families in Yemen buy food and medicines using debt, according to Oxfam research published today. Yemeni families are trapped in a cycle of informal…

Monopolies causing “artificial rationing” in COVID-19 crisis as 3 biggest global vaccine giants sit on sidelines

Advocacy in Canada

The supply of safe and effective vaccines for all is being artificially rationed because of the protection of exclusive rights and monopolies of pharmaceutical corporations, the People’s Vaccine Alliance said…

Oxfam reaction to Canada taking COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX program

Advocacy in Canada

In response to the Canadian government’s announcement to draw on the supply of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX program, Diana Sarosi, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Campaigns said the…

Climate-fuelled Cyclone Eloise compounded by COVID-19 leaves over 260,000 in urgent humanitarian need: Oxfam

  • Climate Change
  • Natural Disasters

Cyclone Eloise, which recently hit the Sofala province in central Mozambique, has left over 260,000 people in desperate need of humanitarian aid, said Oxfam. Around 142,00 hectares of land and…

Mega-rich recoup COVID-losses in record-time yet billions will live in poverty for at least a decade

Advocacy in Canada

The 1,000 richest people on the planet recouped their COVID-19 losses within just nine months, but it could take more than a decade for the world’s poorest to recover from…

13.5 million people face starvation if US designation of Houthis blocks aid and food delivery

Conflict and War

13.5 million people in Yemen will be pushed towards starvation by the US designation of Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, as a terrorist organization. The designation comes into…

Oxfam warns of COVID-19 risks in camps following Indonesian earthquake

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam warned today of the risk of an outbreak of coronavirus in the over-crowded camps where people are sheltering following Friday’s earthquake in Sulawesi, Indonesia. At least 56 people are…

Oxfam reaction to US Secretary of State Pompeo’s decision to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

In response to US Secretary of State Pompeo’s decision to designate the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist, Oxfam America’s Humanitarian Policy Lead Scott Paul…

Over half of Canadian women’s sector organizations forced to reduce or cancel vital services, new survey reveals

Advocacy in Canada

According to a new survey conducted by YWCA Canada, Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW), Canadian Women’s Foundation, G(irls)20 and Oxfam Canada, women’s rights organizations in Canada…

2.7 billion people have had no ‘social protection’ to cope with COVID-19 economic crisis

Advocacy in Canada

New Oxfam research shows that over a third of the world’s population has had no public money to cope with the effects of the pandemic. A new report, Shelter from…

Climate-fuelled La Niña in East Africa will drive millions into hunger: Oxfam

  • Climate Change
  • Hunger

Over 50 million people are in need of immediate food assistance in the Horn East and Central Africa, with numbers expected to rise significantly as the region braces for harsh, climate fuelled…

Canada front of the line for COVID-19 doses while 9 out of 10 people in poor countries are set to miss out on vaccine next year

Emergency Response

Rich countries have pre-purchased enough doses to vaccinate their entire populations nearly 3 times over Nearly 70 poor countries will only be able to vaccinate one in 10 people against…

Hurricane Iota lands a new blow onto Central America, Oxfam ready to respond

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Millions of people in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, already hit by damage from last month’s monster hurricane, Eta, are now facing an even bigger crisis from Iota, a…

G20 arms exports to Saudi Arabia worth three times the aid given to Yemen since 2015 – Oxfam

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Other members of the G20 have exported more than US$17bn worth of arms to Saudi Arabia since it became involved in the conflict in Yemen in 2015 but have given…

Improving safeguarding and culture at Oxfam

This report covers Oxfam’s work from April 2020 to September 2020 towards its Improving Safeguarding and Culture Plan. The Plan continues to strengthen our safeguarding policies and procedures, our transformation…

Hurricane Eta: Oxfam begins response to help victims in Central America

Natural Disasters

Oxfam began delivery of humanitarian aid in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala to help those most affected by flooding and strong winds caused by Hurricane Eta, the most devastating weather phenomenon…

Hurricane Eta: Oxfam begins response to help victims in Central America

Natural Disasters

Oxfam began delivery of humanitarian aid in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala to help those most affected by flooding and strong winds caused by Hurricane Eta, the most devastating weather phenomenon…

More than 2 million people impacted as Super Typhoon Goni sweeps across the Philippines

  • Climate Change
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam is working with local partners and coordinating with local governments in the Philippines to assess the damage and needs of affected communities following Super Typhoon Goni’s four landfalls yesterday and early…

True value of climate finance is just a third of that reported by developed countries: Oxfam

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Climate Change

The true value of money provided by developed countries to help developing nations respond to the climate crisis may be just a third of the amount reported, according to Oxfam…

The Hunger Virus: 'Abysmally low' funding for 55 million people facing extreme hunger in 7 worst-affected countries

Hunger

The threat of “COVID-19 famines” and widespread extreme hunger is setting off every alarm bell within the international community, but so far sluggish funding is hampering humanitarian agencies’ efforts to…

Donors slash funding to Yemen by half to 25 US cents a day per person in need

Catastrophic impact of cuts to funding already being felt Donors have given the equivalent of 25 US cents per day for each of the 24.3 million people in need in…

A father and daughter stand in front of a row of yellow water containers, filling them up from a nearby water access station.

Oxfam Canada applauds Canadian leadership to end COVID everywhere and build back better

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Feminist Aid

Ottawa – Today the Prime Minster made substantive commitments to advance the fight against COVID-19 around the world and to fuel investment and action by other nations. “We applaud Canada’s leadership…

Oxfam Canada welcomes commitments to feminist green recovery in Throne Speech

Advocacy in Canada

OTTAWA – Oxfam Canada applauds the government’s commitments to an intersectional feminist and green response to COVID-19 in the latest Throne Speech. Some of the major highlights include: The promise…

Carbon emissions of richest 1 per cent more than double the emissions of the poorest half of humanity

Climate Change

The richest one per cent of the world’s population are responsible for more than twice as much carbon pollution as the 3.1 billion people who made up the poorest half…

Small group of rich nations have bought up more than half of the future supply of leading COVID-19 vaccine contenders

Emergency Response

Wealthy nations representing just 13 per cent of the world’s population have already cornered more than half (51%) of the promised doses of leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates, Oxfam warned today.…

Pandemic profits for companies soar by billions as poorest pay price – Oxfam

Some corporations are cashing in on Covid-19 on behalf of the wealthiest   Thirty-two of the world’s largest companies stand to see their profits jump by more than $109 billion…

Beirut: One month since the blast and thousands can’t afford a front door

Emergency Response

One month since the massive blast in Beirut, tens of thousands of vulnerable people are unable to rebuild their homes, with a single front door costing two months’ worth of…

MENA billionaires’ wealth increased by $10 billion, enough to pay Beirut blast repair bill

  • Emergency Response
  • Women’s Economic Justice

The 21 billionaires in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), all of them men, saw their wealth increase by nearly $10 billion USD since the start of the COVID-19…

One air raid every 10 days on hospitals, clinics, wells and water tanks throughout Yemen war

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response

COVID-19 quarantine centres reportedly hit in March and April Medical and water infrastructure in Yemen has been hit during air raids almost 200 times since the conflict escalated more than…

Crisis in Lebanon: Donations to the Humanitarian Coalition will be matched by the Government of Canada to provide emergency assistance

Emergency Response

OTTAWA – The Humanitarian Coalition commends the commitment of the Canadian government to match the donations made to provide assistance to the Lebanese people, after the disaster that devastated the…

Oxfam prepares response to Beirut explosion

Emergency Response

Oxfam is working with local partners to assess how it can help those who have lost their homes and livelihoods in the Beirut explosion on August 4. Oxfam is extremely…

Yemen facing hidden cholera crisis as COVID-19 cases set to peak in coming weeks: Oxfam

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Thousands of people in Yemen could be dying from undetected cases of cholera because COVID-19 has overwhelmed the country’s health facilities and people are too frightened to seek treatment for…

Severe flooding hits Bangladesh in midst of coronavirus crisis

  • Emergency Response
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Landslide fears as heavy rains hit Cox’s Bazar Heavy rains have swollen river basins in north Bangladesh, leading to severe flooding, submerging towns and destroying homes and crops in a…

Oxfam reaction to passage of UN Security Council resolution to extend cross-border aid into Syria

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

In response to news that the UN Security Council’s resolution allowing cross-border aid into Syria was renewed but modified, allowing for one cross-border response, and excluding the crucial Al-Yaroubiyeh crossing,…

12,000 people per day could die from COVID-19 linked hunger by end of year, potentially more than the disease, warns Oxfam

  • Emergency Response
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Eight of the biggest food and beverage companies pay out USD $18 billion to shareholders as new epicentres of hunger emerge across the globe As many as 12,000 people could…

Myanmar: INGOs concerned upsurge in fighting in Rakhine State will cause greater hunger, displacement and vulnerability

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

As international humanitarian organizations working with communities throughout Rakhine State, we express deep concern for all those affected by the upsurge in fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and the…

Syria crisis: Hunger spreading amid COVID-19 and economic collapse

  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

International agencies call for Brussels Conference to address fall-out from the pandemic Syrians who have already endured almost a decade of war and displacement are now facing unprecedented levels of…

71 per cent of Canadian women feeling more anxious, depressed, isolated, overworked or ill because of increased unpaid care work caused by COVID-19: Oxfam survey

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women’s Economic Justice

Ottawa – Seventy-one per cent of women surveyed in Canada reported feeling more anxious, depressed, isolated, overworked, or ill because of having to shoulder even more unpaid care work as…

Canada can champion gender equality without UN Security Council seat

Advocacy in Canada

OTTAWA — Earlier today, Canada lost its bid to be elected to a two-year term on the United Nations Security Council. Despite this loss, Canada can and must still advance…

Oxfam redoubling efforts to strengthen safeguarding and culture in face of COVID-19

Oxfam has continued its journey in changing its culture and improving its safeguarding of staff and the people with whom we work. In its latest report (Oct 2019-Mar 2020), Oxfam…

Solidarity in the Fight Against Anti-Black Racism

Black Lives Matter We believe in a just world without poverty. We can’t fight inequality, or end poverty, if we don’t challenge racism. As a feminist organization, we are clear…

Over 5 million Yemenis at risk of losing access to food and clean water as coronavirus spreads in Yemen

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response

*Survey conducted in Yemen reveals impact of funding shortfalls as pledging conference is held today Recent funding gaps and other challenges in Yemen will put an additional estimated 5.5 million…

Money transfers to Yemen plummet as needs surge amid war and COVID-19

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response

There has been an unprecedented decline in the flow of remittances to Yemen – a vital source of money for millions – just as cases of COVID-19 surge and international…

New swarms of locusts threaten to increase hunger in East Africa reeling from floods and COVID-19: Oxfam

  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger

Flooding and COVID-19 restrictions create perfect conditions for locusts to multiply Oxfam warned today that millions of people in East and Central Africa, already suffering due to flooding and the…

Oxfam responds to devastation in the wake of Cyclone Amphan

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Cyclone Amphan has left a trail of devastation throughout north-east India and the Bangladesh coast, with over 80 deaths reported so far, destroying homes, embankments and crops, and compounding the…

Oxfam Canada Statement on the Reorganization of Oxfam Confederation Structures

Following the announcement earlier this week on the acceleration of new strategic changes to Oxfam’s global operations, Oxfam Canada reconfirms its commitment to its existing programs and to a continued…

‘Crisis on top of crisis’ as India and Bangladesh brace for super Cyclone Amphan - Oxfam

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Cyclone Amphan, the strongest ever cyclone recorded over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to hit north-east India and Bangladesh tomorrow (Wednesday, 20 May) threatening millions of people in vulnerable…

Cyclone threatens Cox’s Bazar as first Covid-19 cases are confirmed – Oxfam

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Almost one million Rohingya people in the world’s largest refugee camp are facing the added threat of a cyclone as the first cases of Covid-19 are confirmed, Oxfam warned today. The…

Vaccinating poorest half of humanity against COVID-19 could cost less than 4 month’s big pharma profits – Oxfam

Emergency Response

Vaccinating the poorest half of humanity – 3.7 billion people – against COVID-19 could cost less than the 10 biggest pharmaceutical companies make in four months, Oxfam said today. The…

Protect the women who make our clothes: Canada’s unions and civil society organizations call for action

Advocacy in Canada

Seven years after the tragic Rana Plaza building collapse, Bangladesh garment sector workers now confront even more risk and vulnerability in the fight against COVID-19. Canada’s unions and civil society…

COVID-19: 50 million people threatened by hunger in West Africa

  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger

According to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the impact of the coronavirus pandemic could increase the number of people at risk of a food insecurity and malnutrition…

IMF’s gold holdings soar by nearly $20B since start of COVID-19 pandemic

Emergency Response

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) gold holdings have increased in value by USD $19.3 billion since the start of the global coronavirus pandemic, said Oxfam today. This increase alone is…

Half a billion people could be pushed into poverty by coronavirus, warns Oxfam

Emergency Response

The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic could push half a billion more people into poverty unless urgent action is taken to bail out developing countries, said Oxfam today. The…

Up to 250 people per single water tap in refugee camps braced for arrival of coronavirus

Emergency Response

Refugees living in camps are sharing one tap between up to 250 people and many have less than 3.5 square metres of living space per person, which will make it…

Health spending in poor countries must double immediately to prevent millions of deaths: Oxfam

Emergency Response

Oxfam today called for a package of nearly CAD $224.4 billion in immediate debt cancellation and aid to fund a Global Public Health Plan and Emergency Response, to help prevent…

50 suspected cholera cases every hour for five years in Yemen

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Covid-19 pandemic poses new challenge to country already devastated by war With a recent upsurge in fighting in Yemen, the forthcoming rainy season and tightening of borders due to the…

Oxfam Feminist Scorecard shows federal government falling short on women’s rights on economy, climate and Indigenous women

Advocacy in Canada

(Ottawa) –The federal government’s progress in delivering on its bold feminist commitments has been uneven over the past year and, despite some historic policy changes, falls particularly short in areas…

Tens of thousands of people are still suffering one year on from Cyclone Idai

  • Climate Change
  • Emergency Response
  • Feminist Aid
  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

Tens of thousands of people across Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique are still suffering 12 months after Cyclone Idai battered Southern Africa, warned Oxfam today. Cyclone Idai, one of the worst…

Rainy season threatens huge cholera spike in Yemen as conflict hampers efforts to address forgotten crisis

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Water

Yemen is suffering a forgotten cholera crisis, Oxfam said today, as it warned the number of people there with the disease could spiral as the country approaches rainy season in April…

Oxfam and aid organizations extremely concerned about recent military escalation in Yemen

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

In reaction to the strikes on Jawf governorate, northern Yemen, which killed 31 and injured 12 civilians on February 15, Oxfam and ten international aid organizations working in Yemen said:…

Statement of Concern - Northwest Syria

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Conflict and War

As violence continues to escalate in northwest Syria, 10 Canadian aid agencies are warning that the number of people displaced could reach one million by next week unless immediate action…

Locusts swarm into northern Uganda as Oxfam looks toward a $5m humanitarian response across region

  • Climate Change
  • Emergency Response

Locust infestations have just hit two new districts in northern Uganda as they continue to plague Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, and threaten Sudan and South Sudan. There are also reports…

Oxfam Canada welcomes Lauren Ravon as new Executive Director and Kate Higgins as Interim Executive Director

Advocacy in Canada

Following a rigorous international search, the Oxfam Canada Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that Lauren Ravon will be the next Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. Lauren has been…

World’s richest 1% have more than twice as much wealth as 6.9 billion people, says Oxfam

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Feminist Aid
  • Women’s Economic Justice

(Ottawa) – Global inequality is out of control with the world’s richest one per cent having more than twice as much wealth as 6.9 billion people, and much of that…

US-Iran conflict restricting aid work in Iraq: Oxfam

Conflict and War

Oxfam’s humanitarian work in Iraq is restricted due to heightened security concerns, road checkpoints and travel difficulties, following Iranian missile attacks on US military bases in Iraq overnight in retaliation…

Oxfam Office in Al Dhale’e, Yemen Hit by RPGs

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

On 22 December, at around 1am, Oxfam’s office in Al Dhale’e was attacked by two RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades). One hit the roof, while the other hit the office gate. Neither of…

Global refugee forum promotes refugee participation, but world leaders need to do more to deliver real change for refugees, says Oxfam

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

The Global Refugee Forum ended today with refugees making sure that their message to be fully included in all decisions about their futures was heard by world leaders. Oxfam welcomes…

Global Refugee Forum crucial moment to deliver on commitments

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

The processes for supporting the world’s 25.9 million refugees and 3.5 million asylum seekers, continue to be fatally flawed and putting the responsibility unfairly upon some of the poorest countries,…

One year since Stockholm Agreement, Hudaydah still most dangerous place in Yemen for civilians: Agencies

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

A quarter of all civilian casualties across Yemen in 2019 were recorded in Hudaydah governorate. Despite a ceasefire in the port city being at the heart of last year’s Stockholm…

Climate fuelled disasters number one driver of internal displacement globally forcing more than 20 million people a year from their homes

Climate fuelled disasters were the number one driver of internal displacement over the last decade, forcing more than 20 million people a year – one person every two seconds –…

Tidal surge risk as Cyclone Bulbul nears India and Bangladesh – Oxfam prepares to respond

