Ottawa – People in northern Gaza have been forced to survive on an average of 245 calories a day – less than a can of fava beans – since January, as Israeli forces continue their military onslaught. Over 300,000 people are believed to still be trapped there, unable to leave.

The miniscule amount of food represents less than 12 per cent of the recommended daily 2,100 calorie intake needed per person, calculated using demographic data considering variations by age and gender. Last week, the Israeli government told UNRWA, by far the largest aid provider in Gaza, that its convoys would no longer be allowed into the north.

Oxfam’s analysis is based on the latest available data used in the recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis for the Gaza Strip. Oxfam also found that the total food deliveries allowed into Gaza for the entire 2.2 million population – since last October – amounted to an average of just 41 per cent of the daily calories needed per person.

The Israeli government has known for nearly two decades exactly how many daily calories are needed to prevent malnutrition in Gaza, calculating this according to both age and gender within its Food Consumption in the Gaza Strip – Red Line document. Not only did it use a higher calculation of 2,279 calories per person, it also took into account domestic food production in Gaza, which the Israeli military has now virtually obliterated.

A mother trapped in northern Gaza said: “Before the war, we were in good health and had strong bodies. Now, looking at my children and myself, we have lost so much weight since we do not eat any proper food, we are trying to eat whatever we find – edible wild plants or herbs daily just to survive.”

Oxfam also found that less than half the number of food trucks needed to reach the daily 2,100 calories intake for everyone are currently entering Gaza. Using IPC and UNRWA data, Oxfam’s analysis found that an absolute minimum of 221 trucks of food alone are needed every day, not accounting for wastage or unequal distribution. Currently just 105 trucks of food are entering Gaza daily on average.

The IPC report found that famine is imminent in northern Gaza and that almost all the population is now experiencing extreme hunger; with 1.1 million people experiencing catastrophic food insecurity. Horrifyingly, children are already dying from starvation and malnutrition, often worsened by disease.

Hunger and its impacts are exacerbated by the near-complete destruction of civilian infrastructure including hospitals, water and sanitation services and community health support by Israel, leaving people even more vulnerable to disease. In addition to the limited availability of food, the ability to find or buy a nutritious, varied diet is not feasible across Gaza.  For the little fruit and vegetables still available, extreme price rises due to scarcity have put them out of reach for most people. Specialised nutrition products and centres to treat malnourished children are also difficult or impossible to find.

Lauren Ravon, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director said: “Israel is making deliberate choices to starve civilians. Imagine what it is like, not only to be trying to survive on 245 calories day in, day out, but also having to watch your children or elderly relatives do the same. All whilst displaced, with little to no access to clean water or a toilet, knowing most medical support has gone and under the constant threat of drones and bombs.

“Israel is ignoring both the International Court of Justice order to prevent genocide and UN Security Council resolutions. Only last week the ICJ ordered new provisional measures, stating famine is no longer looming, but ‘setting in’ in Gaza. We need Canada to step up its pressure by immediately suspending all arms export permits, including those already approved, to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire; only then can we stop this horrifying carnage for the 2.2 million people who have endured six months of suffering. Israel cannot weaponize starvation any longer.”

Oxfam is calling for a permanent ceasefire, the return of all hostages and the release of unlawfully detained Palestinian prisoners, for countries to immediately stop supplying arms to Israel and for full humanitarian aid access. The global response for Gaza must include both adequate and nutritious food for everyone, the full restoration of hospitals and health services, water, and sanitation infrastructure and for all reconstruction materials to be allowed across the border.

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For media inquiries,
Vita Sgardello
Manager, Communications
vita.sgardello@oxfam.org
613-799-0234

Notes to editor

• Oxfam’s calculations are available upon request
• 2,100 kilocalories per person is the averaged daily energy requirement used in the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report (18 March). It was calculated using demographic data considering variations by age and gender. The population of Gaza stated is 2.23 million people.
• The average daily calories per person in northern Gaza was calculated using IPC data from 7 January to 20 February inclusive. The average daily calories per person for the entire population of Gaza, is from IPC data between 26 October to 20 February inclusive. IPC used an in-depth analysis of all food truck manifests allowed into Gaza from 26 October to 20 February, to generate approximate kilocalorie values per truck and per unit of analysis then distributed per area.
• Oxfam calculated the average kilocalories per food truck using the IPC data of all food truck manifests allowed into Gaza from 26 October to 20 February.
• UNRWA data shows that 3,781 food trucks were allowed to enter Gaza from 21 February to 27 March inclusive – an average of 105 food trucks per day. This excludes the 301 mixed items trucks over this period – 8 trucks a day – which may have included food as part of the consignment. Based on the 2,100 kilocalories per person daily energy requirement, across the 2.2 million population, Oxfam calculated that 221 food trucks per day minimum are needed each day.
• The Israeli government was forced to release Food Consumption in the Gaza Strip – Red Lines in October 2012, following a long legal battle by Israeli human rights organisation Gisha. The document included information about the policy of restricting the entrance of food to the Gaza Strip, which was in effect between 2007 and 2010, calculating the exact number of calories and the weight of various basic food items Gaza residents require, according to age and gender, to avoid malnutrition.
• A 400g can of fava beans contains between 250 and 340 calories.
• The UN and other agencies have reported children are dying of starvation in Gaza.

Last week, the Government of Israel made clear its intention to expand military operations in Rafah irrespective of the UN Security Council’s legally binding resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire. In the last week, we have seen this scenario beginning to unfold before our eyes, with Israeli bombardment killing at least 31 people including 14 children in Rafah on 26 and 27 March alone. Humanitarian and human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that the planned Israeli ground incursion into Rafah promises to decimate life and life-saving assistance for the more than 1.3 million civilians, including at least 610,000 children, who are now in the direct line of fire.

There is no feasible evacuation plan or conditions that would protect civilians if a ground incursion moves forward. To abide by the absolute prohibition of forcible transfer and deportation of civilians under international humanitarian law, Israel is obliged to take “all possible measures” to provide evacuated civilians with essential necessities for survival and guarantees of a safe and dignified return once hostilities end. Such measures include ensuring adequate safety and protection, shelter, water, sanitation, healthcare, and nutrition. As of today, no such place inside or outside of Gaza exists. Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip and six months of hostilities has damaged or destroyed more than 60 percent of housing units and annihilated most of the infrastructure in northern and central Gaza.

