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 Canada thanks Canadians for donating over one million dollars to the organization in the “Stop Famine Together” campaign.
“Thanks to the generosity of the Canadian individuals, organizations and unions who opened their hearts and wallets to help millions facing severe hunger, malnutrition and insecurity, we are able to truly make a difference in people’s lives,” said Julie Delahanty, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada.
Oxfam worked hard with the Humanitarian Coalition and its member organizations to build the momentum to raise the needed funds for the crisis. We are particularly grateful for the leadership of the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, for launching the Famine Relief Fund, and for working with the office of the Prime Minister to encourage Canadians to give generously for this crisis.
The promise of matching donations has been and will continue to be instrumental in allowing organizations to scale up their humanitarian response in some of the worst affected areas. Millions are still in urgent need of food, agriculture and nutrition support, as well as protection services and safe access to water and sanitation. Women and girls continue to face alarmingly high levels of sexual violence and have particular needs that we hope the funds will go to support.
“In addressing the crisis, it is important for the government to consider its feminist promise and promote programming that can best support the particular needs of women and girls…gender-based violence prevention and protection is just as life saving as water and food,”
Julie Delahanty, Executive Director, Oxfam Canada
“In addressing the crisis, it is important for the government to consider its feminist promise and promote programming that can best support the particular needs of women and girls. Whether that is through ensuring an adequate gender analysis of existing programming; promoting specific programming to address urgent needs such as gender-based violence prevention and mitigation, sexual and reproductive health services and menstrual hygiene; or supporting women’s rights organizations to build their capacity, there is much more that we can do to support women and girls and risk. In crisis situations, gender-based violence prevention and protection is just as lifesaving as water and food,” Delahanty said.
Oxfam is already on the ground providing relief, and additional support through the Famine Relief Fund will allow us to reach even more people who are at risk. In Ethiopia we are supporting more than 600,000 people with clean water, cash transfers, protection, livestock treatment and hygiene promotion. In South Sudan, we are providing regular emergency food to 415,000 people and racing to get emergency food, water and hygiene items to another 150,000 forced to flee their homes, in the hopes of keeping diseases like cholera at bay.
Our programs also work to provide greater normalcy in times of crisis, recognizing the need to empower and protect women in particular. We provide them with access to the resources they need to survive and support themselves, their families and their communities.
“Canadians have demonstrated they do care, and are willing to do what it takes to help. But the situation remains dire, and we must keep up the momentum to ensure our crucial work can continue to save lives,” Delahanty said.