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Oxfam spokespeople available for interview via phone or Skype in India and Bangladesh, including Cox’s Bazar Rohingya refugee camps Oxfam is preparing for a potential response to flooding and landslides…

South Sudan floods: 800,000 people desperately need food, water and shelter

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger
  • Natural Disasters
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Water

Approximately 800,000 people are at risk of disease and extreme hunger as a result of devastating floods that have hit South Sudan, Oxfam warned today. Unusually heavy rainfall has hit…

Green Climate Fund short-changed by rich polluting countries

Climate Change

Rich polluting countries such as Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and the US are short-changing poor countries by billions of dollars that they need to cut emissions and adapt to the…

15 million Yemenis see water supplies cut amid fuel crisis

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Water

15 million people in Yemen have had their water supplies severely cut, putting them at risk of deadly diseases like cholera because of a fuel crisis, analysis by aid agencies,…

Poorest people get less than one cent per day to protect themselves from impacts of climate crisis

Leaders must heed climate strikes and give vulnerable people the tools to survive People living in the poorest countries receive around $3 per year – less than one cent per…

6 months after Cyclone Idai: farmers are fainting in fields because of hunger

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Six months on from the devastation wreaked by Cyclone Idai in which more than 1,000 people were killed in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, hunger is escalating as the United Nation’s…

Oxfam Canada launches new program to promote the rights of women domestic workers in Bangladesh

(Ottawa) Thanks to a contribution of $11.9 million from the Government of Canada, more than 16,000 women domestic workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh will be better empowered and organized to claim…

South Sudan displacement crisis still desperate, one year after peace deal

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

One year on from the signing of the peace agreement, millions of South Sudanese remain displaced as the country continues to face a humanitarian crisis and people fear that peace…

Oxfam G7 Verdict: Big Issues, Little Commitments

Advocacy in Canada

President Macron put inequality at the top of the agenda, but G7 leaders failed to make meaningful commitments to solve the crisis they have helped create, said Oxfam at the…

Rohingya people still trapped two years on from exodus: Oxfam

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

Rohingya people in Myanmar and Bangladesh say they feel trapped and that their lives are on hold two years on from a campaign of violence that forced hundreds of thousands…

Oxfam primed to capitalize on official recommendations to make deeper safeguarding improvements

Oxfam is well placed to expand upon the improvements it is making to its safeguarding systems and working culture, says new International Associate Director of Safeguarding, Victoria McDonough. Oxfam today…

G7 Fuelling Inequality at Home and Around the World: Oxfam

Advocacy in Canada

(Ottawa) – As G7 leaders head to Biarritz, France, and President Macron promises to make the fight against inequality a priority at this year’s Summit, Oxfam says that the G7…

Nearly 1,000 child casualties of Yemen war in year since shocking Sa’adabus attack

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

Number killed directly by fighting is equivalent to eight more bus loads More than 300 children have died in fighting across Yemen in the year since an airstrike hit a…

Millions in DRC face lethal mix of virus, violence, and inadequate healthcare: Oxfam

Emergency Response

Second Ebola case in Goma shows potential for virus to spiral out of control A year after the current Ebola outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),…

International complacency puts lives at risk as drought hits Horn of Africa: Oxfam

  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger
  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

More than 15 million people are in need of aid as drought hits parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia again.  Yet lessons from the devastating droughts of 2011 and 2017…

Deadly floods continue to torment millions in Nepal, India and Bangladesh; Oxfam responds

  • Natural Disasters
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Water

Deadly floods and landslides have already killed 300 people and forced over 12 million more from their homes, as the disaster continues to rip through South Asia. During the past…

Oxfam Canada receives federal funding to promote the economic empowerment of Indigenous women and youth in Northern Guatemala

  • Women's Transformative Leadership
  • Women’s Economic Justice

(Ottawa) – Thanks to a contribution of $7 million from the Government of Canada, more than six thousand Indigenous women and youth in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala will improve their economic…

Oxfam Canada receives federal funding to strengthen women’s rights organizations in Pakistan

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women's Transformative Leadership

(Ottawa) – Thanks to a contribution of $8 million from the Government of Canada, women’s rights organizations throughout Pakistan will have increased access to resources and support for their work…

Oxfam Canada Executive Director Julie Delahanty Announces Departure

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director Julie Delahanty announced today that she is stepping down to pursue new challenges and allow for new leadership to emerge. “I have the best job in…

Canada’s new guidelines to support human rights defenders a step in the right direction

Advocacy in Canada

With human rights defenders increasingly under attack around the world, civil society organizations today welcomed the Government of Canada’s new guidelines aimed at strengthening its approach to ensuring the safety and security…

Oxfam Canada welcomes final report of Independent Commission

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

(Ottawa) – Oxfam Canada welcomes and accepts the findings and recommendations of the final report of the Independent Commission on Safeguarding, Accountability and Culture Change. The Commission was established by…

Oxfam Canada welcomes Government of Canada’s new $700 million funding announcement on sexual and reproductive health and rights

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

(Vancouver) – Oxfam Canada enthusiastically welcomes the Government of Canada’s announcement today of $700 million per year in new funding to increase Canada’s global leadership on sexual and reproductive health…

Oxfam Canada is proud to join the Equality Fund Collective, and welcomes the Government of Canada’s funding announcement

Advocacy in Canada

(Vancouver) – The Government of Canada announced today that it will provide $300 million in funding to the Equality Fund, a unique partnership to catalyze new investments in support of…

Mozambique cyclone appeal allots less than 1% to needs of women and girls

  • Emergency Response
  • Feminist Aid
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam, Save the Children and Care are calling on donors to meet or exceed the proposed $5 million target to fund programs that support vulnerable women and girls ahead of…

It’s time for all federal parties to support an affordable public child care system in Canada, says national coalition

Advocacy in Canada

(Ottawa) – Child benefit payments worth $23.7 billion are given to almost 3.7 million families across the country annually, and yet, Canada has some of the highest child care costs…

Oxfam continues to make progress implementing stronger safeguarding policies and driving cultural change

Today Oxfam published its fourth quarterly progress report on its 10-Point Action Plan to strengthen Oxfam’s safeguarding policies and practices and transform its working culture. Oxfam continues to make progress…

G7 must commit to feminist aid agenda to tackle poverty and economic inequality, says Oxfam

Feminist Aid

G7 development aid must prioritize the needs of women and girls if they are to tackle poverty and economic inequality, said Oxfam today as G7 Ministers prepare for a meeting…

Oxfam India responds as Cyclone Fani causes destruction in Odisha

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam India’s humanitarian teams are assessing the damage caused by Cyclone Fani, the worst cyclone that India has witnessed in the last 20 years. Oxfam India have pre-positioned stocks ready…

Eastern DRC: Tens of thousands forcibly displaced by surge in violence Humanitarian organizations call for urgent assistance

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Urgent action is needed to help tens of thousands of people forced to flee their homes following armed attacks in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, 18 humanitarian organizations warned today.…

Cyclone Kenneth – extreme weather pummels Mozambique again, putting thousands more lives in danger, Oxfam is there

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam and international and local partners are planning to help people in Mozambique hit by a second devastating cyclone in less than six weeks. Oxfam is part of the COSACA…

Oxfam Canada partners with Hot Docs to present powerful films on gender equality and human rights

Women’s Economic Justice

(Ottawa) – Oxfam Canada is proud to partner with Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival again this year to showcase inspiring stories of women standing up and speaking out on…

Cyclone Idai one month on: thousands in Mozambique still cut off from any help and struggling to survive

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

“Like a war zone” says Oxfam; destruction and suffering still not fully mapped Despite initial appeals, international aid effort still grossly underfunded Aid agencies already stretched and running out of…

Cyclone Idai: Survivors face a new disaster as cholera spreads; number of cases now over 1,000

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

International aid agency Oxfam says the Mozambique government is acting quickly to set up cholera treatment centres in the devastated city of Beira, but the international community must offer more…

Oxfam Canada welcomes Government of Canada’s response to Cyclone Idai, hopes Canadians will join to double the impact of their donations

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

(Ottawa) – Oxfam Canada, along with the members of the Humanitarian Coalition, welcomes the Government of Canada’s decision today to match donations by Canadians in response to the devastation caused…

Cyclone Idai: Oxfam calls for a massive effort to prevent and contain cholera in Beira

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

In response to news reports that the number of cases of cholera in the cyclone devastated city of Beira has risen to 139, Oxfam calls for a well-coordinated effort to…

The Humanitarian Coalition delivers aid to survivors of Cyclone Idai

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

(Ottawa) As the scope of the devastation brought on by Cyclone Idai continues to unfold in Southern Africa, Canadian aid agencies are working together to rush emergency assistance to survivors.…

Oxfam distributing emergency aid to Cyclone Idai survivors in Malawi and Mozambique

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

Oxfam has distributed emergency supplies to survivors of Cyclone Idai in Nsanje district, one of the worst hit areas in the southern tip of Malawi, and in camps in Buzi…

Four years of bombings and deaths in Yemen

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

(Ottawa) Four years have passed since the beginning of a bloody war in Yemen. The war has plunged the country into what the UN calls ‘the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.’…

Survivors of Cylone Idai at risk from waterborne diseases: Oxfam

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

Oxfam will begin distributing lifesaving aid including water purification tablets and hygiene kits to some of the communities worst affected by Cyclone Idai over this weekend. Hundreds of thousands of…

Oxfam sends message of support and solidarity to the people affected by deadly cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

As Oxfam leaders from across the world, attending our annual board meetings in Kenya, we send our solidarity to the people of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi whose lives have been devastated…

Oxfams appeals for aid as thousands of lives are still at risk after Cyclone Idai

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

Oxfam’s initial aims are to reach up to 500,000 people – hopefully more – including in partnership with other international and local NGO partners, to help people hit by Cyclone…

Budget 2019 delivers historic investment in women’s rights organizations, but fails to invest in accessible and affordable child care

Advocacy in Canada

Today the federal government released its last budget before the elections in the fall. It is the first budget since the Canadian Gender Budgeting Act came into force, which requires…

Three civilians killed every day in Yemen despite Stockholm agreements

  • Conflict and War
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

(Ottawa) Three civilians are being killed every day in Yemen – that’s one person every eight hours – despite agreements reached between the internationally recognized government and the Houthis at…

Cyclone Idai leaves trail of death, destruction and homelessness in southern Africa, affected countries appeal for urgent aid

Emergency Response

Oxfam will be responding with water, sanitation services, food and other non-food items to people affected by Cyclone Idai that hit Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe on March 14-15. Scores of…

Brussels Syria conference: Donors must support without reservation or restriction

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

As the international community came together for the 7th consecutive year to commit to helping Syrians inside their country, as well as refugees and their hosts, Oxfam called today for…

Oxfam and allies blast the EU-Turkey deal on its third anniversary

Refugees and Internal Displacement

The European Union’s deal with Turkey to control migration and return “irregular” migrants has led to policies and practices in Greece that are short-sighted, unsustainable, ineffective and dangerous, say Oxfam…

Brussels Syria conference: Syrians don’t need handouts, they need to rebuild their lives

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Oxfam and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) today called on governments and other donors to provide more funding to help Syrians recover from eight years of conflict and rebuild their…

Wins for women at home and abroad, but issues like decent work and child care still need to be pushed over the finish line: Oxfam

Advocacy in Canada

(Ottawa) Over the past year, the federal government’s bold feminist words have translated into significant policies and strategies to advance gender equality at home and abroad, but new initiatives often…

Canadian aid organizations applaud Canada for significant funding for Yemen crisis, call for an end to military assistance to parties to the conflict

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Conflict and War
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

In response to Canada’s commitment of funding at the third High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen, the CEOs of Save the Children Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec…

Yemeni crisis forces parents to marry off three-year-old child in desperate attempt to keep family alive

  • Conflict and War
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

Conflict, rising food prices and plummeting incomes in Yemen are forcing people to resort to desperate measures to stave off hunger, Oxfam said today. The warning comes as rich countries…

Conflict, poverty and hunger driving child marriage in South Sudan: Oxfam

  • Conflict and War
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

Another generation of girls in South Sudan will miss out on an education, face huge health risks in childbirth and are more likely to face sexual and domestic violence, if…

Billionaires’ fortunes grew by $3.3 billion a day last year as poorest half of humanity saw their wealth fall, says Oxfam

(Ottawa) The fortunes of the world’s billionaires grew by 12 per cent – or $3.3 billion a day – last year, while the 3.8 billion people who make up the…

a woman and man pouring champagne contrasting with an image of a women fetching water from a river. Fight inequality, beat poverty.

Oxfam Canada welcomes interim report of Independent Commission on safeguarding

Oxfam proactively set up the Independent Commission as part of the 10-Point Action Plan to strengthen Oxfam’s policies and practices on safeguarding and to transform our organizational culture. Oxfam Canada…

Oxfam provides water and sanitation to those hit by Indonesia Tsunami

Emergency Response

Oxfam will work with the Government of Indonesia to provide clean water and hygiene facilities to people affected by the tsunami that hit Indonesia’s Sunda Strait. The latest reports put…

Oxfam ready to respond as dozens killed after tsunami in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait

Emergency Response

Coastal communities in small islands in the Sundra Strait are believed to be among the worst hit from the tsunami. Oxfam is getting ready to respond to tsunami-affected communities in…

Half a million homeless Yemenis on brink of famine face winter freeze – Oxfam

  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

People forced to flee their homes are set for a winter struggle to survive in areas of the country which are one step away from famine and often without adequate…

Urgent Action Needed to Ensure Indigenous Women Are Not Sterilized Without Their Consent

  • Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

Sterilizing women without their free, full, and informed consent is a form of violence and torture. Across Canada and as recently as 2017, Indigenous women report being forcibly or coercively…

Oxfam Canada receives support from the Government of Canada to empower women and girls in East and Southern Africa

Advocacy in Canada

The Her Future, Her Choice: Strengthening Young Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights program will directly reach 250,000 women (including young women and girls), and 90,000 men and boys in Ethiopia,…

42 NGOs warn that return of refugees to Myanmar now would be dangerous and premature

The involuntary return of refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar, where their lives and safety remain at grave risk, is a violation of the fundamental principle of non-refoulement. Humanitarian and civil…

Oxfam joins with Yemeni and international organizations to call for an immediate ceasefire in Yemen

With 14 million men, women and children on the brink of famine – half the country’s population – there has never been a more urgent time to act. As humanitarian,…

OXFAM: Ebola cases in Eastern Congo reaches 300 as mistrust and insecurity hamper response

Advocacy in Canada

After years of protracted violence, forced displacement and severe hunger many people are still terrified to go to Ebola treatment centers. In response to the number of Ebola cases in…

Rise in hunger an appalling relapse

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…

Oxfam Canada Partners with Hot Docs to Raise Awareness about Violence against Women and Girls

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada is thrilled to partner with Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival to tell the stories of brave women speaking up about violence against women and girls in Canada…

Oxfam: hundreds of thousands of Congolese forced to flee Angola in need of aid

The area, one of the poorest in DRC, is already struggling with malnutrition, cholera and the threat of a resurgence in conflict. Oxfam warned today of an emerging humanitarian crisis…

Oxfam condemns human rights abuse and violations committed against Central American migrants

In Guatemala, Oxfam and its local partners have distributed 5,250 personal hygiene kits, 560 children’s food packages, and installed 20 portable toilets, showers, drinking water points, and 50 canopies to…

One civilian dying every three hours in Yemen fighting

Emergency Response

by | Replace this with image credit information Yemenis are facing the triple threat of war, disease and hunger.  One civilian has been killed every three hours in fighting in…

Oxfam supports migrant caravan stranded in Guatemala with humanitarian aid

by | Replace this with image credit information In response to this humanitarian crisis, Oxfam with its local partners is distributing 3,500 personal hygiene kits and will install 60 latrines,…

Oxfam publishes second progress report for “ten-point action plan” to improve safeguarding

by | Replace this with image credit information Oxfam rolls out stronger global safeguarding systems worldwide Policies and procedures to guide expectations of people’s behaviour and how safeguarding is prevented…

Global Index reveals governments split between fighting and fueling inequality

by | Replace this with image credit information The Index comes ahead this week’s meeting of finance ministers, central bank governors, and other economic leaders at the World Bank and…

Tsunami survivors face long queues for clean water: Oxfam

by | Replace this with image credit information Water pipes were damaged in the 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck on 28 September, and the city has become dependent on a fleet…

Oxfam treatment units on way to Palu with clean water in short supply

by | Replace this with image credit information Water remains the main issue, with most supply infrastructure, such as pipes, damaged in the earthquakeOxfam water treatment units and purification kits…

Oxfam scales up response to deadly Indonesia earthquake and tsunami

by | Replace this with image credit information At least 840 people were killed and hundreds of houses and buildings collapsed have collapsed following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi.…

Oxfam makes plans to reach 100,000 people with basic aid after Indonesia earthquake and tsunami

by | Replace this with image credit information An estimated 1.5 million people could be affected by the earthquake and tsunami, in addition to the 830 confirmed fatalities. Oxfam’s local…

Oxfam and partners assessing damage after earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia

by | Replace this with image credit information A massive earthquake and tsunami hit coastal towns in the country’s central island of Sulawesi on Friday. Oxfam and its local partners…

Palu Tsunami, Indonesia

Women Foreign Ministers’ Meeting a First in Two Ways

by | Replace this with image credit information Feminist activists share issues and priorities with the first-ever meeting of Women Foreign Ministers. A coalition of Canadian civil society organizations welcome…

Civil society statement on the occasion of the Women Foreign Ministers Meeting

by | Replace this with image credit information Replace this text with the info that will be shown in the bottom-right info icon of the image Women’s movements and civil…

International Women’s Rights Coalition Calls on Montreal Summit of Women Foreign Ministers to Champion Women Human Rights Defenders at UN General Assembly

by | Replace this with image credit information In spite of the global risks faced by women human rights defenders, the coalition emphasizes the critical role they continue to play…

Announcing a sector-wide pledge on preventing and addressing sexual misconduct

by | Replace this with image credit information Oxfam Canada joins the Canadian Council for International Development Canada’s independent national voice for international development and humanitarian organizations, in announcing a…

Oxfam and partners deliver clean water to isolated communities hit by Mangkhut

by | Replace this with image credit information This immediate response is informed by rapid assessments made by Oxfam and local partners that clean water and shelter are the urgent…

Oxfam, CDRC prioritize safe water and shelter materials in distribution efforts

by | Replace this with image credit information Thousands of evacuees are currently staying inside churches and schools and do not have access to food, safe water, and sanitation.  Tuguegerao…

Oxfam and partners prepare to deliver clean water and shelter to thousands in Typhoon Mangkhut aftermath

by | Replace this with image credit information Photo by April Bulanadi | Oxfam The full extent of damages has yet to be determined, as many areas especially in the…

Destruction caused by Typhoon Mangkhut. (Ompong) in the Philippines. Photo Credit: April Bulanadi/Oxfam

Ompong’s “destructive force”– disaster preparedness committees activated

by | Replace this with image credit information Photo: Oxfam Philippines Ompong is the 15th storm to hit the Philippines this year and, so far, the strongest for 2018.  Tuguegerao…

Destruction caused by Typhoon Mangkhut. (Ompong) in the Philippines.