There is nowhere safe for people to go in Gaza. Israeli forces have repeatedly attacked areas they previously prescribed as “safe.” Israeli airstrikes in and around the so-called safe zone of Al-Mawasi have killed at least 28 people, with Israeli ground forces previously entering and occupying its northern portion. Across Gaza, even when humanitarian organizations provide locations of aid operations and staff members to Israeli forces, these areas have continued to come under attack. Aid workers have been killed, aid convoys have come under Israeli fire, and shelters and hospitals supported by the humanitarian community are being damaged or destroyed under Israeli bombardment. New Israeli government proposals to force civilians into so-called “humanitarian islands” would likely provide another false pretence of safety and instead squeeze civilians into small, contained and under-resourced areas where they risk coming under attack, whether they are in or outside these “islands.”

There is nowhere in Gaza with access to sufficient assistance and services to ensure the population’s survival. In Rafah itself, essential services and infrastructure are only partially functioning, including overwhelmed hospitals, bakeries, and water and sanitation facilities. The centre and north of Gaza are decimated, with entire systems, infrastructure and neighbourhoods wiped off the map and continued restrictions on access for humanitarian agencies and assistance. Further escalation of Israeli military operations in Rafah would also pose catastrophic consequences for an already hamstrung humanitarian response across Gaza, with most aid coordination and infrastructure set up since October 2023 based in Rafah.

All states have the obligation to protect populations from atrocity crimes. Children and families in Rafah have been living in a constant state of fear and danger. The Government of Israel has announced its intention to expand military operations there and this risk has escalated further since March 31, when Israel’s war cabinet approved plans for land operations in the southernmost governorate. While some states have publicly expressed disapproval, international diplomatic pressure and statements have so far been insufficient to yield results and avert the planned incursion. Yet there is a suite of protective measures available to states, which are obliged to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian and human rights law, as demonstrated previously in other civilian protection crises.

States must now take urgent action to ensure the immediate implementation of a permanent ceasefire and explore all available options to protect civilians, in line with their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. This includes immediately halting the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition where there is a risk they are used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law. Anything less is not simply a failure. Anything less fails to fulfil moral, humanitarian, and legal imperatives.

Signed Off

1. Save the Children
2. International Federation for Human Rights
3. Amnesty International
4. Doctors of the World/Médecins du Monde France, Spain and Switzerland.
5. ActionAid International
6. Oxfam International
7. Norwegian Refugee Council
8. Plan International
9. Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion
10. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
11. International Rescue Committee (IRC)
12. Danish Refugee Council
13. DanChurch Aid

Today marks nine years since the escalation of the conflict. A temporary UN-brokered truce expired in 2022, and whilst it has largely held, recent Houthi military activity in the Red Sea and US and UK-led air strikes against the north of the country are damaging the prospects of a lasting peace and risk further instability in the region.

The human cost of war

The war in Yemen has devastated the country. Over 19,000 people have been killed and millions more forced to flee their homes. More than 18 million people – over 50 per cent of the population – need humanitarian assistance. Yemen remains one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions on the brink of famine. Almost half of children under five in Yemen (over 2.5 million) suffer from chronic malnutrition, 21 per cent of whom suffer severe stunting. Due to a sharp decline in funding, The World Food Programme (WFP) has had to suspend food assistance for 9.5 million people since November 2023 and malnutrition services for 2.4 million people since January this year. Without new funding, Yemen could witness further devastating rates of food insecurity and malnutrition.

The healthcare system is on the verge of collapse. Hospitals lack essential supplies, and many healthcare workers have gone without salaries for years. Outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, and other diseases pose a constant threat, particularly to those living in rural areas.

Economic crisis

Yemen’s economy is in tatters. Rounds of currency depreciation and increases in the cost of fuel and other key commodities, have pushed millions into poverty. And the war – alongside the ravages of climate change – has severely crippled agricultural production. There are now fears the food security situation is likely to worsen further from June, the peak of the lean season.

Recent tit-for-tat measures imposed by all parties have already begun to affect money transfers between the north and south, upon which many Yemenis are reliant for survival.

Prospects for peace

The recent militarization of the Red Sea now signifies a worrying escalation in the conflict. There have been reports of casualties and thousands of livelihoods in Hudaydah governorate have already been affected due to the disruption of the fishing industry. Vital shipping lanes could also be impacted, hampering imports into Yemen, and further destabilizing the region.

Proscribing or designating the Houthis – a key party to the conflict, which controls territory where most of the Yemeni population live – will only make it harder to secure a sustainable and inclusive peace. Further extreme sanctions could endanger both imports of food and essential commodities which Yemen is nearly fully reliant on, and the operation of humanitarian agencies like Oxfam.

Ferran Puig, Oxfam Country Director in Yemen, said “The recent escalation of violence in Yemen should shame all parties and the international community at large.

“The last thing Yemen needs is further conflict. Nine years of war has cost the people of Yemen their lives and livelihoods. It is past time to bring an end to this war. All parties and the international community need to work much harder to bring about a lasting, inclusive peace.”

Increased humanitarian aid is crucial to prevent widespread famine and disease outbreaks. Doubling diplomacy to achieve comprehensive peace, ensuring adequate funding and allowing unimpeded humanitarian access are essential steps.

More broadly, a permanent ceasefire in Gaza is urgently needed – not only to save lives and prevent further suffering among Gazans – but also to reduce the chance of further escalation in Yemen and across the region.

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Media Contact

Vita Sgardello | vita.sgardello@oxfam.org | 613-799-0234

“We welcome the Security Council’s adoption of a ceasefire resolution so Palestinians in Gaza can have much-needed respite from the relentless and devastating Israeli violence and critical aid can reach them.  However, this resolution, while a step in the right direction, falls short of the permanent ceasefire which is truly required and comes too late for the over 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza that have been killed, and thousands more unaccounted for, while the Security Council wrung its hands over semantics.

“For nearly six months, the rest of the international community has repeatedly called for a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the provision of unrestricted aid into Gaza. It is long overdue for UN Security Council Member States to finally heed these calls with the moral leadership that is rightfully expected of them and to stop the killing and suffering in Gaza.

Now this resolution has passed, it is imperative for Member States to fulfil their obligations to ensure that it is implemented so that Palestinians never endure violence such as this again. This includes immediately halting the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to Israel and Palestinian armed groups

“A mere two-week pause is not enough. This initial cessation in violence must lead to a permanent ceasefire that lasts and a sustainable peace for Palestinians and Israelis alike, so people in Gaza can mourn their loved ones and begin the long road of recovery and reconstruction. “

“This new report shows that the catastrophic levels of hunger and starvation in Gaza are the highest ever recorded on the IPC scale, both in terms of number of people and percentage of the population. Never before have we seen such rapid deterioration into widespread starvation.

“Northern Gaza is days away from famine, and the rest of Gaza faces a similar fate. Children are already dying of malnutrition and starvation under the gaze of the international community. Since December, the number of people  in Gaza who have plunged into catastrophic levels of hunger, has nearly doubled.

“Oxfam’s report today shows how Israel is causing these horrifying figures, by deliberately blocking food and aid from going into Gaza. It has been using starvation as a weapon of war for over five months now. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has actually worsened since the International Court of Justice (ICJ) specifically ordered Israel to enable more aid.  Israel’s deliberate manufacturing of suffering is systemic and of such scale and intensity that it creates a real risk of a genocide in Gaza.

“We cannot wait for a declaration of famine to stop these appalling atrocities and massively scale up humanitarian operations.

“Israel cannot starve and bomb Gaza into a solution. Only an immediate permanent ceasefire and a political solution, including ending the occupation and release of all hostages and illegally held prisoners, can bring a lasting peace with justice for both Palestinians and Israelis alike”.

Notes to editors

• Latest IPC findings show that Famine is projected to occur anytime between now and May 2024 in the northern governorates of Gaza and North Gaza. Read the Famine Review Committee report HERE; and the full IPC’s Gaza Report
• Read Oxfam’s report “Inflicting Unprecedented Suffering and Destruction”, Oxfam brief, 18 March 2024.
• The number of people in Gaza who were in IPC5 (Catastrophe) was 530,000, and according to the projection period (which starts mid-March), the number rose to 1.1 million, which is a 92% rise. Source: IPC Report, 18 March 2024
• The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is an innovative multi-partner initiative of 19 organisations, including Oxfam, and intergovernmental institutions. The IPC initiative provides food security and nutrition analysis to inform decision-making.
• According to the IPC classification, the entire population of Gaza is currently facing high levels of acute food insecurity – or IPC 3 (Crisis) and above. This includes half of the population (about 1.11 million) experiencing catastrophic food insecurity (IPC Phase 5, Catastrophe). This is the highest ever recorded number of people in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe), both in terms of percent of the population and total number of people.
• The IPC analysis was done between 26 February and 1 March, 2024. The figures are likely an underestimate of the situation now.

Contact information

Vita Sgardello | +1 613-799-0234 | vita.sgardello@oxfam.org

For updates, please follow @OxfamCanada

Instead of indiscriminate airdrops in Gaza, Canada should cut the flow of weapons to Israel and insist that Israel uphold its duty to provide humanitarian aid by making crossings into Gaza and routes inside Gaza fully functional. The collective punishment of Gaza needs to stop and Canada must increase its pressure to hold the Government of Israel accountable to its legal and moral obligations.

Over 1500 people are arriving every day from Sudan to these transit centres- with now nearly 15,000 people staying in two centres designed to host only 4,750 people.  More people are living in the open, at times up to 5,000 people, with no access to any clean water or proper hygiene. 

Even prior to the recent conflict, there were 1,027 cases of cholera in South Sudan. The rains, together with a lack of proper water or sanitation, increase the risk of disease outbreaks. Currently, 100 people share just one latrine – more than double the minimum standard.  

Oxfam in South Sudan Country Director, Dr. Manenji Mangundu, said:    

“I just came back from Renk, where people are crammed in shelters in horrifying conditions. Many have to queue for hours just to use clean water or a toilet. Without an immediate injection of funds, the situation will explode into a full-blown catastrophe, leaving many more people at risk of diseases and going hungry. The upcoming rainy season in April will cut off major roads hampering vital aid and further limiting people’s transportation to shelters.” 

Over 80% of the population in South Sudan – four out of five people- are already in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Overlapping crises, including five years of floods and conflicts in some parts of the country, have already devastated the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.  

Bibiana Peter, a mother of five who was forced to flee her home in Sudan and now living in transit centre 2 in Renk, said: 

“The hunger is unbearable. My children eat only once a day if they are lucky. Their meal is a small bowl of lentils for the entire day as I watch them suffer from malnutrition. I need to walk deep into the forest for firewood, facing multiple hazards such as snakes and the risk of being attacked. If I’m lucky I sell firewood to buy little food and if not, we sleep hungry and in the open leading to diseases and insecurity.”  

The upcoming lean season (April to July 2024) will force food stocks to hit their lowest level, compounding the already dire situation for the host community. Over 7 million people in South Sudan face extreme hunger – including 79,000 facing catastrophic levels of hunger. This number has increased by 22% percent while people experiencing catastrophic hunger has more than doubled.  

Despite a surge in the number of people fleeing the conflict in Sudan, and the worsening humanitarian catastrophe, funding has dwindled to an unprecedented low. The UN appeal for South Sudan in 2023 has been slashed by half compared to previous years. Since the beginning of this year, less than 4% of $1.79 billion UN appeal has been raised. This low level of funding has severely curtailed humanitarian efforts. 

“With major global crises attracting attention, the crisis in South Sudan is forgotten. But the world must not turn a blind eye. We are racing against time but funding cuts at this time are stretching our capacity to the limit and are a recipe for disaster. Every day of delayed action means irreversible harm to a population that already suffered years of devastation and destitution,” added Manenji  

Oxfam, together with partners, has provided clean water and proper sanitation to over 70,000 people in the transit camps, but urgently needs $7 million to ramp up its operations and reach 400,000 people with lifesaving food, clean water and sanitation.  

-30-

Note to editors:

• The current capacity of Renk Transit Centres (Both Old and Extension – commonly referred to as TC1 and TC2 respectively) is 4,750. TC Extension with a capacity of 2750 individuals currently hosts nearly 15,000 individuals (almost 4 times its design holding capacity)
• The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for South Sudan indicates that 9 million people will need humanitarian aid in South Sudan including more than 1.6 million children who are at risk of acute malnutrition.
• The IPC South Sudan Acute Food Insecurity Malnutrition Sep2023 July2024 report confirms 5.83 million people (46% of the population) are currently facing crisis and worse levels of hunger (IPC 3+) which is set to go up to 7.1 million during the lean season starting in April 2024.
• South Sudan’s Humanitarian Response Plan was 51.4% funded in 2023 according to OCHA FTS. In 2024, to date, the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only 3.6% funded (as at 27 February 2024).
• UNOCHA FTS funding levels for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 show that 2023 was comparatively the lowest funding provided in proportion to the needs and even in light of the amount raised.
• In 2023, the $1.05 billion raised is less funding than raised in any single year between 2014 and 2022.