Oxfam closely monitoring Super Typhoon Mangkhut bearing down on Philippines

by | Replace this with image credit information Known locally as Ompong, the super typhoon is predicted to make landfall in north of the main island of Luzon on Saturday…

Oxfam, local partners ready to respond as “highly threatening” Typhoon Ompong nears

by | Replace this with image credit information The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) estimates that 4.3 million people live in the projected path of this destructive…

Escalation in fighting around Hudaydah risks cutting off life-saving supplies for millions of Yemenis

by | Replace this with image credit information Most of the 600,000 people who live in Hudaydah, Yemen’s third biggest city, do not have electricity or water.  Oxfam is warning…

August the cruellest month in Yemen – Oxfam 300 children amongst almost 1000 civilian casualties

by | Replace this with image credit information The grim warning comes as the first talks in two years take place in Geneva to try to secure peace between the…

Fate of millions in Idlib in international hands as disaster looms: Oxfam

by | Replace this with image credit information Oxfam is calling on the entire international community to urgently work together to prevent a new humanitarian catastrophe, which the UN estimates…

Fresh quakes in Lombok cause mass panic and worsens need for urgent aid

by | Replace this with image credit information On Tuesday at least a dozen shocks of 5-Richter magnitude have followed on the heels of Sunday’s big quakes of 6.3 and…

$72 million needed to protect Rohingya refugee women missing out on vital aid

by | Replace this with image credit information More than a third of women surveyed by Oxfam and partner agencies said they did not feel safe or comfortable going to…

Joint statement on Canada’s support for women human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia

by | Replace this with image credit information We join Canada in urging Saudi Arabia to release women’s rights activists Samar Badawi and Nassima al-Sada and commend Minister Freeland for…

More lifesaving aid needed urgently as a third big quake hits Lombok: Oxfam

by | Replace this with image credit information With the latest quake adding to the tens of thousands already in temporary shelters and under open skies, there is an increasing…

Oxfam Provides Drinking Water and Shelter to Thousands as 600,000 are Hit by Indonesia Earthquake

by | Replace this with image credit information Oxfam is providing clean drinking water and tarpaulin shelter sheets to 5,000 survivors after 7-R magnitude earthquake hit Lombok Island in Indonesia…

Oxfam training 119 staff to become investigators and invests over $3M as part of package to strengthen safeguarding worldwide

Oxfam has held initial training courses for 119 staff to become new safeguarding investigators as part of its “Ten-Point Action Plan” launched in February. Independent Commission appointed and Safeguarding review…

Oxfam reaction to announcement on end of Ebola in DRC

by | Replace this with image credit information The latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has officially ended. In response to the announcement on Tuesday, that the…

Ontario Superior Court’s decision on charities and political activities a win for the charitable sector and democracy, says Oxfam Canada

by | Replace this with image credit information This is an important step for Canadian charities, enabling them to regain their constitutional right to freedom of expression and engage actively…

OXFAM: Thousands of Syrians out of reach of aid

by | Replace this with image credit information Amid scorching summer temperatures, thousands of Syrians have been forced from their homes due to the recent fighting in Dar’a Thousands of…

OXFAM: Hodeidah cannot be allowed to become a graveyard

Conditions for over half a million people in Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah are steadily deteriorating with food in short supply and seriously damaged water and sewage systems increasing the…

Yemen fighting near Hudaydah port threatens to cut lifeline to millions. Photo Credit: Ahmed Alfadeel

Rohingya refugees unprepared as monsoon rains, flooding and landslides continue

The monsoon rains falling on the Rohingya refugee camps near Cox’s Bazar, southern Bangladesh, have caused over 130 landslides, damaged 3,300 shelters and affected 28,000 refugees, Oxfam said. A survey…

Oxfam provides desperately needed food in DR Congo's Ebola outbreak

Oxfam has started to provide desperately needed food to thousands of people caught up in the Ebola outbreak in Equateur province. Oxfam is distributing rice, beans and flour, to about…

Hodeida offensive must be stopped to save lives and the chance for peace

The UN and NGOs received warnings over the weekend for staff to evacuate Hodeida by Tuesday ahead of the offensive, affirming the humanitarian community’s worst fears for Yemen. The UN…

G7 offers piecemeal solutions to reduce economic inequality and close gender gap

Reacting to the outcome of the G7 summit in Quebec, Canada, Oxfam International executive director Winnie Byanyima said: “The growing split among G7 leaders is bad news for millions of…

Over 12,000 people evacuated due to continued volcanic activity in Guatemala, Oxfam provides humanitarian aid

More than 12,000 people have evacuated from their homes due to the eruption of Volcán de Fuego, which continues to spew fresh torrents of lava and rocks, thick ash and clouds…

G7 must make the economy work for women

The Group of Seven leaders must agree on concrete steps to combat women’s economic inequality and make the economy work for women, said Oxfam on the eve of the summit…

Yemen fighting near Hodeidah port threatens to cut lifeline to millions

Escalation of fighting around Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah threatens to cut off essential supplies to millions of people who are already one step away from famine, Oxfam warned today. …

Oxfam in Guatemala is assessing its humanitarian response to “Volcano of Fire” eruption

The June 3rd eruption of the “Volcan de Fuego” in Guatemala has claimed 65 lives, displaced 3,500 people and affected at least 1.7 million people, according to local media reports.…

Canada provides assistance after two cyclones wreak havoc on Fiji islands

Canada is providing assistance to the Fiji islands after two cyclones struck in one week in April 2018 and forced more than 14,000 people to seek shelter in evacuation centres.…

Urgent action needed to prevent famine in South Sudan – Oxfam

Oxfam today called for urgent action to prevent millions of people being hit by famine in South Sudan. The warning follows a report last week from the Famine Early Warning…

Corporate support for disclosing oil and mining deals is improving but more work needed to turn words into reality

A new Oxfam survey of 40 oil, gas and mining companies has found that they are warming to the idea of disclosing their lucrative deals signed with governments, but much work remains…

Worse to come as first rains cause damage in Rohingya camps in Bangladesh

Damage and fear caused by the first rains of the monsoon season in the Rohingya refugee camps are an ominous warning of what is to come Oxfam said today. Oxfam’s Rohingya…

First-ever feminist summit on sidelines of G7 to tackle top global issues

(Ottawa) As Justin Trudeau prepares to host G7 leaders in Charlevoix in June, the firstever feminist summit on its sidelines — W7: Feminist Visions for the G7 – kicks off…

Oxfam Canada Partners with Hot Docs to Raise Awareness about Violence against Women and Girls

Oxfam Canada is proud to partner with Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival to tell the stories of brave women speaking up about violence against women and girls in Canada…

Oxfam reaction to Syria air strikes

In response to the U.S., French and British air strikes on Syria, Moutaz Adham, Country Director, Oxfam in Syria said: “While chemical attacks should be effectively deterred, choosing to use…

Oxfam announces Zainab Bangura and Katherine Sierra to co-lead Independent Commission on Sexual Misconduct

Zainab Bangura, a former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations,and Katherine Sierra, a former Vice-President of the World Bank, will co-chair an Independent Commission on Sexual Misconduct, Accountability and Culture…

More wins for women at home and abroad, but progress lacking on work and wages: Oxfam

(Ottawa) Over the past year, the federal government’s bold feminist words have translated into tangible action to advance gender equality at home and abroad, but progress is lacking on women’s…

Budget 2018 takes strong steps on gender equality, with some victories for women at home and abroad

The federal government released Budget 2018 today, with a focus on advancing gender equality. Oxfam Canada and Oxfam-Québec applaud the government for listening to women, demonstrating a clear determination to…

Oxfam releases report into allegations of sexual misconduct in Haiti

A full copy of Oxfam’s final internal report into allegations of sexual misconduct and other unacceptable behaviour during Oxfam’s humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake has been made public today. Oxfam is…

Oxfam asks women’s rights leaders to carry out urgent independent review

An independent commission will be set up with immediate power to carry out a wide-ranging review of Oxfam’s practices and culture, including its handling of past cases of sexual misconduct.…

Oxfam Canada Statement on Sexual Misconduct in Haiti in 2011

In 2011, several Oxfam UK staff were accused of sexual exploitation and abuse in Haiti during the earthquake response. Their behavior was totally unacceptable – an appalling mark against the…

Richest 1% bagged 82% of global wealth created last year, poorest half of humanity got nothing: Oxfam

(Ottawa) Eighty two per cent of global wealth generated last year went to the richest one per cent, while the 3.7 billion people who make up the poorest half of…

Oxfam Canada welcomes new ombudsperson to address human rights impacts of Canadian business abroad

(OTTAWA) Oxfam Canada welcomes news that the federal government is creating the office of Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise.  For years, human rights advocates, including Oxfam, have called on Canada…

INGO Joint Statement on the complete opening of Hudaydah Port

Seventeen aid agencies working in Yemen are urging for the complete and unconditional opening of Hudaydah port to allow for the uninterrupted flow of food and fuel. A thirty-day concession…

Yemen being pushed ever closer to famine

Yemen is being pushed ever closer to famine after 1,000 days of a brutal war, exacerbated by a crippling blockade of its key northern ports which is starving its people…

Rohingya refugees say no return to Myanmar without equal rights

(Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh) Rohingya refugees interviewed by Oxfam in Bangladesh say they will not go back to Myanmar until their safety can be guaranteed and they have equal rights, including…

Oxfam Canada thanks Canadians for their generosity in helping Rohingya refugees

(OTTAWA) Oxfam Canada would like to thank Canadians who opened their hearts and wallets to help deliver life-saving aid to Rohingya refugees, more than half of whom are women and…

JOINT STATEMENT: Immediate Ceasefire Needed - Yemeni Civilians Cannot Take Any More Suffering

International humanitarian agencies in Yemen are urgently calling on all warring parties for an immediate ceasefire in Sana’a. Escalating clashes between forces aligned with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and…

Oxfam Canada launches project to ‘Power Up’ women’s political participation in Indonesia

(Jakarta) Thanks to a $2.6 million contribution from the Canadian government, Oxfam Canada will harness the power of technology to help Indonesian women develop a stronger voice in their communities…

Oxfam Canada receives federal funding to empower women and girls in Philippines

(Ottawa) Thanks to a contribution of $17.5 million from the Government of Canada, Oxfam Canada will empower women and girls in six disadvantaged and conflict-affected regions of the Philippines with…

Humanitarian agencies condemn the closure of Yemen's air, sea and land ports

Oxfam and 17 other humanitarian agencies expressed serious concern today over the Saudi Arabia-led coalition’s decision to temporarily close all entry points to Yemen, effectively sealing the country off. The…

Oxfam Canada welcomes federal legislation to target sexual harassment and violence in the workplace

(Ottawa) Oxfam Canada welcomes the federal government’s announcement today of legislation aimed at addressing sexual harassment and violence in the workplace. This is an important step to ensure women working…

Oxfam Canada welcomes federal Crisis Relief Fund for Rohingya refugees

(Ottawa) Oxfam Canada welcomes the Government of Canada’s announcement that for every eligible donation made by individuals to registered Canadian charities until November 28, 2017, it will contribute an equivalent…

More funds needed to help Rohingya women who have fled rape and violence

There are now more than 120,000 pregnant women and mothers with new babies struggling to survive in cramped camps and settlements that are ill-equipped to deal with their needs. Among…

Tourism’s Dirty Secret: Oxfam Canada highlights exploitation of women hotel housekeepers

(Ottawa) Profits in the global hotel industry are based on the systematic exploitation of housekeepers, the majority of whom are poor women living in fear of losing their jobs, says…

World Food Day in Chad: Oxfam talks to the forgotten people within a silent crisis

More than 335,000 people continue to go hungry in the Lake Region of Chad – a place where only ten doctors are currently working and the international community has only…

Oxfam warns threat of disease rapidly rising as thousands more Rohingya arrive daily in Bangladesh

Oxfam warned today that an outbreak of cholera would devastate the camps in Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees are without safe water, shelter or enough food to…

Race to prevent disease as thousands more Rohingya arrive daily in Bangladesh

Aid workers are in a race against time to stop the rapid spread of disease as thousands of Rohingya people arrive in Bangladesh every day. Oxfam warned that an outbreak…

Yemen cholera outbreak now the world’s largest on record

Yemen’s five-month old cholera crisis is now the world’s largest outbreak since records began, Oxfam said today, as the number of suspected cases rose to over 755,000. The Yemen outbreak…

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya without shelter & clean water in flooded camps: Oxfam

More than 70 per cent of the nearly 430,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled to Bangladesh are without adequate shelter and half have no safe drinking water, Oxfam warned today.…

Oxfam warns of Hurricane Maria's impact on thousands of vulnerable families in Dominican Republic

Oxfam is currently preparing to respond to the likely humanitarian needs of people now being hit by Hurricane Maria in Dominican Republic. Much of the country is already saturated after…

Mexico earthquake: Oxfam sends in assessment teams to two worst hit areas

Oxfam is sending in two teams of humanitarian experts to Morelos and Puebla, with more on the way, following the 7.1 earthquake that struck central Mexico on September 19th. This…

Oxfam mobilizing to help Cubans devastated by Hurricane Irma with a focus on women and girls

After completing a fact-finding mission in Cuba to identify those most in need, Oxfam is working with partners and Cuban officials to respond to the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane…

Still no real progress one year after landmark UN refugee pledge

The Declaration, first adopted last September, reaffirmed the responsibility of all nations to refugees, and laid out a two-year timeline for countries to develop and agree on a “global compact”…

Oxfam providing life-saving help to over 200,000 Rohingya in Bangladesh

Nearly 370,000 people crossed into Bangladesh in the past four weeks, doubling the number seeking refuge in the south east of the country. Many are now sleeping under open skies,…

Hurricane Irma: Oxfam assists the poorest people hardest hit by disaster

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Oxfam and its Caribbean partner organizations are helping the most vulnerable people who have lost their homes and livelihoods to recover from the disaster,…

Hurricane Irma: Oxfam collaborates with Cuban authorities to assess and mitigate damage

Oxfam has been working with the Cuban authorities to develop one of the most effective disaster prevention and response systems in the Caribbean. Oxfam’s risk management projects on the island…

Oxfam Responds to Urgent Needs of People Fleeing Conflict to Bangladesh

“Oxfam is deeply concerned about the plight of more than 160,000 civilians who have crossed the border into Bangladesh, and countless others caught up in the conflict in Rakhine State,…

Hurricane Irma: Oxfam assessing damage in Haiti and Dominican Republic

Hurricane Irma caused widespread damage in Haiti and Dominican Republic overnight. Oxfam teams will immediately asses the needs of the most vulnerable people in the hardest-hit areas, mainly in the…

Hurricane Irma: Oxfam in Haiti preparing for the worst

Many supermarket shelves in northern Haiti are now empty and many people in coastal areas are being evacuated inland to schools and public buildings in preparation for the worst of…

Oxfam ready to respond to Hurricane Irma and watching tropical storm Jose closely

Oxfam country teams and partner organizations in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba are now preparing to respond to probable damage from the impact of Hurricane Irma, to help people…

Oxfam responds as 43 million hit by South Asia Floods

Some 1,200 people have died and 43 million people have been hit by the monsoon rains and heavy flooding in the South Asian nations of Bangladesh, India, and Nepal so…

Number of South Sudanese fleeing to Uganda tops one million in the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis

In response to the announcement by the UNHCR that one million South Sudanese refugees are now in Uganda, Ranjan Pudyal, Oxfam South Sudan’s Country Director, said: As long as the…

Oxfam Canada thanks Canadians for their generosity to help fight famine

With an estimated 55 million women, children and men struggling to find food and safe drinking water in one of the worst food security crises the world has ever seen,…

Oxfam providing clean water and hygiene kits to survivors of Sierra Leone mud slide

The international agency initially plans to help almost 2,000 households amidst concerns that continued heavy rains, overcrowding and inadequate water and sanitation systems will leave people extremely vulnerable to outbreaks…

Half a million suspected cholera cases in Yemen in just four months

In reaction to the announcement that more than 500,000 people are suspected of contracting cholera in Yemen, Katy Wright, Head of Advocacy, Oxfam said:  “Yemen’s catastrophic cholera crisis is rewriting…

Food shortages and funding gap push extra 700,000 people to verge of starvation in Ethiopia

In response to the newly released Humanitarian Response Document by the Government of Ethiopia, Victoria Hopkins, Humanitarian Manager at Oxfam Canada said: “The third poor rainy season in a row…

Oxfam Canada Statement on Canada’s first Feminist International Assistance Policy

On June 9, 2017, Minister of International Cooperation Marie-Claude Bibeau launched Canada’s first Feminist International Assistance Policy – the result of an internal review and consultations with more than 15,000…

Oxfam brings aid to 23,000 people in India

Heavy, sustained rains across the northeastern states in India caused extensive damage and affected close to 400,000 people as the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries overflowed, causing widespread and devastating…

Yemen cholera worst on record & numbers still rising

The number of people with cholera in Yemen is now the largest ever in any country in a single year since records began, Oxfam said today. At more than 360,000…

Oxfam celebrates 15 years working with Coldplay

The 2017 leg of Coldplay’s Head Full of Dreams tour – which arrives in Montreal on Tuesday, August 8 – marks 15 years of Oxfam working with the band. In…

Mosul residents continue to face severe risks despite end of military offensive

In response to the Iraqi Security Forces’ announcement that they have retaken the city of Mosul from ISIS, Oxfam’s Country Director in Iraq, Andres Gonzalez said: “The retaking of Mosul will…

South Sudan: famine pushed back but more people hungry than ever before

In response to the new IPC figures that show that famine has been pushed back in the two counties of Leer and Mayendit (which have now gone from being in famine to…

Yemen cholera killing one person nearly every hour

Yemen is in the grip of a runaway cholera epidemic that is killing one person nearly every hour and if not contained will threaten the lives of thousands of people…

Oxfam Canada welcomes Government relief fund, hopes Canadians will join the fight against famine now to double the impact of their donations

Oxfam Canada welcomed the Government of Canada’s announcement today,  that for every eligible donation made by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities between March 17 and June 30, 2017, it…

As world faces unprecedented famine threat, G7 should pay up and push for peace

Deadly famine is already affecting 100,000 people in parts of South Sudan and threatens to extend to Yemen, Somalia and northeast Nigeria. Widespread famine across all four countries is not…

Unifor donates $100,000 to Oxfam Canada South Sudan famine relief

TORONTO, CNW – Unifor is proud to partner with Oxfam Canada to help provide famine relief in South Sudan and other countries facing a food crisis in the region, with…

Oxfam Canada Partners with Hot Docs to Present Powerful Films on Issues Facing Women and Girls

Oxfam Canada is proud to announce that it has partnered with Hot Docs Canadian Documentary Film Festival – North America’s largest documentary film festival – to present two powerful films…

Oxfam calls for greater G7 support for Syria peace talks

As G7 foreign ministers meeting in Lucca, Italy, failed to reach agreement on sanctions, Oxfam has called for a renewed push on Syria peace talks.  Elisa Baccioti, Oxfam’s Campaigns Director…

Oxfam condemns US defunding of UN agency focusing on reproductive health and rights of women and girls

Oxfam strongly condemns the decision by the US Government this week to withhold funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The decision puts women’s lives at risk and will…

Canada not pulling its weight internationally

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published its annual review of development aid assistance today, ranking Canada as the 11th largest OECD-DAC donor, down from 9th in 2015…

Budget 2017 takes positive steps for women, but more needed on foreign aid.

The Government of Canada released its Federal Budget 2017 today, announcing a few new measures and investments aimed at making the economy work for women. Gender inequality is one of…

Oxfam Canada sends work boots to Minister in hopes for a budget that works for women world-wide.

Oxfam Canada delivered a pair of work boots to Finance Minister Bill Morneau today, in the hopes that he will wear them ahead of budget day 2017 to signal his…

Oxfam polls Canadians and will send feminist shoes to Finance Minister ahead of Budget 2017

Ottawa, March 14 – Almost every year, sometime before delivering his budget speech to the House of Commons, Canada’s Minister of Finance buys new shoes. This year, Oxfam asked Canadians:…

No escape for Syrians seeking safety six years after first protests - Oxfam

Six years since the demonstrations that triggered the descent into a brutal civil war, millions of Syrians are bearing the brunt of increasingly restrictive policies around the world and inside…

Oxfam Canada Welcomes Funding for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights from Government of Canada on International Women's Day

Women’s Day In response to Prime Minister Trudeau and International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau’s announcement today of $650 million over three years towards sexual and reproductive health and rights, Oxfam…

Oxfam condemns President Trump’s latest attempt to slam the door on vulnerable refugees

Ottawa – Oxfam condemns President Trump’s latest effort to slam the door on refugees by signing yet another Executive Order denying safe refuge for the tens of thousands of people…

Oxfam scorecard tracking Liberal Government action on women’s rights shows progress – but more needed to turn feminist words into action

Ottawa – Despite noble intentions and some important steps in the right direction, the bold feminist rhetoric from the current Liberal government has not yet translated into meaningful policy and…

Canada’s $20M pledge for sexual and reproductive health and welcome, but more needed to address gap

Canadian civil society leaders in Brussels as part of the Canadian delegation for the She Decides funding conference welcomed International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau’s initial pledge today of $20M to…

Threat of four famines in 2017 “a catastrophic betrayal of our common humanity”

The world stands on the brink of an unprecedented four famines in 2017 due to a catastrophic failure of the global community to uphold its obligations to the most vulnerable…

Aid agencies in South Sudan warn that funds are urgently needed to stop the spread of famine

Twenty seven humanitarian agencies working in South Sudan have warned that unless substantial funds are immediately provided to those working on the ground, organizations will struggle to stop famine spreading…

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Famine in South Sudan reflects international failure, Oxfam

Emma Jane Drew, Humanitarian Program Manager in South Sudan says:  “This is a man-made tragedy, and we are running out of time to avoid it getting worse. In over 30…

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Fears for 750,000 people trapped in western Mosul as battle draws near, Oxfam

An estimated 750,000 people are trapped in western Mosul without any safe means of escape from the latest military offensive that could start any day, Oxfam warned today. Humanitarian conditions…

Oxfam condemns President Trump’s discriminatory Executive Order on refugees and urges Canadian action

Oxfam Canada is deeply concerned about President Trump’s Executive Order on refugees and the impact it could have on refugees and immigrants worldwide. The Executive Order has indefinitely suspended the…

Oxfam Response to US President Trump’s Executive Orders to reinstate the Global Gag Rule (Mexico City Policy)

Oxfam Canada strongly condemns the recent decision of the US Government to reinstate the Global Gag Rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy. This policy will leave a major…

Joint Statement on Trump’s Global Gag Rule Re-Enactment

We, the undersigned organizations, strongly condemn President Trump’s signing of the Global Gag Rule on January 23rd 2017, one of his first acts as President of the United States. During…

Open Letter to Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau

Dear Minister Morneau, It’s 2017 and we want to see real change. Last week Oxfam revealed that just 8 men own the same wealth as the bottom half of humanity.…

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Just 8 men own same wealth as half the world, says new Oxfam report

Eight men own the same wealth as the 3.6 billion people who make up the poorest half of humanity, according to a new report by Oxfam. Here at home, just…

Rising inequality traps millions into poverty.

Oxfam warns of hunger in Haiti 3 months after Hurricane Matthew

Hundreds of thousands of Haitians who survived Hurricane Matthew, which ripped through their country three months ago, will go hungry if governments, donors and aid agencies do not step up efforts to help them,…

Oxfam Response to CEDAW Concluding Observations and Recommendations

Oxfam welcomes today’s concluding observations and recommendations on Canada’s progress on women’s rights and gender equality from the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the UN body…

Oxfam Canada response to Canada Revenue Agency's report on tax evasion and tax avoidance

Oxfam Canada welcomes the Canada Revenue Agency’s close review of the ways in which the Canada Revenue Agency can combat tax evasion and tax avoidance in it’s newly released report: The…

Oxfam Canada response to House of Commons Finance Committee pre-budget consulation report

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance released its report Creating the Conditions for Growth: Tools for People, Business and Communities on December 7, 2016. The report captures the…

Oxfam response to report on development cooperation of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Oxfam welcomes the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development’s report, Development cooperation for a more stable, inclusive and prosperous world: a collective ambition. The report puts forth 7…

Less than 3% of five million Syrian refugees resettled in rich countries: Oxfam

Less than three per cent of nearly five million refugees living in Syria’s neighbouring states have been resettled in rich countries according to a new report published today by Oxfam.…

Oxfam response to news of execution-style killings in Aleppo

In response to news of execution-style killings in Aleppo, Andy Baker, Oxfam’s Regional Program Manager for the Syria crisis response, said: “Oxfam is deeply concerned at reports that dozens of…

Almost 100 dead after Indonesia earthquake, Oxfam responding

Oxfam is mounting a response to the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that hit the northern end of the Indonesian island of Sumatra near Banda Aceh yesterday morning. Almost 100 people have…

Oxfam Canada response the unfolding situation in Aleppo, Syria

"It is only now that residents of east Aleppo – who have faced intense and sustained bombardment by air and by land for years – are fleeing across conflict lines.…

Oxfam Canada response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s funding announcement in Liberia

In response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement on funding in Liberia, Oxfam Canada’s Senior Policy Advisor Diana Sarosi, said: “At Oxfam, we know from our work that empowering women…

Julie Delahanty, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada, named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women

Ottawa, Ontario (November 24, 2016) ––Oxfam Canada is pleased to announce that it’s Executive Director, Julie Delahanty, has been named one of Canada’s most powerful women by the Women’s Executive…

Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report again exposes shocking inequality

Commenting on Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Report which was published today, Oxfam Canada’s Manager of Campaigns, Kelly Bowden, said: “One again, the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report shows that economic…

Oxfam provides new generator to improve water supply to people in besieged East Aleppo under attack with little food, water and healthcare

Oxfam moved Wednesday a huge generator across conflict lines to East Aleppo to help improve the water supply, but all other aid to the besieged area remains cut off. More…

‘We just came from the dead’ – families describe their escape from Mosul to Oxfam, as the number fleeing triples

Families are suffering appalling injuries and traumas to escape the fighting in Mosul as the number fleeing more than triples in the space of a week. Oxfam and other humanitarian…

People living in ‘smoke-filled hell’ in areas around Mosul recaptured from ISIS

People living in ‘smoke-filled hell’ in areas around Mosul recaptured from ISIS Thousands of families are living in a “smoke-filled hell” with hardly any access to clean water or medical…

A year after the Paris climate deal, most vulnerable are still not getting financial support they need

The amount of net financial assistance going to help developing countries fight climate change has been miscounted by tens of billions of dollars, according to a new Oxfam report released…

Heavy rains in Haiti halt emergency response – Oxfam pushes for more support

The emergency response in Haiti is at a standstill following nearly 48 hours of heavy rains. Helicopters are grounded, ships moored and nearly all road access blocked. Oxfam, already responding…

Super typhoon Haima aftermath: Oxfam assesses needs on the ground

At least seven are confirmed dead and thousands remain displaced after super typhoon Haima (local name: Lawin) pounded northern parts of the Philippines. Haima hit land as a category 4…

Women driving economic growth but getting shortchanged on benefits, says new Oxfam Canada report

Addressing the unequal economics of women’s work is fundamental to closing the gap between women and men, and between the rich and the poor, says Shortchanged, a new report published…

Hurricane Matthew: International community must respond now to prevent more loss of life

Food, shelter and clean water are needed urgently by people in southern Haiti following the destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew last week. Oxfam fears that the current death toll of…

Devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew is likely to worsen – Oxfam calls for immediate international action

As Oxfam teams access the most affected areas in Haiti, the destruction left by hurricane Matthew is more evident, as well as the urgent humanitarian needs of those affected. It…

Oxfam mobilizes as Hurricane Matthew hits hard in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and heads for Cuba

The full extent of Hurricane Matthew’s damage on Haiti will not be certain until response teams are able to access the most affected areas, but already official and eye-witness reports…

Oxfam staff prepared to respond as hurricane Matthew remains strong in the Caribbean

Hurricane Matthew continues its trajectory in the center of the Caribbean region. Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and Dominican Republic are already experiencing heavy rains and high speed winds, that will worsen…

Hurricane Matthew

Hurricane Matthew, a dangerous storm whose top sustained winds have sometimes reached 160 miles per hour, is churning through the Caribbean, with Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas in its path.…

Oxfam’s reaction to the attack on an aid convoy in Aleppo

Andy Baker, Oxfam’s lead for the Syria Crisis Response, said: “There is absolutely no excuse for the shocking attack yesterday on an aid convoy in rural Aleppo. The aid workers…

Oxfam Canada response to Prime Minister Trudeau’s address at the United Nations General Assembly

Advocacy in Canada

In response to Prime Minister Trudeau’s address at the United Nations General Assembly, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy, Lauren Ravon, said: “We are proud to see Prime Minister Trudeau taking…

UN Summit on Refugees Likely to Fall Short

Governments may be patting themselves on the back when they attend Monday’s UN summit on Refugees and Migrants in New York, but their political commitments are falling far short of…

Almost 4 million refugees and asylum seekers flee to countries also in conflict

Close to four million refugees and asylum seekers have fled from one conflict zone to another, Oxfam said today ahead of two summits on migration in New York next week.…

Empower young people in their fight for equality, says new Oxfam report

Despite there being more young people in the world today than ever before, they are excluded from decision-making and are the most vulnerable to economic crises, says a new Oxfam…

South Sudan: Violence Fuels Humanitarian Crisis

South Sudan faces a spiralling humanitarian crisis as the recent surge in fighting prevents aid agencies from providing urgent help to millions of people in need. Violence and insecurity continue…

Nearly 400,000 civilians cut off from aid in Aleppo and Manbij since Syria support group pledged to secure access

More than 300,000 civilians in Aleppo and an estimated 60,000 in the Manbij area, Syria, have been cut off from aid in the last three weeks, marking a shameful deterioration…

Pananama Papers: Africa losing billions due to offshore deals

In response to the latest Panama Papers leak that exposes how Africa is being deprived billions of dollars in natural resource revenues due to offshore deals, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director…

Six richest countries host less than 9% of refugees

The six wealthiest countries – which make up more than half the global economy – host less than nine percent of the world’s refugees while poorer countries and territories are…

Oxfam welcomes ceasefire in Juba

Juba – Oxfam’s Country Director in South Sudan, Zlatko Gegic, said: “With caution but  great hope, Oxfam welcomes last night’s ceasefire. We have all been down this path before and…

South Sudan's fragile peace: After five years of independence, urgent reform is needed

Five years after the birth of South Sudan, Oxfam warned today that without commitment from all signatories to the country's 2015 peace agreement, the country will falter. According to Oxfam,…

Oxfam Canada comments ahead of North American Leader’s Summit

Advocacy in Canada

As Ottawa prepares to host the North American Leader’s Summit on Wednesday, June 29th, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Campaigns, Lauren Ravon, said: “Oxfam is pleased to see the…

G7 sides with tax dodgers leaving the public to pick up their bill

"G7 leaders have sided with the tax dodgers and not the public. Despite all the talk of action, the G7 have missed this opportunity to end the destructive era of…

Media Reactive: End of World Humanitarian Summit

Advocacy in Canada

Some progress at World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul – but world leaders fail to deliver the goods As the World Humanitarian Summit draws to a close, Oxfam’s welcomes the progress…

Oxfam to Increase Its Emergency Relief Efforts in Sri lanka

Nearly 425,000 Sri Lankans were affected, and 240,000 remain displaced by floods, landslides, and torrential rains. Oxfam is increasing its relief efforts to help thousands who have been hit by…

Bangladesh: Cyclone Roanu - Oxfam emergency teams at work

Bangladesh: Cyclone Roanu – Oxfam emergency teams at work    Oxfam is reaching communities in Bangladesh hit yesterday by Cyclone Roanu. Oxfam’s local partners have already reached Chittagong, taking emergency…

Oxfam Media Advisory for the World Humanitarian Summit

Advocacy in Canada

The World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul is taking place in a world where 125 million people are affected by disaster and conflict. In 2014/15 Oxfam reached 12.9 million people in…

Oxfam welcomes launch of international assistance review consultations

In response to the launch of the international assistance review consultations, Julie Delahanty, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director, said:   “Oxfam welcomes the news that the Government of Canada will consult…

Sri Lanka Landslide and Flooding - Oxfam Launches Aid Effort

Oxfam is using its in-country aid stocks to provide essential household items and portable toilets to families hit by the Sri Lankan landslides and flood. A team of Oxfam aid…

Anti-corruption summit delivers underwhelming response to challenge set by Panama Papers