Media contact

Vita Sgardello, manager, Communications, vita.sgardello@oxfam.org, 613-799-0234.

With Israel’s actions also severely restricting humanitarian aid, the loss of local agricultural production is worsening malnutrition and hunger, leading to starvation and fears of worst to come for the 300,000 people estimated still now living in northern Gaza. 

“The risk of genocide is increasing in northern Gaza because the Government of Israel is ignoring one of the key provisions of the International Court of Justice, to provide urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance,” said Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Middle East and North Africa director. Israel reported privately to the ICJ Monday. 

 Oxfam’s partner organization, the Palestinian Agricultural Development Association (PARC) – one of the biggest local organizations focused on agricultural support – estimates that nearly a quarter of northern Gaza’s farm holdings were completely destroyed by Israel forces, which razed greenhouses and buildings and 70% of Gaza’s fishing fleets in the initial days of bombings and incursion. 

PARC Director of Operations in Gaza, Hani Al Ramlawi, told Oxfam yesterday that “these next two months should be the golden time of production. However, if farms haven’t already been destroyed then they have been made impossible to access, because any farmer trying to do so will be directly targeted by Israel forces. And without water, and without electricity farmland means nothing.” 

Malnutrition is rife and there are reports of death by starvation. Oxfam partners talk of people drinking toilet water, eating wild plants, using animal fodder to make bread, and they speak about “catastrophic hunger” and their fear of famine without some breakthrough in access, aid and security. “You cannot imagine these conditions,” Al Ramlawi said.  

Juzoor, another Oxfam partner and one of the few organizations still operating in northern Gaza, reports similar fears about rising malnutrition and hunger. It introduced a vaccine program last month in the 13 shelters where it operates and also did nutritional screenings of 1,700 children there.  

Juzoor Director, Dr Umaiyeh Khammash, told Oxfam yesterday that they found out that 13% of the children they measured there are acutely malnourished. Among them, around 55 to 60 children (3%) were suffering from severe wasting and underweight. 

“This is a life-threatening condition,” Khammash said. “They need to be managed in an advanced setup, a hospital or specific feeding program, none of which exist now in northern Gaza. If they are not going to receive proper management and supplementation immediately, in the coming days or weeks, those children are going to die.” 

There are perhaps 300,000 civilians still in northern Gaza who have been almost entirely cut off for four months and, according to Al Ramlawi, “left behind from an international humanitarian response that has pledged never to leave anyone behind”, he said.  

“The landscape is complete destruction, The farmers, the people, the animals have nothing. The minimum requirements to stay alive do not exist in North Gaza.” 

Palestinians in Gaza depend on local agriculture not just for their food but also their livelihoods. The sector is worth over $575m a year, Al Ramlawi said, and that the loss of crops for both sustenance and income “not only exacerbates the already dire humanitarian situation but will have severe long-term impacts”. 

 “This crisis will lead to the overall collapse of Gaza’s agriculture for many years to come.” 

PARC is still managing to deliver some aid locally, last week “we found a trader to provide warm clothes and other winterization assets for around 100,000 people,” Al Ramlawi said. “Food prices are crazy, most of the people in North Gaza cannot buy commodities. A kilo of flour has gone from five shekels to 180 – who can buy this?” He said the cost of providing a humanitarian food parcel was now three times more expensive in northern Gaza to procure than in Rafah, and at less quality. 

 “How many days, hours, seconds, do we need to wait to provide those people with the services and aid they need? Do we need to lose all the people in north Gaza? What are we waiting for? We need to convince the world to care about this issue,” he said. 

Media contact

Vita Sgardello, Communications Manager, vita.sgardello@oxfam.org, 613-799-0234

Oxfam staff report that people are forced to pay US$0.40 to use the host communities’ toilets or showers, a fee that many simply cannot afford having lost everything to the conflict. The situation is particularly dire for women who have to walk up to 25 km to fetch water, a perilous 4-hour journey that exposes them to violence from armed groups. Staff have also reported increased cases of diarrhea as a result of lack of clean water and hygiene with some people currently dying.

Oxfam’s Country Director in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Justine Gomis Tossou said: “The needs far outstrip resources. Sites are overcrowded; people are sleeping in the open air or crammed into sheds, hospitals, or schools, making them inoperable. Others have built their own makeshift camps and are without water, food or assistance with a high risk of disease outbreak and food insecurity. Women are highly vulnerable and exposed to sexual exploitation and abuse.”

In one of the makeshift camps, an Oxfam staff member met a mother of four who fled the fighting with one of her sons having lost contact with her three children and husband. Alone and vulnerable, she was raped by a group of armed men as she ventured into the forest to find firewood, in the hope of selling it to buy a meager ration of food and water. “Even after such a horrific ordeal, she still had to find the courage to fetch firewood, her only means to feed her remaining child”, said the staff member.

Displacement camps where Oxfam works since last year are overcrowded with overflowing latrines becoming a pressing issue. Many have gone for weeks without a shower, significantly increasing the risk of disease including cholera which is on the rise in North and South Kivu: more than 20,000 cases of cholera were recorded in the first six months of 2023, a threefold increase on the same period in 2022, according to UNICEF.

Oxfam is already helping 28,500 people in displacement camps distributing drinking water and building latrines and showers but urgently needs US$4 million to ramp up operations.

Funding for the humanitarian needs in DRC is already meagre with only 39.5% of the United Nations humanitarian appeal for DRC having been filled to date, despite the country being one of the world’s biggest food emergencies.

“Urgent support is needed to avert catastrophe. It is time for collective and responsible action to reverse the disasters and suffering of the people of the DRC, and to put the country’s wealth at the service of the population,” said Mrs. Tossou.

Media contact

Vita Sgardello, manager, Communications, vita.sgardello@oxfam.org, 613-799-0234.

]]> https://www.oxfam.ca/story/canadas-position-on-gaza-is-a-paradox/ Fri, 16 Feb 2024 13:00:19 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=story&p=43256

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, express profound concerns about the legal and humanitarian implications of Canada’s transfer of weapon systems to the government of Israel. These concerns have been further amplified following the January 26th provisional ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Since the onset of Israel’s response to the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, over 26,000 Palestinians, the majority civilians, including more than 10,000 children, have been killed in Gaza. Large parts of the Gaza Strip have experienced widespread devastation, including the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, refugee camps, and critical civilian infrastructure. Experts have labeled Israel’s bombing campaign as one of the “deadliest and most destructive in recent history.”

According to annual datasets published by Global Affairs Canada, over the last decade, Canada has exported more than $140 million (constant CAD) in military goods to Israel, including military aerospace components, bombs, missiles, explosives, and associated parts. There is substantial concern that some of these weapons could be enabling Israel’s operation in Gaza. In addition to direct exports, Canadian-produced technology has been supplied to Israel by first being integrated into US-produced systems, including components incorporated into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which Israel has used in its bombing campaign across Gaza.

Credible human rights monitors, including UN officials, have routinely alleged that Israel has violated international humanitarian and human rights law throughout its operation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has likened the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza to the “collective punishment of the Palestinian people.” Given Israel’s conduct during its ongoing military operation in Gaza, there is clear and substantial risk that Canadian arms transfers may be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law in the conflict.

As per Canada’s obligations under the Export and Import Permits Act and the Arms Trade Treaty, Canadian officials are therefore required to halt arms transfers and deny further arms export and brokering authorizations to Israel.

The January 26th provisional ruling by the ICJ deemed that at least some of South Africa’s allegations of violations of rights of Palestinians under the Genocide Convention are “plausible.” This is a further reason for Canada to halt arms transfers to Israel. All parties to the Genocide Convention, including Canada, have duties to ensure the prevention and non-complicity in one of the most serious internationally wrongful acts. Countries that transfer arms to another country that are likely to be used in the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide risk being complicit in those crimes.

In December, the government of Canada joined an overwhelming majority of UN member states in calling for a ceasefire. Civil society welcomed such a call. Now, towards this effort of ending the grave abuses taking place on the ground, Canada must meet its domestic and international obligations by halting the supply of weapon systems to Israel.

In recent years, Canadian officials have taken the proactive step to presumptively deny the issuance of arms export and brokering permits to certain countries when there was a substantial risk those weapons would be misused, including at times to Türkiye, Belarus, and Russia. Dozens more individual arms export permits have been denied since Canada’s accession to the ATT due to the risks posed by their proposed export. Given the wholesale destruction in Gaza and the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians, there is no reason a similar policy cannot or should not be implemented in regards to Israel.

This call echoes that of leading Canadian and global humanitarian organizations urging for a cessation of arms transfers to Israel and Palestinian armed groups in order to protect civilians and allow Gaza’s only remaining lifeline, an internationally funded humanitarian aid response, to reach the 2.3 million in need.

Minister, we welcome Canada’s announced strong support for the “critical role” of the ICJ and commitment to abide by its rulings in the genocide case brought by South Africa against Israel. However, the government of Canada cannot at the same time signal support for the ICJ, and adherence to its rulings, while continuing to arm those whom the ICJ has ruled are plausibly accused of genocide. We therefore urge immediate action on the part of your government by halting further arms exports, alongside export and brokering authorizations, to Israel.

Sincerely,

Above Ground, a project of MakeWay
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
Amnesty International Canadian Section (English speaking)
Amnistie internationale Canada francophone
Anglican Church of Canada
Canadian Boat to Gaza
Canadian Council of Muslim Women
Canadian Friends of Sabeel
Canadian Memorial United Church
Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC)
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)
CJPME Saskatoon Chapter
Development and Peace – Caritas Canada
Doctors of the World Canada / Médecins du Monde Canada
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada
Human Concern International
Human Rights Watch
Humanity & Inclusion Canada
Independent Jewish Voices Canada
Just Peace Advocates
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Labour Against the Arms Trade
London Chapter, Council of Canadians
Mennonite Central Committee Canada
Mennonite Church Canada Palestine-Israel Network
New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity
Ontario Palestinian Rights Association
Ottawa Food Bank
Oxfam Canada
Oxfam-Québec
Palestinian and Jewish Unity (PAJU)
Peace Brigades International – Canada
People for Peace, London
Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund
Project Ploughshares
Regina Peace Council
Rideau Institute on International Affairs
Right On Canada
Save the Children Canada
Social Rights Advocacy Centre
The United Church of Canada
United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI)
WILPF Canada
Women’s Centre for Social Justice [WomenatthecentrE]
World BEYOND War Canada

Media contact

Vita Sgardello, manager, Communications, vita.sgardello@oxfam.org, 613-799-0234.

Oxfam Canada is calling on Canada to stop arms sales to Israel – learn more here.

The numbers are so staggering they are hard to comprehend: 25,700 people killed, thousands more unidentified, buried by the rubble. 1.9 million people displaced, 60% of buildings destroyed. Entire families, neighborhoods, places of worship and study, wiped out.

Arms Sales to Israel

What you may not know is that Canada has continued to transfer military weapons to Israel throughout this brutal war. This revelation is alarming, especially given the clear risk that these weapons could be used to commit war crimes. Amidst a conflict where the equivalent of two nuclear bombs’ worth of explosives have been dropped on the Gaza Strip, Canada’s ongoing military support to Israel raises serious ethical and legal concerns.

As a signatory to the Arms Trade Treaty, Canada is legally responsible for ensuring that its arms exports do not contribute to serious violations of international law or harm women and children. The current situation in Gaza demands an immediate reassessment of Canada’s arms transfers, as they appear to violate the principles outlined in the treaty.

What is more, the International Court of Justice has found that South Africa has a substantial basis to bring a case against Israel for genocide. This underscores the gravity of the accusations against Israel and emphasizes the need for immediate action to halt any support that may contribute to such crimes.

In the face of our leaders’ failure to act responsibly, the responsibility of holding them to account falls on us—the concerned citizens. We cannot stand idly by while Canada continues to contribute to the devastation in Gaza. We urgently call upon Minister Mélanie Joly to exercise her powers and stop arms sales to Israel immediately.

Remember how you and thousands of others influenced Canada to call for a ceasefire? Let’s do it again.

Send a letter to Minister Mélanie Joly TODAY!

“Oxfam welcomes the ICJ’s order and provisional measures as a crucial step towards recognizing the ongoing atrocities in Gaza and stopping the bloodshed and unimaginable horrors that 2.3 million Palestinians have already endured.

“After more than 100 days of indiscriminate bombing in which it has killed more than 25,000 people, sparked a horrific mass displacement of civilians, weaponized starvation and systemically denied them adequate aid, the Israeli government must immediately abide by the court ruling.

“All States – particularly those supporting Israel with military weapons in spite of the clear risk of them being used to commit war crimes – must equally respect the court’s ruling and refrain from any actions that undermine it.

“Palestinians should not have to endure another day of this suffering. We urge all countries to do all in their power to ensure an immediate ceasefire, ensuring those responsible for violations on both sides are held accountable, and to end Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory.”