Advocacy in Canada

The package of measures announced by governments attending the anti-corruption summit in London today will not stop tax cheats said Oxfam. Politicians from over 40 countries, along with World Bank…

Tax havens ‘serve no useful economic purpose’: 300 economists tell world leaders

Advocacy in Canada

Experts including Thomas Piketty, Jeff Sachs, Nora Lustig and Angus Deaton call for more tax transparency More than 300 leading economists from 30 countries have today written to world leaders…

Latin America’s spring harvest is El Niño’s latest victim, putting millions at risk of malnutrition

Families across Latin America are running out of food and options as farmers report another failed harvest due to intense and unpredictable weather patterns compounded by El Niño. Already, El…

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Detention riots expose how EU is failing people fleeing to Greece

Refugees and Internal Displacement

The riots in Moria closed facility in Lesbos on Tuesday expose how European Union policies are failing to deliver a fair and safe system for receiving people into Greece, warned…

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Oxfam to provide safe water to 10,000 people in Ecuador

Water

Two tonnes of water pipes and tanks arrived in Quito last night by plane with the support of the Spanish Cooperation Agency AECID. The aid will provide safe water for…

The signing of the Paris climate agreement marks key moment to turn aspiration into action

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Natural Disasters

As more than 160 countries come together to sign the Paris Climate Change Agreement, taking a critical step towards its implementation, Oxfam Canada calls on governments to continue to confront…

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Oxfam to dispatch first shipment of aid to people following Ecuador quake

Emergency Response

World-wide development organization Oxfam will send its first shipment of aid tomorrow to those people most affected from the 7.8 earthquake that struck Ecuador last Saturday. Oxfam has already deployed…

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Lampedusa 1 year on: EU still failing to deal with migration crisis as death toll rises

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Despite 800 people drowning off Lampedusa in the Mediterranean on this day last year, Europe is still failing to deal effectively with the migration crisis. Vulnerable people seeking safety and…

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Oxfam responding to major earthquake in Ecuador

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam is responding to a major earthquake off the coast of Ecuador. We will shortly be sending teams to the area to assess the extent of damage and how Oxfam…

Slight increase in development aid not sufficient to lift people out of poverty

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women’s Economic Justice

Oxfam Canada comments on OECD figures on development aid: Slight increase in development aid not sufficient  to lift people out of poverty  Development aid has reached an all-time high, according to figures released…

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Majority of World Bank’s private investments go to companies that have a presence in tax havens, says Oxfam

Advocacy in Canada

Majority of World Bank’s private investments go to companies that have a presence in tax havens, says Oxfam Fifty-one of the 68 companies that were lent money by the World…

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Canada one of only three countries to resettle 'fair share' of Syrian refugees

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Oxfam’s new analysis shows that only three countries – Canada, Germany and Norway – have made resettlement pledges exceeding their ‘fair share’, which is calculated according to the size of…

Unpaid, unequal, and undervalued, says new report on women’s work and wages

Women’s Economic Justice

Women are unpaid, undervalued and unequal, says a new report published today by Oxfam Canada and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The recovery that followed the 2008 financial…

In reaction to the announcement of a ceasefire being announced in some parts of Syria, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director, Julie Delahanty, said:

  • Conflict and War
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

"The ceasefire might not be complete or nation-wide, but it is the first de-escalation measure in the conflict in a long time, and an important development on the road to…

Money for aid vital and welcome, but other actions needed as peace talks fail in Geneva

In response to billions of dollars being pledged by governments today to help Syrians engulfed in the country's conflict, Andy Baker, Regional Program Manager for Oxfam's Syria crisis response said:…

Canada generous, but most wealthy nations fall short in supporting Syrians affected by conflict

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Rich countries meeting in London this week must commit to real changes that will improve the lives of millions of Syrians, said Oxfam today. Aid funding and resettlement places offered…

Millions at risk as Ethiopia suffers worst drought in a generation – Oxfam

  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

Millions of people are at risk as Ethiopia suffers its worst drought in thirty years. In some parts of the country, women and girls are walking for two days to…

Media reactive: Oxfam response to UN announcement of worsening hunger in Yemen

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

In response to the UN’s announcement of worsening hunger in Yemen, Josephine Hutton, Oxfam’s regional programme manager, said: "Yemen has been on a slow downward road to starvation for many…

Oxfam Canada response to Prime Minister Trudeau’s World Economic Forum Keynote Address – the "Canadian Opportunity"

Advocacy in Canada

In response to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s keynote address at the World Economic Forum this morning, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada, Julie Delahanty, said:   "Prime Minister Trudeau just took to…

62 people own same as half the world – Oxfam

Women’s Economic Justice

Runaway inequality has created a world where 62 people own as much wealth as the poorest half of the world’s population. This figure has fallen from 388 just five years…

Aid agencies: One-off aid convoys won’t save starving Syrians

Conflict and War

International aid agencies working in Syria today expressed relief that a convoy of food aid and other first need items was finally allowed into Madaya where people have reportedly been…

Oxfam welcomes the Government of Canada's extension of the Syrian Emergency Relief Match Fund

Advocacy in Canada

Ottawa, January 7, 2016 – As winter takes hold, conditions for those affected by the conflict in Syria continue to worsen. In the face of ongoing need, Oxfam welcomes today’s…

Agreed climate deal offers a frayed life-line for the world’s poorest people – Oxfam

Natural Disasters

The Paris climate deal has brought the world’s powers together but has short-changed the poorest and most vulnerable people as they struggle with the burgeoning reality of rising sea-levels, floods…

Women’s participation in Yemen peace talks key for ending violence and finding lasting political solution

Conflict and War

Negotiations to end a bloody conflict in Yemen have a far better chance of long term success if women have a place at the table, says Oxfam. The current conflict…

World’s richest 10% produce half of carbon emissions while poorest 3.5 billion account for just a tenth

The poorest half of the world’s population – 3.5 billion people – is responsible for just 10 percent of carbon emissions, despite being the most threatened by the catastrophic storms,…

Delays in cutting emissions set to cost developing countries hundreds of billions of dollars more

Natural Disasters

Oxfam report reveals spiralling costs of 3°C compared to 2°C warmingDeveloping countries’ economies risk being crushed under the double burden of climate change adaptation costs of almost $800 billion, and…

Leading aid agencies: Refugee camps in Tanzania put over 110,000 Burundian refugees at risk

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Health and shelter for Burundian refugees in Tanzania are poised to get worse in already overstretched camps, leading aid agencies warned today, if there is an increased influx of refugees…

Oxfam Canada on the G20: gender equality, climate change, global tax reform, refugees and migrants critical issues to discuss in Turkey

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

G20 leaders are holding their annual meeting in Antalya, Turkey, on November 15 – 16, where gender equality, climate change, global tax reform, and the refugee and migrant crisis will be…

Canada and other G20 nations among biggest losers in large-scale tax abuse – but poor countries hardest hit

Advocacy in Canada

G20 countries – including Canada – are among the biggest losers when US multinationals avoid paying taxes where they do business.  This is the main finding of a new report…

Millions at risk of falling into poverty: Oxfam Canada comments on World Bank report

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam commends the World Bank for connecting the need to tackle climate change with the urgent fight to end poverty. In a new report, called Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts…

Canadian aid agencies call for a “New Deal” for Syria’s refugees

Refugees and Internal Displacement

The international community must agree to a bold new deal for Syria’s refugees if it is serious about tackling the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, seven aid agencies…

Oxfam welcomes new ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Development and the Francophonie, and International Trade

Advocacy in Canada

Le message en français suit. “Oxfam welcomes Hon. Stéphane Dion, Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau and Hon. Chrystia Freeland as the new Ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Development and the Francophonie, and…

Naomi Klein among celebrities joining #eyesonParis climate campaign for Oxfam

Natural Disasters

Climate activist and best-selling Canadian author Naomi Klein is among those who have shared an eyes-only selfie on social media to tell world leaders they have their #eyesonParis for action…

Cyclone Chapala hits war-torn Yemen

  • Conflict and War
  • Natural Disasters

As Cyclone Chapala hits war-torn Yemen, Oxfam Country Director in the country, Sajjad Mohamed Sajid said:  "It's a humanitarian disaster on top of another. In a year of the Super…

Oxfam comments on Canada's plan to welcome 25,000 refugees by year end

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

In response to the Government of Canada’s plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees by year end, Oxfam Canada’s Humanitarian Manager, Ann Witteveen, said:   “Canada is a prosperous country,…

Oxfam teams present in South Asia, ready to respond to powerful earthquake

Emergency Response

A strong earthquake in northern Afghanistan shook buildings from Kabul to Delhi today, cutting power and communications in some areas and causing a steadily rising number of deaths, mainly in…

Extreme hunger risk in South Sudan as fighting blocks food aid: REPORT

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

Juba, South Sudan – In response to the latest Integrated Phase Classification (IPC), or food security analysis for South Sudan, Oxfam South Sudan Country Director, Zlatko Gegic said:  “Almost four…

Fighting gender inequality essential to curbing growing wealth gap, IMF report shows

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women’s Economic Justice

Oxfam applauds today’s report by the International Monetary Fund, which argues that tackling gender inequality is not only an objective in itself, it's a key part of reducing the huge…

Oxfam Canada Welcomes the Newly Elected Government

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada welcomes the new government’s commitment to restoring Canada’s role in the world. We are in a pivotal moment for Canada to show leadership in creating a more sustainable and…

Open Letter to Permanent Representatives to the UN on Women, Peace and Security

Advocacy in Canada

The United Nations’ Open Debate and High Level Review on Women, Peace and Security is just around the corner. Oxfam and other civil society partners are calling for governments to…

Utterly inadequate international response for Syrians both in and outside borders, says new Oxfam report

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

The international community is proving utterly inadequate in helping Syrians both inside and outside their country. Oxfam’s damning verdict is in a new report today Solidarity with Syrians that analyses…

Oxfam criticizes ‘toothless’ OECD Tax Package

Ottawa – The OECD’s Tax Package, released in Paris today, will not stop corporate tax dodgers cheating poor countries out of billions of dollars of tax revenues, says Oxfam. The…

Oxfam applauds World Bank’s rejection of trickle-down economics, and recognition of the huge inequality challenge

Women’s Economic Justice

Oxfam is encouraged by World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim’s rejection of trickle-down economics and his clear stance on the enormous challenge inequality poses across the world. Jim Kim’s…

Inequality trapping hundreds of millions in extreme poverty

Women’s Economic Justice

More than 200 million people will be trapped unnecessarily in extreme poverty – despite world leaders’ pledge to end it – unless action to tackle economic inequality is accelerated, according…

Women’s Issues Finally Get The Attention They Deserve

Advocacy in Canada

Toronto – Women’s issues finally took the forefront in the federal election thanks to a partnership between the Up For Debate campaign, Twitter Canada, Toronto Star and Le Devoir. This…

Oxfam welcomes the Government of Canada’s Emergency Relief Fund for the Syrian Refugee Crisis

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Oxfam welcomed the Government of Canada’s announcement of a $100 million matching fund program for the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Ann Witteveen, Humanitarian Manager for Oxfam Canada, said: “The tragic photo…

Feministing Foreign Policy – A Global Conversation Comes to Ottawa

Advocacy in Canada

On September 15, 2015, three Nobel peace laureates joined Canadian women thought-leaders in Ottawa for an inspiring pre-federal election conversation on the potential for feminist ideas and approaches to transform…

These Nobel Laureates advocate for women's rights.

Long Road to Peace Begins in South Sudan

Conflict and War

Juba, SOUTH SUDAN – The signing of the peace agreement by President Salva Kiir Mayardit is a positive step toward ending the brutal 20 month civil war but aid agencies…

Malakal IDP camp, South Sudan. Photo credit: Simon Rawles/Oxfam

Up for Debate - Plan B

Advocacy in Canada

The Up for Debate campaign announced today that it has confirmation from four major parties to explore an alternative debate format to put women at the centre of Canada’s federal…

NGOs call on World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) to empower women

The World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) aims at major global reforms to better protect and assist people affected by crisis. The undersigned organisations call on the WHS to put women’s leadership,…

Civilians need peace urgently as talks face further delay

Conflict and War

Juba, SOUTH SUDAN – Delaying peace may have serious consequences for South Sudanese civilians who are enduring their 20th month of a brutal civil war, aid agencies Oxfam, CARE and…

Malakal IDP camp, South Sudan. Fighting has forced more than a million people from their homes, and up to 50,000 children are at risk of dying from malnutrition if they don't receive adequate humanitarian aid. Photo Credit: Simon Rawles/Oxfam

Federal Party Leaders Not Up For Debating Gender Equality

Advocacy in Canada

Federal Party Leaders Not Up For Debating Gender Equality One week into Canada’s federal election campaign, party leaders have failed to put women’s rights and gender equality issues up for…

Oxfam Volunteers, as part of the Up for Debate initiative during the 2015 federal election, created their own awareness campaign to encourage a political debate centered around women's issues.

Oxfam Canada hosts activists from across the country

Advocacy in Canada

In fact, that’s almost exactly what we call it:  Change Leadership Summit! As in all of our organizational work, the week’s activities will be based on a strong gender analysis…

Oxfam Volunteers, as part of the Up for Debate initiative during the 2015 federal election, created their own awareness campaign to encourage a political debate centered around women's issues.

Lack of funding leads to World Food Program cuts for Syrian refugees - a dangerous development, says Oxfam

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

The World Food Programme has announced it is to significantly reduce food vouchers for refugees living outside of camps in Jordan in August, while maintaining the same levels of assistance…

In memory of Flora MacDonald

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Flora MacDonald, a great friend and an inspiring example of women’s leadership in Canada. "After her electoral defeat in 1988,…

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Canadian women have questions, and challenge all party leaders to answer them.

Advocacy in Canada

Ottawa – The Up for Debate campaign has released a selection of questions that it has crowdsourced for potential use in its upcoming federal election debate, scheduled to take place…

Blockade and violence in Yemen Escalates

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

Since the start of the conflict, nearly 25,000 additional people are going hungry each day in Yemen as the blockade and fighting restrict food, fuel and other vital supplies, Oxfam…

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Oxfam Echoes UN Call for Canadian Leadership on Women’s Rights

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam supports the UN’s call for greater Canadian leadership on women and girls rights. Canada was recently reviewed by the UN Human Rights Committee, which released a report July 23…

Rich countries provide a poor outcome at Addis Financing for Development Conference: Oxfam

Advocacy in Canada

Unresolved rigged tax rules and privatized development are the major drawbacks of the UN Financing for Development Conference outcome, says Oxfam. However, after such tense negotiations there can be no…

Oxfam: Lack of fuel could soon cause more deaths than ongoing violence in Yemen

Conflict and War

Lack of fuel in Yemen caused by the continuing conflict and restrictions of imports could ultimately be responsible for even more deaths than the fighting in the country, Oxfam warned…

yemenis-help-to-push-a-car-as-they-line-up-in-a-queue-at-a-petrol-station-amid-fuel-shortages-in-sanaa-yemen-april-8-2015.-photoabo-haitham.jpeg

Oxfam’s Senior Policy Advisor In response to the FFD announcement of the Global Financing Facility for Every Woman, Every Child

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women’s Economic Justice

In response to the FFD announcement of the Global Financing Facility for Every Woman, Every Child, Claire Godfrey, Oxfam’s Senior Policy Advisor said: “Since women's and children's health cover a…

OXFAM: Cholera cases multiply as cost of clean water skyrockets in South Sudan capital

Water

JUBA, South Sudan – Cholera cases are rapidly increasing in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, as the cost of clean water skyrockets amid a worsening economic crisis. 33 people have died…

Corporate stranglehold on development finance must end in Addis

Advocacy in Canada

The corporate grip on development finance must be loosened if the Finance for Development Conference is going to help mobilize the resources needed to overcome poverty. Oxfam issued this warning…

South Sudan faces unprecedented humanitarian crisis

Conflict and War

Instead of celebrating its 4th anniversary, South Sudan is standing on an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. In the world’s youngest country almost 8 million people – two-thirds of the total population…

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4 million Syrian refugees registered in neighbouring countries: UNHCR

Refugees and Internal Displacement

The number of Syrian refugees registered in neighbouring countries has hit the 4 million mark, announced the UNHCR today. Oxfam says it is more than time for governments to step-up…

Cholera outbreak in South Sudan’s capital threatens to bring new waves of suffering

  • Conflict and War
  • Water

“This cholera outbreak is a wake-up call for the government and the aid world to redouble efforts to tackle a worsening cycle of misery,” said Zlatko Gegic, Oxfam’s country director…

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Political will is missing from development debate as UN reveals MDG benefits are uneven

Advocacy in Canada

The UN report provides an assessment of global and regional progress towards the MDGs. It shows that progress has been made in the global fight against absolute poverty in the…

Moving story of Syrian refugees told through their phones in ‘District Zero’ documentary

Refugees and Internal Displacement

The trailer of documentary, produced by Oxfam and the European Commission, will be presented on 20th June to mark World Refugee Day ‘District Zero’ features Maamun – one of 55…

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Oxfam International Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima: Empower Women, End Extreme Poverty

Winnie Byanyima spoke with Canadian media while in Montreal for the Economic Forum of the Americas.   Read more here.

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Oxfam supplying water to more than a million people in Syria, seeks to expand operations

Water

Oxfam is planning to expand its response to the Syrian crisis as it renews an agreement with the government in Damascus. Oxfam is currently helping to provide water for more…

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Islamic Relief & Oxfam Canada: June 16, 2015

Advocacy in Canada

RAMADAN LAUNCH 2015 Islamic Relief and Oxfam Canada will host an exciting event to welcome the blessed month of Ramadan, tackling two of the most pressing issues of our time…

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G7 neglecting plight of the poor

Advocacy in Canada

The G7 countries have made a stuttering start on climate change but have largely neglected the plight of people living in poverty, said Oxfam at the close of the annual…

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G7 companies cheat Africa out of billions of dollars

Advocacy in Canada

G7 based companies and investors cheated Africa out of an estimated $US 6 billion in 2010 through just one form of tax dodging, according to a new Oxfam report ‘Money…

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7.8M hungry in South Sudan due to food scarcity & conflict

Hunger

Responding to the latest Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) or food analysis report for South Sudan, Oxfam South Sudan Country Director, Zlatko Gegic said: “A frightening number of people in South…

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Two-thirds of people in conflict hit Yemen without clean water

  • Conflict and War
  • Water

Ongoing airstrikes, ground fighting and fuel shortages mean that an additional 3 million Yemenis are now without drinking water – raising the total number of Yemenis without a clean water…

One month on, Oxfam reaching Nepal’s most isolated in a race against the monsoon

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

One month on since the first earthquake hit Nepal, Oxfam  is working with mountain guides and porters to deliver life saving aid to the most remote communities before the imminent…

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New OECD Inequality Report: It’s about women’s rights!

Advocacy in Canada

Commenting on the new OECD report released today – In It Together: Why Less Inequality Benefits All – Oxfam Canada Executive Director Julie Delahanty said: “Today’s report is simply the latest…

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Aid delivered as cholera confirmed among Burundian refugees in Tanzania

  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Water

Overcrowding and a lack of clean water and sanitation facilities have led to cholera among the estimated 40,000 Burundian refugees including in the Tanzanian border town of Kagunga. Already 20 cases…

South Sudan - Violations of Humanitarian Law Escalating

Conflict and War

In response to the statement by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Mr. Toby Lanzer, regarding violations of International Humanitarian Law in Leer and Malakal, Oxfam South Sudan Country…

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South Sudan crack down on NGOs

Conflict and War

South Sudan's parliament has unanimously passed a bill that would severely limit the NGO sector in the world's youngest country. In response, Zlatko Gegic, Country Director for Oxfam South Sudan,…

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Devastating earthquakes in Nepal - Please Help

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Cecilia Keizer, Oxfam’s country director in Nepal said: “This is a double disaster leaving many of the survivors of the first earthquake shocked and fearful of further tremors. Our teams…

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Bringing communities on board was key to Liberia’s success says Oxfam, as nation officially is declared Ebola free

In response to Liberia officially being declared Ebola free, Oxfam’s Country Director in Liberia Mamudu Salifu said: “Today’s good news is a step forward for Liberia and also gives hope…

Need for shelter in monsoons biggest concern in rural areas of Nepal

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam is on the ground in Nepal, providing food, clean drinking water and shelter to thousands. A team of Oxfam from India has set up base in Gorkha district, one…

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Race to reach Nepal earthquake survivors before monsoon rains

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Survivors of Nepal's massive earthquake are in a race against time to secure shelter and adequate sanitation before the monsoon rains begin in early June. Tens of thousands of people…

Aid starting to get through despite airport bottleneck and fuel shortages

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

A bottleneck of people and supplies at Nepal’s Kathmandu airport combined with nationwide fuel shortages, blocked roads and difficult terrain is hampering the efforts of aid agencies and emergency services…

Oxfam Welcomes Matching Fund for Nepal Earthquake

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam welcomes  the Government of Canada’s Matching Fund program for the Nepal earthquake. Julie Delahanty, Oxfam Canada's Executive Director, said: "This will double the power of donations from generous Canadians,…

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Oxfam is delivering aid following Saturday's devastating earthquake.

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam is now delivering clean water and sanitation supplies that will reach at least 350,000 people. Tens of thousands of people are currently living in makeshift shelters in 16 government…

Earthquake in Nepal - April 25, 2015: Please donate

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

On April 25th at 11:47am local time, an estimated 7.9 magnitude earthquake shook Nepal, near the capital, Kathmandu. Oxfam's team in Nepal is assessing humanitarian need following the devastating earthquake.…

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Oxfam Canada reaction to Budget 2015: Wrong choices

Advocacy in Canada

“Budgets are about choices. And this Budget is built for those who already have plenty of choices. For Oxfam, the right choices are about investing in women’s rights and reducing…

More than 100,000 Yemenis have fled their homes

Oxfam calls on the World not to forget the humanitarian plight of millions. As the conflict in Yemen enters its third week, Oxfam warns that the international community should push…

Canada foreign aid budget at record low, spends less than 2% on gender equality and women's rights

Advocacy in Canada

Canada’s spending on aid is now at a record low. Canada continues to spend less than 2% of its aid budget on programs that are specifically designed to advance gender…

Billions in “out of control” IFC investments into third-parties causing human rights abuses around the world

The International Finance Corporation has little accountability for billions of dollars’ worth of investments into banks, hedge funds and other financial intermediaries, resulting in projects that are causing human rights…

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Oxfam's reaction to humanitarian pledging conference for Syria

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Andy Baker who leads Oxfam’s response to the Syria crisis said: “While some donors have been generous in Kuwait, the total aid pledged is less than half the amount needed…

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International appeals for Syria crisis less than 10% funded

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Aid agencies estimate that $8.7 billion is needed in 2015 to support 18 million people in Syria and neighbouring countries, the equivalent of approximately one US dollar per person per…

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Ebola one year on - Hearts and homes were key to breakthrough

The over emphasis on an almost exclusive medical approach at the start of the Ebola crisis hampered progress against the disease, according to Oxfam. The international agency said governments and…

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Oxfam comment on the Alternative Federal Budget released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Advocacy in Canada

Commenting on the Alternative Federal Budget released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), Oxfam Canada Senior Policy Advisor Lauren Ravon said: “The CCPA budget provides a rich…

Assessment teams reach Tanna and Erromango islands in Vanuatu

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Two rapid assessment teams have arrived in the two small southern Vanuatu islands hit hardest by Cyclone Pam to rapidly assess exactly what survivors of the disaster need. Oxfam Country…

Scale of humanitarian crisis in Vanuatu becoming clearer

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

More Oxfam Humanitarian Emergency responders are flying to Vanuatu this morning on an Australian Government plane, as the unconfirmed death toll in the small archipelago begins to climb and worse…

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Stories of devastation from Vanuatu in the aftermath of Cyclone Pam

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Oxfam staff on the ground in Port Vila have reported complete destruction of homes, three storey high trees completely uprooted and small communities with barely any houses left standing. Oxfam’s…

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Aid agencies give UN Security Council a 'failing grade' on Syria

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Three of Canada’s largest humanitarian aid agencies, Oxfam, Save the Children and World Vision, today released a scathing critique of how the United Nations Security Council has failed to alleviate…

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Oxfam Canada statement on inequality report released by the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Advocacy in Canada

Commenting on today’s report on inequality released by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kelly Bowden, Oxfam Canada's Inequality Campaign Coordinator, said: “Today’s report on the impact of growing income inequality on Canada’s…

We need to talk about violence against women, Canada

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

By Julie DelahantyThis op-ed was originally published on i-politics, March 5, 2015  Canadians are finally talking about violence against women. The Jian Ghomeshi scandal jolted us into a national conversation…

Executive Director Julie Delahanty's Statement on International Women's Day

Advocacy in Canada

Statement by Julie Delahanty, Executive Director, Oxfam CanadaInternational Women's Day 2015 As we mark International Women’s Day on March 8, there is much to be celebrated and a great deal…

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Women's rights in Canada and around the world

Advocacy in Canada

Women's rights in Canada and around the world "Left unchecked, extreme inequality will reverse progress in the fight against poverty and deepen gender discrimination," says Julie Delahanty, Oxfam Canada's Executive…

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Oxfam calls for post-Ebola Marshall Plan

A multi-million dollar post-Ebola “Marshall Plan” is needed to put the three West Africa countries hit by the crisis back on their feet. The world cannot dither on a recovery…

Yemen is on the brink of humanitarian disaster with millions of lives at risk

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

More than half of Yemen’s population needs aid and a humanitarian crisis of extreme proportions is at risk of unfolding in the country if instability continues, Oxfam warns today. Throughout…

Watch Julie Delahanty on CTV's Power Play

Advocacy in Canada

Watch Julie Delahanty on the challenges and solutions to extreme poverty and inequality

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Richest 1% will own more than the rest of the world by 2016

The explosion in inequality is holding back the fight against global poverty according to a new Oxfam report, Wealth: Having it all and wanting more, the combined wealth of the…

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Haiti Earthquake - 5 years on reconstruction and challenges remain

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Five years ago on 12 January, a powerful earthquake struck Haiti. Thanks to the incredible outpouring of support from the public and governments around the word, Oxfam helped more than…

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Growing Global Concern over Poverty and Homelessness

A GlobeScan poll, released today, shows increases in perceived seriousness of poverty and homelessness. The GlobeScan poll of 24,000 citizens across 24 countries, including Canada, shows the abiding strength of…

Arms Trade Treaty enters into force, Canada yet to sign

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Conflict and War

Arms Trade Treaty enters into force offering fresh hope for the protection of civilians in 2015 – Unfortunately, Canada has yet to sign. Campaigners hailed a “huge victory” as after…

Ten years On - The Indian Ocean Tsunami Response

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Ten years on, the Indian Ocean Tsunami response reveals how people in crises can be helped by timely funding, says Oxfam The unprecedented generosity to help people hit by the…

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Oxfam Canada statement on new Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada welcomes the passing of the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act. The Act requires oil, mining and gas companies to report annually on taxes, royalties and payment made to…

Oxfam Canada welcomes restored Cuba-US diplomatic relations

Oxfam Canada welcomes today’s announcement restoring diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States. The resilience of Cuba’s citizens and Cuba’s commitment to an economic path that prioritizes poverty reduction…

Rough seas ahead for climate talks

Rough seas ahead for climate talks, Paris deal still on the horizon Lima, Peru – Another year of increasingly extreme and destructive weather and new political momentum were not yet enough…

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South Sudan: Millions at risk from hunger as conflict threatens to escalate

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

South Sudan: Millions at risk from hunger as conflict threatens to escalate. A year after the fighting started in South Sudan the country remains in a severe food crisis with…

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Oxfam assesses immediate needs of tropical storm Hagupit

Natural Disasters

Oxfam rapid assessment teams have been deployed to survey the immediate needs of evacuees forced to flee tropical storm Hagupit, to ensure those who have lost their homes don’t lose…

Typhoon Hagupit - Oxfam ready with emergency assistance

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Typhoon Hagupit: Oxfam is ready with emergency assistance.  We have seen in this crisis that disaster preparednesss saves lives. Oxfam is on the ground. Its rapid assessment teams, comprised of…

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Syria refugee resettlement

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Humanitarian and human rights agencies urge governments to resettle 5% refugees from Syria by end 2015 Over 30 international organizations are calling on governments meeting in Geneva tomorrow to commit…

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Ebola: Mass quarantines in Sierra Leone causing unnecessary hardship

Sierra Leone: Mass quarantines causing unnecessary hardship and risk further spread of Ebola warns Oxfam Efforts to contain the spread of Ebola through poorly implemented mass quarantine of communities in…

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Climate finance action plan can set table for Paris deal

Climate finance action plan can set table for Paris deal, says Oxfam Lima, Peru – All countries must use the COP 20 Summit in Lima to resolve the impasse over…

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Pledges to Green Climate Fund reach bare minimum

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada welcomes the Government of Canada's announced contribution of $300 million to the Green Climate Fund. These funds are essential to help people who are poor and marginalized adapt…

Verdict on the G20 summit

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam verdict on the G20 summit The G20’s promise to pursue inclusive and sustainable growth is welcome, but its response to the Ebola crisis is dangerously inadequate. Inequality and inclusive…

G20 must turn the tide on rising inequality: Oxfam

Advocacy in Canada

G20 must turn the tide on rising inequality: Oxfam November 12, 2014—G20 leaders meeting in Brisbane, Australia this weekend (15 and 16 November) are being urged to tackle rising inequality…

Learning from Typhoon Haiyan

Natural Disasters

Learning from Typhoon Haiyan:Asian governments failing to respond to climate change – Oxfam November 7, 2014 – Many countries in Asia, including Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, should…

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Oxfam Unwrapped

Oxfam and Canadian Celebrities Unwrap Ways to Give Life Changing Gifts this Holiday Season Toronto — Oxfam Canada today announced a partnership with six Canadian celebrities to promote an exciting…

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Women ask Federal Leaders “Are you Up for Debate?”

Advocacy in Canada

Women ask Federal Leaders “Are you Up for Debate?”Organizations across Canada ask federal party leaders to commit to a debate on women in the upcoming election Ottawa — An alliance…

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Number of billionaires doubles since financial crisis as inequality spirals out of control

Number of billionaires doubles since financial crisis as inequality spirals out of control Rising inequality could set the fight against poverty back by decades(1), Oxfam warned today as it published…

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More military, more medics and more money needed to prevent definitive humanitarian disaster of our generation

In a battle against the clock, with less than two months left in the window to curb the spread of the virus ravaging Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, there is…

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More needs to be done to stop the spread of Ebola

For immediate release More needs to be done to stop the spread of Ebola Oxfam is warning that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa will not be contained unless more…

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Oxfam in BC commemorates World Food Day with a Pailwalker

DescriptionJoin the Oxfam BC team and commemorate World Food day with a Pailwalker. A Pailwalker is a walk in solidarity with the countless women and girls worldwide who walk a minimum of…

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Oxfam congratulates education champions Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai on Nobel Peace Prize

Advocacy in Canada

The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) co-founder Kailash Satyarthi and girls' education champion Malala Yousafzai have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. "Oxfam offers its heartfelt congratulations to Malala and…

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Oxfam Canada statement on the Iraq Crisis

Conflict and War

Background Since January, conflict and human rights abuses in Iraq have displaced around 1.8 million Iraqis, according to the UN.  With a major offensive launched by the group known as…

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Oxfam is tripling its aid in Ebola hit countries as the disease spirals out of control

International agency Oxfam is planning to triple its Ebola prevention programme in Sierra Leone  Oxfam will be significantly stepping up its water and sanitation supply to Ebola treatment centers and community…

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South Sudan: From Crisis to Catastrophe

Conflict and War

  OTTAWA/MISSISSAUGA, ON (October 6, 2014) – A group of leading aid agencies warned today that parts of South Sudan, which are already facing a severe food crisis, could fall…

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Arms Trade Treaty set to enter into force before end of year as number of ratifications tops 50

Conflict and War

Argentina, St Lucia, Portugal, Senegal, and Uruguay are amongst latest states to announce ratification – triggering 90-day countdown Fifty states are required to ratify the treaty before the 90-day countdown…

UN Climate Summit: Countries must do more to commit to Green Climate Fund

Today, more than 120 world leaders, corporate leaders and representatives from civil society met in New York for the UN Climate Summit. Created as a platform for international and national…

Green Climate Fund pledges

Humanitarian Coalition Launches Joint Appeal for Ebola Outbreak

(Ottawa) Today, the Humanitarian Coalition launches a national joint appeal to raise funds for public health and disease prevention efforts in West Africa. This latest outbreak of the Ebola virus…

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Climate-related disasters have cost half a trillion dollars since world leaders last met to discuss climate change

Ban Ki-moon Climate Summit at risk of failing to help stop climate change making people hungry (New York, Sept 19): The cost of weather-related disasters in the five years since…

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FAO Hunger Report 2014: Global hunger falls, 805 million people still hungry

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Hunger

“Oxfam welcomes any fall in the number of hungry people. This is proof that we can make great strides in eradicating global hunger. But in a world of plenty, 805…

Tax systems in Latin America and the Caribbean work for the benefit of the elites

While OECD countries reduce inequality by more than 35% through taxation and social spending, in Latin America and the Caribbean this reduction is less than 10%. The global development organization…

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World Bank Group’s billion dollar private sector health initiative in Africa is failing to reach the poor

A billion-dollar flagship scheme to support private sector-led health care in Africa is bypassing poor people and concentrating instead on high-end urban hospitals catering mainly for the rich. Oxfam says…

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International response to Syria failing on ‘every front’

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

The international response to Syria is failing on three fronts – insufficient aid, meagre resettlement offers and continued arms transfers – Oxfam warns in a report published today. Oxfam is…

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Large-scale partnerships with the private sector could undermine Africans’ land rights, drive inequality and damage the environment

(Addis Ababa) Government policies and almost US$6 billion in aid money to support large partnerships with the private sector are risking Africans’ land rights, worsening inequality and damaging the environment.…

Oxfam calls on Western governments to offer haven as number of registered Syrian refugees reaches 3 million

Western and other rich countries should step up their efforts to resettle Syrian refugees, Oxfam said today after the number registered with UNHCR reached three million.[1] Urgent action is necessary…

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Oxfam Reaction to Provincial Support of Payment Transparency for the Extractives Sector

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam welcomes the statement of support by Canada’s provincial energy and mines ministers for federal legislation to enhance the transparency of payments in the mining, oil and gas sectors. The…