Oxfam Canada is calling on Canada to suspend arms transfers to Israel – learn more here.

Israel’s current military campaign in Gaza is now considered to be amongst the deadliest and most destructive in recent history, according to experts. Humanitarian agencies, human rights groups, United Nations officials, and more than 153 member states have called for an immediate ceasefire for months, yet only a short reprieve took place in November.

Numerous world leaders have urged the Israeli government to reduce civilian casualties. Yet the Israel Defense Force continues firing explosive weapons and munitions in densely populated areas all throughout Gaza leading to more than 25,000 deaths and dire humanitarian consequences for the people of Gaza, who have nowhere safe to go.

Gaza’s remaining lifeline – an internationally-funded humanitarian aid response – has been paralyzed by the intensity of the hostilities. The shooting of aid convoys, the bombing of hospitals, recurrent communications blackouts, damaged roads, restrictions on essential supplies, an almost complete ban on commercial supplies, and a restricted bureaucratic process to send aid into Gaza – all have led to a grossly inadequate humanitarian response.

While Canada does not currently transfer arms to Palestinian armed groups, Canada’s transfer of arms to Israel amounted to CAD27 million in 2021, a record high since 1987. All UN member states, including Canada, have a legal responsibility to prevent atrocity crimes and ensure the protection of civilians and adherence to international humanitarian law.

Canadian Humanitarian Organizations demand an immediate ceasefire and call on Canada to halt the transfer of weapons as well as immediately suspend all arms export permits to Israel, while there is a risk such material be used to commit violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, including the parts transferred to the United States destined for Israel.

ED QUOTES:

“Doctors of the World is urging Canada to align with its vote in favor of a ceasefire at the UN General Assembly. Doctors of the World emphasizes the critical need for intervention amidst the prolonged and devastating onslaught of heavy bombing and shelling over a 365 sq km region, home to 2.2 million people. With the ceasefire yet to materialize, an urgent plea is extended to Canada and other nations to swiftly halt all weapons transfers to the conflicting parties—a vital, life-saving measure in the face of this dire humanitarian crisis.” – Nadja Pollaert, Executive Director, Doctors of the World Canada

“Mennonite Central Committee Canada continues to be gravely concerned by the humanitarian catastrophe currently taking place in Gaza. We urge the Canadian government to do everything in their power, including the halt of arms transfers and arms permits to Israel, to work for an immediate ceasefire, increased humanitarian assistance, and the upholding of international law and human rights. As a humanitarian peacebuilding organization with decades of experience, including 75 years in Palestine and Israel, we know that violence will not bring security, nor a lasting peace. Now is the time for clear and committed leadership for a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel.” – Rick Cober Bauman, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee Canada 

“For over 100 days now, airstrikes and ground military operations in Gaza have been killing an average of 250 Palestinians a day, which exceeds the daily death toll of any other major conflict of recent years. Over 25,000 tons of explosives have not only sacrificed over 25,000 lives and led to international law violations, they are also blocking the delivery of any meaningful, urgently needed humanitarian response. All governments exporting arms to the parties-involved have an obligation to stop fueling this violence and potential war crimes immediately. We must use all levers at this point to avoid complicity in these atrocities.” – Béatrice Vaugrante, Executive Director, Oxfam-Québec 

‘’More than 10,000 children have lost their lives and survivors endure the unspeakable including life-altering injuries, burns, diseases, inadequate medical care, abduction, and the loss of loved ones. We urge the Canadian government to immediately halt arms transfers to both Israel and Palestinian armed groups. Despite the Canadian government supporting a ceasefire and the UN Security Council voting for improved humanitarian access, the situation in Gaza has worsened. Too many children in Gaza and Israel are facing grave violations to their rights and one grave violation is one too many.’’ – Danny Genwright, President and CEO, Save the Children Canada 

“Humanity & Inclusion urges States, including Canada, to halt the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to Israel, Palestinian Armed Groups. The protection of innocent civilians, who have been the collateral damage in this conflict for over 100 days, is at stake. We urgently call for an immediate and lasting ceasefire to put an end to the violence in the Gaza Strip.” – Anne Delorme, Executive Director, Humanity & Inclusion Canada 

“What we are seeing is a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza right now. Over 10,000 children have been killed by Israel’s bombardment on Gaza. We call on the Canadian government to follow through with its commitment to support a ceasefire including the halt of arms transfers and arms permits to Israel, to work for an immediate ceasefire, increased humanitarian assistance, and the upholding of international law.” – Usama Khan, CEO, Islamic Relief Canada 

Signatories

Doctors of the World Canada, Mennonite Central Committee Canada, Humanity & Inclusion Canada, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Oxfam Canada, Save the Children Canada

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Media contact

Vita Sgardello, manager, Communications, vita.sgardello@oxfam.org, 613-799-0234.

Oxfam Canada is calling on Canada to stop arms sales to Israel – learn more here.

Israel’s military is killing Palestinians at an average rate of 250 people a day which massively exceeds the daily death toll of any other major conflict of recent years, Oxfam said today, as the escalation of hostilities nears its 100^th day.

In addition, over 1,200 people were killed in the horrific attacks by Hamas and other armed groups in Israel on 7 October and 330 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since then.

Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Middle East Director, said: “The scale and atrocities that Israel is visiting upon Gaza are truly shocking. For 100 days the people of Gaza have endured a living hell. Nowhere is safe and the entire population is at risk of famine.

“It is unimaginable that the international community is watching the deadliest rate of conflict of the 21^st century unfold, while continuously blocking calls for a ceasefire.”

Using publicly available data, Oxfam calculated that number of average deaths per day for Gaza is significantly higher than any recent major armed conflict including Syria (96.5 deaths per day), Sudan (51.6), Iraq (50.8), Ukraine (43.9) Afghanistan (23.8) and Yemen (15.8).

The aid agency is warning that people are being increasingly forced into smaller areas due to constant bombardment, as they are forced to flee from places they have previously been told are safe, but nowhere in Gaza is truly secure. Over one million people – more than half the population – have been forced to seek shelter in Rafah on the Egyptian border. Oxfam staff in Rafah report massive overcrowding, with very little food and water, and essential medicines having run out. This crisis is further compounded by Israel’s restrictions on the entry of aid, closing borders, imposing a siege, and denying unfettered access. Currently only 10 per cent of the weekly food aid needed is getting in.