Gaza humanitarian crisis will repeat unless restrictions are lifted

Israeli and Palestinian leaders must seize the opportunity of the new ceasefire to end the violence once and for all. Lasting peace for all civilians will only be possible if…

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World must suspend arms sales to protect civilians as Gaza violence escalates again

Conflict and War

After ceasefire talks collapsed and violence erupted yet again, Oxfam today called on all states to immediately suspend transfers of arms or ammunition to Israel and any Palestinian armed group…

Youth leaders from campuses across Canada in Ottawa for Oxfam Summit

Advocacy in Canada

Ottawa – Oxfam Canada’s National CHANGE Summit – an annual opportunity for youth leaders and campus members to come together – will be taking place in Ottawa from August 21-24.…

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Kellogg issues climate change wake-up call

Oxfam welcomes Kellogg’s climate action commitments following public pressure Kellogg today became the second global food giant to say it will take industry-leading steps to cut greenhouse gas emissions in…

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Oxfam gears up its aid effort to help people affected by fighting in Iraq

Conflict and War

Oxfam's Iraq Country Representative Wael Ibrahim said : "The situation is deteriorating day by day and our priority is to get to as many people as quickly as possible, families…

South Sudan sixty days promise set to be broken as peace talks falter again

Conflict and War

Sixty days ago, both parties to the conflict made a promise to their people that they would bring an end to the fighting and agreed to establish a transitional government…

Aid agencies condemn attacks on aid workers in South Sudan

Conflict and War

A group of seven major humanitarian aid organizations condemns the recent killings and attacks on South Sudanese aid workers in Maban County in the Upper Nile State of South Sudan.…

Oxfam welcomes General Mills’ commitments to act on climate change following tremendous public pressure

Advocacy in Canada

General Mills takes bold stand for climate action Oxfam welcomes General Mills’ commitments to act following tremendous public pressure Oxfam welcomed today’s commitment from General Mills to implement industry-leading measures…

Statement from Anthony Scoggins, Director of International Programs

Statement from Anthony Scoggins, Director of International Programs for Oxfam Canada:  Oxfam Canada is in the news today – on the radio, television and even trending on social media channels. This flurry…

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People in Gaza trapped with nowhere safe to escape. Oxfam delivers water to families sheltering from the violence

Water

People in Gaza trapped with nowhere safe to escape. Oxfam delivers water to families sheltering from the violence  Oxfam condemns violence against civilians by all sides, including Israeli military actions and…

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The new BRICS Bank should offer a new vision for development, not more of the same

Advocacy in Canada

Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – better known as the BRICS – have finalized their 6th summit in Fortaleza, Brazil, consolidating the creation of a new…

As another typhoon hits Philippines Oxfam warns there are not enough evacuation centres to keep people safe

Natural Disasters

Tacloban City, Leyte – International agency Oxfam said today as another typhoon hits the Philippines there are insufficient evacuation centres available to keep people safe. “This typhoon is powerful but…

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75 years is too long to wait for equal pay: Oxfam urges G20 to act on gender gap

Women’s Economic Justice

Women won’t be paid as much as men for another 75 years. That’s according to a report released by Oxfam today, which urges G20 leaders to tackle gender inequality when…

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Aid effort to avert South Sudan famine in jeopardy

  • Hunger
  • Water

“We will be staring into the abyss and fail to avert a famine if funds do not start arriving soon.” Cecilia Millan Oxfam’s Country Director in South Sudan Aid agencies…

South Sudan: Oxfam warns the humanitarian crisis is spiralling out of control as funds dry up

Conflict and War

On the 3rd anniversary of South Sudan’s independence, Oxfam has warned that appeals to fund the aid effort are failing as the country’s humanitarian crisis is spiralling out of control…

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Oxfam Reaction to IMF Report on Global Taxation

Advocacy in Canada

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) today publishes a major new report on global corporate taxation Spillovers in international corporate taxation. In it, the IMF lists all the ways that big…

Oxfam presents “Break Another Silence” - Voices and Victories from LGBTI2S Movements Worldwide

Advocacy in Canada

On June 24th in Toronto’s George Ignatieff Theater, leaders from four continents will join Oxfam for a powerful speakers panel, profiling victories in the fight for LGBTI and Two-Spirit (2S)…

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Oxfam applauds CEOs of eight of the big 10 food and beverage companies for bold call for climate action

Advocacy in Canada

Today, Oxfam praised the CEOs of eight of the ten biggest food and beverage companies in the world for joining together with the heads of some 400 major companies to…

Eliminating inequality and the threat of climate change key to new UN development goals

Overcoming inequality and slowing global warming are imperative for achieving a world free from poverty and suffering, says an Oxfam report released today. “Making it Happen: Oxfam’s proposals for the…

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African leaders demand immediate end to South Sudan violence

Conflict and War

In response to the Letter from African Leaders to Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, Oxfam International’s Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said: “This letter, signed by 14 eminent African leaders, 12…

Oxfam on G7 summit: Stronger steer needed on energy security, climate change and the global economy

Energy security, climate change and the global economy were among the main topics the G7 leaders addressed during the Brussels summit, but Oxfam says what’s needed is a stronger steer…

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Africa Rising: Time for a fair deal for Africa’s people

Maputo, Mozambique – Extreme inequality is a threat to democracy, warns Oxfam International's Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, at today’s closing session of the IMF – Mozambique government’s Africa Rising conference. Addressing global decision…

Oxfam Canada recipient of CCIC Innovation and Effectiveness Award

Advocacy in Canada

The following media release was issued by the Canadian Council for International Co-operation (CCIC). Oxfam Canada is a member of CCIC.  Canadian Council for International Co-operation recognizes innovative and effective…

South Sudan on cholera alert as donors meet to pledge funds

Water

As rains cut off humanitarian access and increase risk of the spread of disease, increased donor funding is critical to saving lives in South Sudan. The people of South Sudan,…

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Big ten food companies emitting as much as the “world’s 25th most polluting country”

Advocacy in Canada

Spotlight on Kellogg and General Mills; companies not doing enough to tackle climate change. The “Big 10” food and beverage companies are both highly vulnerable to climate change and major…

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Growing concerns over missing girls in Nigeria #BringBackOurGirls

Violence Against Women and Girls

Oxfam in Nigeria has been watching very closely the unfolding situation of the missing girls in Chibok community of Borno State. We are very disappointed that 30 days after their…

Six months after Typhoon Haiyan, Oxfam and local partners call for urgent action to secure food and income

Natural Disasters

Leyte, Philippines – Urgent government action is needed to secure food and income for thousands of farmers and fisher men and women affected by typhoon Haiyan, said Oxfam and local…

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Growth in Africa undermined by rapidly increasing inequality

Ahead of the World Economic Forum on Africa May 7-9, Oxfam International executive director Winnie Byanyima said “inequality will endanger progress in Africa. Africa's precious resources must benefit ordinary Africans.”…

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Oxfam Reaction: UNSG Ban Ki-Moon Arrives in South Sudan

Welcoming UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's visit to South Sudan, Oxfam's Country Director Cecilia Millan said:      "South Sudan is rapidly deteriorating into an acute humanitarian crisis.  The fighting has…

Rewriting global tax rules could increase developing countries’ corporate tax revenues by over 100%

OECD’s current tax action plan is flawed because it excludes poorest countries The G20’s plan to tackle corporate tax dodging, devised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD),…

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Philippines’ plan to relocate thousands of Haiyan survivors will fail unless government focuses on jobs too

Natural Disasters

Haiyan – known as Yolanda in the Philippines – was the strongest cyclone ever recorded at landfall. It killed 8,000 people and left four million people homeless. A new report…

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Strong new agricultural investment rules needed to protect small-holder farmers, says Oxfam

Advocacy in Canada

Big agricultural companies need a “gold standard” set of global rules to guide their investments after a new Oxfam report shows that even supposedly “responsible” deals can hurt poor local…

South Sudan warning: Respond to humanitarian crisis now or face a larger catastrophe later

Conflict and War

The safety of seven million people in South Sudan is rapidly deteriorating. Oxfam says the Government of South Sudan and parties to the conflict must immediately agree to a ceasefire.…

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First meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation: Southern Players step up, will Northern Donors follow?

The High Level Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation Meeting in Mexico to strengthen efforts to fight poverty has ended with renewed commitments to improve aid and cooperation—but it has also…

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Global Partnership meeting in Mexico on future of development: What will its legacy be?

As development leaders from around the world gather in Mexico City to participate in the first High Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation this week, Oxfam…

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Oxfam stands by Lesotho hospital figures

The World Bank’s private sector arm, the IFC, today challenged Oxfam’s figures that the new private hospital complex it supported in Lesotho had cost the country $67 million to run…

Challenge to World Bank and IMF to get serious about extreme inequality

Global wealth inequality threatens economic and social viability Following Oxfam’s January report revealing that just 85 people owned the same wealth as the bottom half of the world’s population, Forbes…

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Record global aid spending not reflected in Canada's contribution or in assistance for Africa

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam today celebrated news that donors had increased their development aid spending to $134.8 billion in 2013, which the OECD says stands at the highest-ever recorded level. However aid levels…

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Emissions must be cut if we are to tackle hunger

Hunger

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) today opens its meeting in Berlin to finalize its landmark report on cutting global emissions. This comes just a week after it met in…

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“Model hospital” for privatized African health care threatens to swamp country’s budget

A new privately-run hospital supported by the World Bank’s private sector arm, the IFC, is threatening to bankrupt the health budget of one of the poorest and least-healthy countries in…

Public services top up income of poorest people by 76%

Women’s Economic Justice

Health and education are powerful weapons in the fight against global inequality Countries can start tackling inequality today by triggering an “economic stimulus” directly into the pockets of those who…

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As South Sudan peace talks are suspended, the fate of this young country hangs in the balance

Conflict and War

In reaction to the suspension of South Sudan mediation talks in Addis Ababa, Oxfam’s Acting Country Director in South Sudan, David Crawford, said: “As the third round of negotiations on…

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IPCC final report concludes with heightened warning of severe climate impacts on food; Time for inaction is over

  • Hunger
  • Natural Disasters

The IPCC Working Group II report released Monday presents climate change not as a distant, future threat to food, but as a clear and present danger. In a world where…

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World “woefully unprepared” for climate impacts on food, warns Oxfam

Climate change could push back the fight against hunger by decades but our global food system is woefully unprepared to cope with the challenge, said Oxfam today.  The warning comes…

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More than 1 million languish in Darfur camps as new waves of violence force 100,000 more to flee

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

The escalating violence that has gripped Darfur in recent weeks has forced over 100,000 civilians to flee their homes and villages. Many of the Darfuris who have fled have no…

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PepsiCo declares “zero tolerance” for land grabs in supply chain

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam welcomes PepsiCo’s commitments to act following tremendous public pressure PepsiCo, the world’s second largest food and beverage company, today committed to take steps to stop land grabs from happening…

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As the anniversary of Syria crisis approaches, refugees surveyed say they fear they will not see Syria again

Refugees and Internal Displacement

More than 65 per cent of refugees surveyed by Oxfam fear they may not be able to go back to Syria despite desperately wanting to return. Oxfam researchers surveyed 151…

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Statement from Oxfam Canada's Executive Director on International Women's Day

Advocacy in Canada

Everyday, across the world, courageous and dedicated women are leading change: they produce food, make up a third of the official labour force and care for families and homes. While…

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International Women’s Day in National Capital Region showcased by Feminist Games

Ottawa – On March 8, 2014 a dynamic group of local, national and international organizations will host the Feminist Games – an International Women’s Day celebration in Ottawa at the…

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Oxfam reaction to Canadian Government announcement on mandatory payment reporting of Extractive Industries

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam reaction to Canadian Government announcement on mandatory payment reporting of Extractive Industries In response to the Hon. Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources’ announcement at the PDAC Convention 2014, regarding…

Public pressure pushes big food companies to improve their policies in developing countries

Advocacy in Canada

Campaign actions by hundreds of thousands of people in the past 12 months have swayed nine of the world’s ten biggest food and beverage companies to improve their social and…

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Oxfam raises new alarm over humanitarian access as it pulls team out of Malakal

Conflict and War

Juba – Today Oxfam withdraws four aid workers who have been trapped by fighting in Malakal while raising a further alarm over a lack of humanitarian access across the country.…

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Reforming international tax system must be priority of G20

The G20 must take necessary steps to reform the international taxation system to stop wealthy tax dodgers, beginning at its Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting this weekend (22-23…

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Traders flee as widespread violence pushes Central African Republic into major food crisis

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger

Violence in the Central African Republic has seen many large traders and herders targeted and chased from the country, raising fears of a market collapse  that would exacerbate the current…

Poorest left behind by Philippines Typhoon response

Natural Disasters

The huge humanitarian response in the aftermath of November’s super typhoon saved thousands of lives but three months on, the poorest coconut farmers, traders and fisherpeople are being left out…

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Oxfam accepts resignation of Scarlett Johansson

Oxfam has accepted Scarlett Johansson’s decision to step down after eight years as a Global Ambassador and we are grateful for her many contributions. While Oxfam respects the independence of…

Northern Mali on the brink of a new food crisis

Bamako, Mali: Ahead of the Sahel Appeal to be launched by the United Nations on the 3rd February 2014 in Rome, 11 humanitarian agencies warn that northern Mali is set…

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Communities in eastern Congo not any safer despite M23 defeat

Violence Against Women and Girls

A new Oxfam report, In the Balance, reveals that large swathes of the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu remain under the control of various armed groups, many that…

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NGOs welcome ceasefire agreement in South Sudan, reaffirm their commitment to help all populations in need of assistance

Conflict and War

“We call upon all parties to the conflict to allow unimpeded humanitarian access, and to ensure the safety and freedom of movement of our staff.” Caroline Boyd Medair’s Country Director…

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Oxfam Canada reacts to GoC pledge of additional humanitarian aid in Syrian conflict

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

In response to Prime Minister Harper's announcement of additional humanitarian support to the Syrian people during his visit to the Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan, Oxfam Canada's Executive Director Robert…

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Despite ceasefire, South Sudanese refugees and Ugandan host communities struggle with mounting risks

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

While yesterday’s ceasefire is a sign of political progress, efforts to support the more than 50,000 South Sudanese refugees in Uganda remain grossly under resourced, and host communities are being…

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Oxfam Reaction to Ceasefire in South Sudan

Conflict and War

Reacting to news of this afternoon's ceasefire agreement between The Government of South Sudan and Riek Machar's opposition forces, José Barahona, Oxfam's County Director for South Sudan, said: "The world's…

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Geneva II offers best chance for a political solution to Syria Crisis: Must start with commitment to halt violence and improve humanitarian situation

Refugees and Internal Displacement

"We need to see an immediate halt to the violence, which is tearing Syria apart, and concrete steps for improving the humanitarian situation." Shaheen Chughtai, Oxfam’s advisor on humanitarian and…

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Rigged rules mean economic growth increasingly “winner takes all” for rich elites all over world

Advocacy in Canada

Wealthy elites have co-opted political power to rig the rules of the economic game, undermining democracy and creating a world where the 85 richest people own the wealth of half…

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Storms wreak havoc in typhoon-hit Philippines

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Thousands of people have been evacuated from collapsed tents and fragile makeshift shelters or are living in flooded shelters in disaster hit areas of the Philippines after the six month…

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Safety nets unravelling and scores falling into debt to reach safety in South Sudan conflict

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Civilians fleeing from conflict in South Sudan are spiralling into debt and leaving behind important assets in their desperate search for safety. Aid agency Oxfam fears the loss of property…

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Good Enough to Eat? How Countries Line Up at the Global Food Table

Hunger

Oxfam has released Good Enough to Eat – a global food index that looks at whether people have enough to eat, food quality, affordability, and dietary health in 125 countries.…

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Aid to Syria: States must give generously at Kuwait Conference

Emergency Response

New analysis shows Middle East states, the UK, US and Canada exceeding their fair share in humanitarian aid but Russia and Japan are trailing behind. There is no room for…

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Owning the future: Haitians taking the lead in reconstruction

Emergency Response

Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  Four years have passed from the tragic earthquake that killed over 200.000 people and left Haiti in one of the worst crisis of recent times. Although much remains…

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Mediation talks critical to end escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan

  • Emergency Response
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Ottawa – Extreme violence and other human rights abuses in South Sudan must cease immediately as direct mediation talks between leaders of conflicting parties begin in Ethiopia, Oxfam has said.…

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Twenty-five organizations call on Canadian companies to sign Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh

Advocacy in Canada

Twenty-five human rights, faith, women’s, teacher, student, community, overseas development and trade union organizations have signed an Open Letter calling on Canadian retailers and brands to sign the Accord on…

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Oxfam says that more needs to be done to help prepare people for disasters, as it marks its 40th year of working in Pakistan

Emergency Response

Oxfam is calling for more investment to go into preparing people for floods and other disasters in Pakistan as it marks its 40th year of working in the country this…

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Snowstorm in Lebanon beginning of winter misery for thousands of Syrian refugees

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Oxfam appeal to help refugees more important than ever  The severe snowstorm this week in Lebanon is just the beginning of the winter misery for the hundreds of thousands of…

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Oxfam starts distributing 400 tons of rice seed to farmers in Philippines

Hunger

Oxfam will start distributing 400 tonnes of rice seeds in six rural municipalities south of Tacloban today to help farmers win their 'race against time' to avoid missing the next…

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Oxfam's response to the death of Nelson Mandela