Oxfam is also warning of the massive threat to life, beyond direct casualties, from hunger and disease. The onset of cold and wet weather is making the situation even more critical, with a shortage of blankets, no fuel for heating devices and no hot water. One of Oxfam’s partner organizations, Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC), described the situation for those living in tents as “worse than anything you could imagine”, with makeshift shelters letting in rain, being blown away in the wind and people resorting to desperate measures like selling precious food or water supplies in order to get a blanket.

Mutaz, an engineer who has been displaced to Al-Mawasi with his family, said: “The rain was going down from all sides of the tent. We had to sleep lying over the bag of flour to protect it from the rain. My wife and three of my daughters use one blanket at night. There are only enough blankets for four people to share. We have nothing.”

Earlier this week, a camp in Jabaliya was flooded with sewage when pipelines and a pumping station were damaged by Israeli air strikes. The lack of clean drinking water and proper sanitation poses a huge risk to health. Cases of diarrhoea are 40 times higher than this time last year, although in reality, the number of cases is likely to be significantly higher.

Sally Abi Khalil said: “While the mass atrocities continue, lives continue to be lost and critical supplies cannot get in. Israel’s total blockade of the Gaza Strip is restricting life-saving aid, including food, medical supplies and water and sanitation facilities.

“On top of the already horrific death toll, many more people could die from hunger, preventable diseases, diarrhoea and cold. The situation is particularly worrying for children, pregnant women and those with existing medical conditions.

“The only way to stop the bloodshed and prevent many more lives being lost is for an immediate ceasefire, for hostages to be released and for crucial aid supplies to be allowed in.”

The United Nations International Court of Justice is holding a hearing today on the legality of Israel’s prolonged assault on Gaza, and may issue an emergency order for the suspension of Israel’s military campaign. Oxfam supports all efforts to investigate and address all mass atrocity crimes and human rights violations, irrespective of the perpetrator.

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Notes to editors:

• Figures are based on where data is available, other conflicts for which there is not data, have not been included.
• Deaths per day statistics are based on civilian and combatant deaths.
• According to UNOCHA, there were 23,074 reported deaths in Gaza between 7 October 23 and 7 January 24, an average of 250.8 per day and 330 deaths so far in the West Bank.
• Deaths per day statistics for Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen from: Human Cost of Post-9/11 Wars: Direct War Deaths in Major War Zones, Afghanistan (October 2001 – October 2019); Iraq (March 2003 – October 2019); Syria (September 2014-October 2019); Yemen (October 2002-October 2019); and Other. Neta C. Crawford and Catherine Lutz, November 13, 2019.
• Sources for Ukraine statistics: UN OHCHR. Source for combatant casualties since February 2022 is https://theloop.ecpr.eu/estimating-troop-losses-on-both-sides-in-the-russia-ukraine-war/; https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-group-says-more-than-30000-troops-have-died-russias-invasion-2023-11-15/. These figures are best estimates.
• Sudan figures from UNOCHA (April 15 – December 7, 2023).
• According to UNRWA, over 1 million people have fled to Rafah governate.
• According to the Food Security Cluster, humanitarian food assistance is only meeting 10% of the weekly need, whilst 2.2m people need food each day.
• According to the Joint Humanitarian Operations Centre (JHOC) Daily Readout, January 9, 2023, the number of cases of acute watery diarrhoea in Gaza are 40 times higher than the same period last year, but expected to be higher due to the lack of data from areas without access.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Vita Sgardello
Manager, Communications
(613) 799-0234
vita.sgardello@oxfam.org

“The failure to call for a ceasefire after five days of deliberate delays and dilutions of the resolution is incomprehensible and utterly callous. It is a profound dereliction of duty from an organization established to uphold the UN Charter to maintain peace and protect lives.  

“It actively denies over two million Palestinians – many of whom are now starving as a risk of famine looms – a respite from the relentless bombardment and siege they have endured for nearly two and half months.  

“An immediate and permanent ceasefire is the only way to deliver humanitarian aid at the scale and speed urgently needed, end the horrendous loss of life and ensure the safe return of hostages.

The US’s removal of calls to suspend hostilities shows just how out of touch its policies are with the urgency and terror that Palestinians are experiencing. Its actions in the Security Council demonstrate the US’s increased isolation from the global consensus.”

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Notes to editors

The latest IPC’s Gaza Report stated that between 24 November and 4 December 2023, over 90 per cent of the population in Gaza experienced crisis or worse levels of food insecurity.  

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Elena Sosa Lerín
Communications Officer
(613) 799-0234
elena.sosa.lerin@oxfam.org

“Gaza’s shocking descent into starvation was so predictable as to be premeditated; an ongoing war crime by the Government of Israel.

“This is irrefutable proof that Israel’s attacks have decimated Gaza’s already fragile food system so catastrophically that most people are no longer able to feed themselves and their families. People are being starved in Gaza.  Unless there is an immediate ceasefire and a massive scale-up of humanitarian aid, Gaza risks being pushed into a famine.

“It is abhorrent and barely conceivable in 2023, that women, children and babies, the elderly and sick, the most vulnerable people have had their food weaponised against them. The horror felt by a mother unable to feed her child is the horror of Gaza today.

“While over 90 percent of people in Gaza cannot find their next meal, some UN Security Council member states are still toying with words rather than voting for a ceasefire.

“Those within the international community who have refused to rein in Israel’s military machine and its collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza today stand shamed and complicit – this scandal is on your watch. You must no longer patronize this Israeli aggression that is killing so many civilians, even as it fails in its own terms by sowing the seeds of future insecurity for both Palestinians and Israelis alike.”

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NOTES TO EDITOR

• Starvation as a weapon of war being used against Gaza civilians, Oxfam press release, 25 Oct 2023
• Read IPC Gaza Report HERE https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-94/en/
• The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is an innovative multi-partner initiative of 19 organisations – including Oxfam – and intergovernmental institutions. The IPC initiative provides food security and nutrition analysis to inform decision-making.
• The IPC assessment was done between 24 November and 4 December, 2023. The figures are likely an underestimate of the situation now.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Vita Sgardello
Manager, Communications
(613) 799-0234
vita.sgardello@oxfam.org

Montreal/Ottawa/Toronto, December 12, 2023 –  Canada’s position on a ceasefire in Gaza is finally moving forward. In addition to calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages, Justin Trudeau today expressed Canada’s support for a ceasefire, heeding the calls of millions of Canadians.