Advocacy in Canada

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam International "My direct contact with President Nelson Mandela was in the context of helping Burundian women to participate in the Arusha peace process. Madiba…

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Canadian Unions Donate Generously to Typhoon Haiyan Relief

Emergency Response

Canada’s leading unions show solidarity with Filipino membership, give generously to typhoon relief Canada’s leading unions are giving generously to support the over 14 million people affected by Typhoon Haiyan…

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Humanitarian Coalition Invited to Receive Typhoon Haiyan Donations at DFATD Charity Gala

Emergency Response

(Ottawa) – The Humanitarian Coalition is pleased to announce that it will be represented at this year’s Art of Giving Gala hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and…

Massive public pressure needed for effective global climate deal

Natural Disasters

Only massive public pressure can rescue a climate deal, warned Oxfam today, as the Warsaw negotiations drew to a close after a fortnight of farce and fiasco. Winnie Byanyima, Executive…

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Debt levels spiraling out of control as refugees from Syria slip further into poverty

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Survey of refugees tells of children missing education and adults fearing they may never work again – or be able to pay back money they owe A new survey of…

syrian-refugees-lebanon-cold-winter.jpg

Time running out to help rice farmers in areas of the Philippines devastated by typhoon Haiyan

  • Emergency Response
  • Natural Disasters

Millions of people in the Philippines will go hungry in the coming months if rice farmers don’t receive urgent assistance after typhoon Haiyan wiped out a third of the countries…

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NGOs, social movements walk out of Warsaw climate talks

  • Natural Disasters
  • Water

“At the Warsaw Conference, rich country governments have come with nothing to offer.” Enough is enough. We have said we stand in solidarity with the millions impacted by Typhoon Haiyan,…

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Humanitarian Coalition Welcomes New Government of Canada Funding

Emergency Response

(Ottawa) – The Humanitarian Coalition and its member agencies are pleased to announce that, collectively, they have secured more than $5 million in Government of Canada funding for their relief…

Oxfam plans to reach 100,000 people in first phase of Philippines crisis

Emergency Response

International agency Oxfam plans to provide vital assistance in the next few weeks to some 20,000 families affected by Typhoon Haiyan. The aid agency is working very closely with a…

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Oxfam racing against time to save lives in communities devastated by Typhoon Haiyan

Emergency Response

Oxfam teams expert in water and sanitation have been deployed to the worst affected of the Philippines to provide immediate relief to 20,000 people in need. The aid organization is…

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Oxfam aid team witnesses scene of utter destruction in northern most tip of Cebu, Philippines

Emergency Response

An Oxfam team assessing the typhoon damage in the northern-most tip of Cebu mainland, Philippines, said today that nearly all the houses and buildings were damaged, power lines are down…

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Oxfam dispatches aid experts to super typhoon Haiyan-hit parts of the Philippines

Natural Disasters

Oxfam has dispatched a team of experts on the ground to assess the water, public health and sanitation conditions in Bohol today and another batch of teams will go to…

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The Coca-Cola Company declares “zero tolerance” for land grabs in supply chain

Advocacy in Canada

The Coca-Cola Company today committed to take steps to stop land grabs from happening in its supply chain after more than 225,000 people signed petitions and took action as part…

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Brazilian State Prosecutor to investigate land grab highlighted by Oxfam

Advocacy in Canada

Following the release of Oxfam’s report, Nothing sweet about it, describing the growing threat of land grabs in the sugar industry, Silvia Regina, the Brazilian State prosecutor overseeing the State…

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Moves to tackle Africa’s ‘resource curse’ reach turning point

  • Conflict and War
  • Natural Disasters

Sweeping measures to improve transparency and governance are urgently needed to end a scandal that has seen Africa lose an average of $1 billion every week for the past 30…

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Oxfam dispatches aid experts, works with local partners in earthquake hit parts of the Philippines

Emergency Response

Oxfam has dispatched a team of six experts on the ground to assess the water and sanitation conditions in Bohol, after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Philippines on October…

Poor Communities Being Kicked off Land so Big Brands can Feed World’s Increasing Appetite for Sugar

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response
  • Hunger

The biggest names in the food and drink industry are not doing enough to stop land grabs and conflicts in their supply chains, says Oxfam in a new report today.…

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United States Signs Historic Arms Trade Treaty – Canada Yet to Sign On

Advocacy in Canada

Ottawa – The Canadian members of the Control Arms Coalition today welcomed the United States decision to sign the Arms Trade Treaty, a global effort to reduce loss of life…

Top donor countries failing ordinary Syrians affected by the conflict with Syria appeals falling short by US$2.7bn

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response

(Beirut) Research carried out by international aid agency Oxfam reveals that many donor countries are failing to provide their share of the urgently-needed funding for the humanitarian response to the…

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Oxfam loads first batch of aid bound for Syria

  • Conflict and War
  • Emergency Response

International agency Oxfam has loaded 20 tonnes worth of water tanks and sanitation equipment bound for Syria from its Emergency warehouse in England. The equipment will be used to provide…

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Oxfam Verdict on the G20 summit

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

ON TAX G20 leaders have committed to a global deal to share tax information automatically, and set a deadline for G20 countries to implement this by the end of 2015.…

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Breakthrough at St. Petersburg summit needed to give hope of a better future for millions of Syrians

  • Emergency Response
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

World leaders attending the G20 summit must seize this opportunity and make real progress on helping find a political solution to the Syria crisis, according to international aid agency Oxfam.…

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Women Bear Brunt of Refugee Crisis says new report

Refugees and Internal Displacement

A new study published today by the international aid agency, Oxfam and the Beirut-based ABAAD-Resource Centre for Gender Equality finds that women are bearing the brunt of the refugee crisis…

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Two million Syrians are now Refugees

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Oxfam’s Syria Response Campaign Manager, Claire Seaward, based in Jordan, said, “We are appalled that this landmark has been reached today. “Enough is enough. A generation of Syrians is paying…

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Actor Gael García Bernal meets Syrian refugees in Jordan

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Star calls on international community to find an urgent solution to the crisis Oxfam Global Ambassador and Hollywood actor Gael García Bernal has taken time out from filming on location…

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Syrian refugee crisis stretching aid effort to limits

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Many Syrian refugees living outside camps across countries in the region are losing out on the help they desperately need, according to five international aid agencies today. CARE International, Oxfam,…

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Voices-Voix: Letter to Prime Minister Harper

Advocacy in Canada

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper Prime Minister of Canada Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 By fax: 613-941-6900   July 24, 2013   Dear…

Oxfam Canada to G20 Finance Ministers: Include Developing Countries in Tax Avoidance Plan

Advocacy in Canada

Statement by Robert Fox “Action to fix outdated and unfair international tax rules is welcome and long overdue,” says Oxfam Canada’s Robert Fox. “But these rules affect everyone, and it is…

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Oxfam Welcomes new Minister of International Development: Calls for continued work on Women and Girls’ Rights

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada, today, welcomes Christian Paradis as the new Minister of International Development. “We look forward to working with Minister Paradis”, says Robert Fox, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. “With…

Oxfam reaction: EU vote not enough to stop biofuel policy fuelling hunger

Hunger

The stance taken by Members of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee on the reform of EU legislation on biofuels is disappointing, Oxfam said today. The Parliament’s plenary vote is scheduled…

Number of Syrian refugees set to pass two million within weeks, warn aid agencies

Refugees and Internal Displacement

The number of Syrian refugees will pass the two million mark within the next nine weeks*, a coalition of 18 aid agencies working in six countries directly affected by the…

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Oxfam reaction to the G8 Communique

  • Conflict and War
  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Women’s Economic Justice

In response to the G8 Communique, Oxfam’s Executive Director Jim Clarken said:“The G8 has asked all the right questions but has been thin on answers. The writing is on the…

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Syria: Presidents Obama and Putin must deliver on Syria at the G8

Refugees and Internal Displacement

US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin must throw all their political weight into making the Geneva peace conference on Syria a success when they meet at the…

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G8 implicated in land grabs risk: Action needed at next week's summit

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Emergency Response

Since 2000, companies in G8 countries have acquired land in developing countries more than the size of the whole of Ireland. This is enough to feed 96 million people every…

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Oxfam welcomes Canada’s disclosure requirements on mining, oil and gas companies

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement today that Canada will require mandatory disclosure of payments to governments by mining, oil and gas companies. Such transparency is essential if citizens in…

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Oxfam urges Canada to sign the historic Arms Trade Treaty as soon as possible

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam urges the Canadian government to sign the Arms Trade Treaty without delay to help save lives. Canada voted for the treaty in April but was not among the more…

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A historical step forward for millions living in fear of armed violence

Conflict and War

Governments sign first ever global Arms Trade Treaty History will be made today at the United Nations as more than a third of its member states sign a treaty designed…

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Global leaders shirk responsibility to tackle global inequality crisis

  • Hunger
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

Oxfam response to UN post-2015 development goals report Oxfam today welcomed the ambition, coherence and focus of a UN High Level Panel report on post-2015 global development goals. The focus…

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Oxfam reaction to EU failure to extend arms embargo on Syria beyond August

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

European Union Foreign Ministers failed last night to extend the EU arms embargo on Syria as it stands. They decided, however, not to lift it before August 1st and set…

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EU foreign ministers must bite the bullet and extend the arms embargo on Syria, says Oxfam

  • Conflict and War
  • Refugees and Internal Displacement

Transfer of weapons to Syria likely to spell further disaster for civilians caught in the crossfire, and fuel deadly arms race European Union Foreign Ministers meeting on Monday, May 27,…

lebanon-syrian-refugees_2.jpg

Risky jobs and domestic violence - new report reveals 'hidden' social costs of today's high food prices

  • Hunger
  • Violence Against Women and Girls

A new era of high and volatile food prices is causing life-changing shifts in society, according to Oxfam and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in a joint report published…

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Syria crisis: Oxfam warns of health risks as summer approaches

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Funding urgently needed to provide assistance to over 1.4m Syrian Refugees With temperatures set to soar up to 40˚C in the coming weeks, international agency Oxfam has warned that the…

lebanon-trash-piles-up-in-abandoned-shopping-centre_0_1.jpg

Oxfam Welcomes Loblaw-Joe Fresh signing Bangladesh accord, urges others to join

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada welcomes the decision by Loblaw Companies, owner of the Joe Fresh brand, and 30 other garment manufacturers and retailers to sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety…

The Humanitarian Coalition Launches Joint Appeal for Syrian Refugees

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Today, the Humanitarian Coalition and its member agencies are launching a national joint appeal to raise funds to assist the 6.8 million Syrian civilians affected by the ongoing conflict in…

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New coalition formed to address low wages in the tea industry

A new coalition of tea companies, non-governmental organisations and certification organisations said today that systemic problems are locking-in low wages for tea workers.   The coalition is committed to working…

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Oxfam calls for improved humanitarian access to Syria as needs escalate

Refugee numbers in neighbouring countries steadily climb The world risks failing the people of Syria as the scale of suffering increases and the humanitarian fallout from the crisis worsen by…

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Oxfam reaction to the Savar building collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Women’s Economic Justice

Oxfam country director in Bangladesh, Gareth Price-Jones said: “The Savar tragedy is a reminder of the hidden cost of cheap clothes. Controversy surrounding the garment industry is well-documented and in…

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Mondelēz International agrees to address women’s inequality in chocolate production

  • Women's Transformative Leadership
  • Women’s Economic Justice

The biggest chocolate maker in the world, Mondelēz International, has agreed to take steps to address inequality facing women in their cocoa supply chains following pressure from consumers as part…

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Coldplay and Oxfam Launch Crowdsourced Video to Demand an End to Landgrabs

Conflict and War

The injustice of land grabs is highlighted in a pioneering new crowdsourced film featuring thousands of Coldplay fans, Oxfam activists and others, including rock band Wolf Gang and actor Dominic…

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In the wake of 2012 food crisis, Oxfam calls for radical shift in efforts to tackle hunger in the Sahel

Hunger

The aid community needs to fundamentally change the way it deals with food crises in the Sahel region and help communities to better prepare for recurring emergencies, Oxfam says in…

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Syrian refugee crisis appeal

Refugees and Internal Displacement

syria-appeal-2_0_1.jpg

Oxfam calls on Canada to sign and ratify the landmark Arms Trade Treaty

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Conflict and War

Following an overwhelming vote at the United Nations, Oxfam called on the Canadian government Tuesday to quickly sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty in Parliament. The landmark vote today…

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Landmark generic medicines victory

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam hails ruling for putting human rights before excessive profits. The Indian Supreme Court's ruling against a patent protection petition filed by multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis is a huge victory…

Arms Trade Treaty within sight though Iran, Syria and North Korea block consensus

Call on Canada to vote for treaty at General Assembly and sign on without delay Campaigners expressed their ‘immense frustration’ with the consensus process after Syria, the Islamic Republic of…

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Oxfam food company campaign delivers win for women cocoa farmers

After more than 60,000 people signed petitions and took action to urge chocolate companies to do the right thing for women cocoa farmers, Mars and Nestlé have today made commitments…

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Final text of Arms Trade Treaty needs radical changes

If the Arms Trade Treaty is to save lives, the draft text must be radically changed, Oxfam and other campaigners said Monday. The text going into the final week of…

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CIDA, Foreign Affairs merger and budget cuts jeopardize poverty reduction goal of aid

Canada's contribution to reducing poverty in developing countries will be undermined by the proposed merger of the Canadian International Development Agency and Foreign Affairs department, Oxfam Canada said Thursday. Reacting…

Syrian Refugee Crisis

Refugees and Internal Displacement

In just six months, the number of Syrian refugees registered or awaiting registration with the United Nations refugee agency has increased from 120,000 to one million. Jordan and Lebanon have…

syria-refugees_1.jpg

Oxfam Canada Aid to Mozambique

Emergency Response

Oxfam Canada is contributing $45,000 in emergency donations for relief in the region of Mozambique most severely damaged by recent floods. Thanks to members of the United Steelworkers in Canada…

mozambique-floods-quelimane_1.jpg

Urgent call for tighter rules on arms trade in final treaty

Conflict and War

Oxfam report cites loopholes which must be closed to save lives Oxfam Canada urges the Canadian government to ensure the global Arms Trade Treaty is a robust agreement that covers…

arms-trade-treaty-between-mazar-i-sharif-and-kabul_1.jpg

Time for an action plan to end violence against women

Violence Against Women and Girls

by Michèle Taïna Audette and Robert Fox Many women around the world live in daily fear of violence. In South Africa, every six hours a woman is killed by her…

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Mars, Mondelez, Nestlé are leaving women farmers behind

Women’s Economic Justice

On International Women’s Day Oxfam urges chocolate companies to address gender inequality in their supply chains. An investigation into four countries where Mars, Mondelez and Nestlé purchase cocoa has shown…

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Key UN women’s conference must act to end violence against women

Violence Against Women and Girls

Delegates from over 190 governments meeting at the UN-led Commission on the Status of Women this week in New York have the chance to take a critical step against the…

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Syria crisis spiraling out of control: flood of refugees overwhelming aid effort

Refugees and Internal Displacement

Aid money pledged must be quickly released to address urgent needs, says Oxfam Syria’s humanitarian crisis is spinning out of control, leaving relief agencies overstretched and struggling to cope with…

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Yes, the G8 still matters

Advocacy in Canada

Yes, the G8 still mattersThis year the G8 can begin the end of world hunger by Ben PhillipsOxfam Campaigns Director In the nineteenth century, many families fled to Canada from…

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Ten biggest food and beverage companies failing millions of people who grow their ingredients

  • Advocacy in Canada
  • Hunger

The social and environmental policies of the world’s ten biggest food and beverage giants are not fit for modern purpose and need a major shake-up, says international agency Oxfam.  …

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Land investors targeting poorly governed countries to avoid red tape, warns Oxfam

Advocacy in Canada

Investors are targeting the world's weakest-governed countries to buy land, according to new analysis published on Oxfam's international day of action against land grabs Thursday. Oxfam's GROW campaign is calling…

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Oxfam Expresses Support for Idle No More

Advocacy in Canada

Oxfam Canada stands in solidarity with Idle No More, and with all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples working peacefully to implement treaty and other indigenous rights. Oxfam welcomes the…

Situation for Malian refugees set to worsen as fighting escalates

Refugees and Internal Displacement

The aid effort to help over 147,000 Malian refugees could be overwhelmed as conflict escalates, unless there is a significant shift in the way aid operations are carried out, international…

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Oxfam calls for civilian protection and humanitarian access as Mali conflict escalates

Conflict and War

International aid agency Oxfam is extremely concerned that the recent intensification of fighting in Mali, which includes the intervention of French military, could worsen restrictions on humanitarian access and lead…

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Winnie Byanyima appointed to lead Oxfam International

Winifred (Winnie) Byanyima, a grass-roots activist, human rights advocate, senior international public servant, and world recognized expert on women's rights, has been appointed Executive Director of Oxfam International – a…

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Fragile progress in Haiti three years on, but more needs to be done

Natural Disasters

Three years after the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010, hundreds of thousands of people are still living under tents and tarpaulins and the country and its people…

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Campaigning for Positive Changes for Indian Women in 2013

Women's Transformative Leadership

Campaigning for Positive Changes for Indian Women in 2013 Oxfam India strongly condemns the brutal sexual assault and subsequent death of a young woman in Delhi and calls for an…

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