We welcome this change in Canada’s position in favour of a ceasefire, both in the Prime Minister’s statement released today, together with Australia and New Zealand, and through the vote at the United Nations General Assembly in support of an immediate ceasefire. Humanitarian organizations have been calling for a ceasefire for weeks while witnessing the unimaginable death and destruction in Gaza.  It is now urgent to make the resolution a reality as quickly as possible for the people of Gaza, including our teams on the ground, who are living in “apocalyptic” conditions according to the United Nations. We are ready to operate and eager to scale up our work to respond to the urgent needs of the entire population of Gaza.

We are pleased to see Canada take the opportunity to make a difference on the international stage and help alleviate the suffering of 2.3 million people in Gaza by complementing its funding of the emergency response with diplomatic efforts to halt the violence and enable the delivery of aid.

The diplomatic efforts undertaken with Australia and New Zealand must continue with other countries, particularly the United States, in order to continue to make progress towards the achievement of a permanent ceasefire, the single most important humanitarian response that Gaza needs now.

While our 10 humanitarian agencies are able to support our local teams and partner organizations who are still managing – against all odds – to deliver some life-saving aid, it is impossible for agencies to provide the full-scale humanitarian response that is desperately needed in the face of hostilities and ongoing closure of access points into Gaza.

“We welcome this change in Canada’s position in favor of a ceasefire at the UN vote, which we have been calling for for weeks. I would like to thank all those who have signed our petition and mobilized for the respect of international humanitarian law. We now need to make this resolution tangible as soon as possible for the people of Gaza, who are living in agony. Humanitarians organizations such as Oxfam-Québec are now ready to support civilians now. When can we start our work and alleviate the suffering of the people?” said Béatrice Vaugrante, Executive Director of Oxfam-Québec.

Doctors of the World Canada welcomes Canada’s vote in favour of this resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. With this vote, Canada joins a growing number of states in recognizing that the indiscriminate violence against civilians in Gaza must end now. Without such a ceasefire, we cannot rescue, care and save lives. ”
— Nadja Pollaert, Executive Director, Doctors of the World Canada. 

“Mennonite Central Committee Canada is encouraged by and grateful for this step by the Canadian government. We recognize that government officials listened and responded to the voices of Canadians, including many MCC supporters, in expressing support for a clear and sustainable ceasefire. As a faith-based body with decades of peacebuilding experience, MCC continues to believe that peace is possible and encourages the Canadian government to continue to use all our diplomatic capacities to work for a sustainable ceasefire and lasting, just peace. Despite ongoing violence, MCC partners in Gaza continue to attempt to deliver humanitarian assistance and are positioned to continue once a ceasefire is achieved and into the future.”
— Rick Cober Bauman, Executive Director Mennonite Central Committee Canada 

“It’s high time that Canada takes a stand in support of a ceasefire in Gaza. After weeks of watching the devastation and violence in Gaza and witnessing tens of thousands of deaths, we are finally seeing a shift in Canada’s position. Millions of people in Canada have been waiting for this moment following weeks of rallies across the country. We are pleased the government heeded these calls. We now need to see this resolution turned into reality so that humanitarian organizations including Oxfam Canada can finally mount the kind of humanitarian response needed. Our teams stand ready to scale up our response and address the urgent needs of the entire 2.3 million people in Gaza.” 
— Lauren Ravon, Executive Director, Oxfam Canada

“In addition to calling for the immediate and definitive ceasefire, Canada must maintain its continued call for immediate, safe, and unfettered humanitarian access and respect for International Humanitarian Law to allow for a massive scale-up in aid supplies into Gaza and the personnel needed to reach civilians with life-saving support. With limited or no humanitarian support, children and families are just as likely to die of starvation, dehydration and communicable illness as they are of bombing. Safe humanitarian access is critical to saving lives.” 

— Danny Glenwright, President and CEO, Save the Children Canada 

“”Human Concern International welcomes the recent vote by Canada in favor of Ceasefire. We hoped we didn’t have to witness 20,000 lives being lost before this step from our Government. HCI, alongside its partners, and thanks to the unwavering support of Canadian donors, has been actively involved in responding to the crisis in Gaza. The current state of affairs necessitates an immediate and sustained international response to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the suffering of the innocent civilians caught in this conflict. We are very hopeful from here onwards Canada will be on the right side of history.“ 
— Mahmuda Khan, Executive Director, Human Concern International

Action Against Hunger Canada

CARE Canada

HelpAge Canada

Human Concern International

Humanity & Inclusion Canada

Doctors of the World Canada

Mennonite Central Committee Canada

Oxfam Canada

Oxfam-Québec

Save the Children Canada.

We are two months into the crisis and complete siege of Gaza. Gaza is now the deadliest place for civilians in the world. Nowhere is safe. Humanitarians are unable to operate effectively and safely under the current conditions. Supply of aid is severely restricted, and not even a fraction of what is needed. The only way for civilian lives to be protected and for adequate humanitarian assistance to be provided is for the fighting to stop.

People do not have access to food and water. The healthcare system has collapsed, attacks on hospitals have left much of Gaza’s population without access to any treatment.The outbreak of disease is threatening lives further. We need to reach people now.  It is  unjustifiable that Security Council members would veto a resolution calling for a halt to fighting when the humanitarian case for a ceasefire is so clear.

The Secretary-General sent a clear demand for the fighting to stop, invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time since 1989.  Council members cannot ignore the horrific conditions in Gaza. Action must be guided by the urgent humanitarian imperative to stop fighting, rather than politics.

We call on the UN Security Council to urgently reconvene and pass a resolution, which demands a sustained ceasefire, for parties to uphold their obligations under international law and to create the conditions needed to enable humanitarian aid to reach civilians.

Signed by:

Action Against Hunger
CARE International
Mercy Corps
Norwegian Refugee Council
Oxfam International
Plan International
Save the Children International

December 1, 2023

Dear Prime Minister,

On behalf of Oxfam Canada and Québec, and the 95,000 people who have signed our petition, we ask you to mobilize the international community to demand that the humanitarian truce initiated on November 24 finally lead to a total and permanent ceasefire between the warring parties in Gaza, and not to the resumption of hostilities we witnessed today.

Considering that since the beginning of the conflict, a child has died every 10 minutes, the six-day truce gave us hope due to the fact that 1,008 children were spared by the bombs, and their families just as much. Whereas up until now, around a hundred women gave birth every day in appalling conditions, most of them on rubble and without any medical resources, during the truce more than 700 had given birth to their babies, sheltered from the relentless attacks.

We are unequivocal in our demand that a permanent and total ceasefire is the only lasting way to put an end to the loss of civilian life, the unprecedented destruction and the inhumane deprivation imposed on an entire population by a total siege that flouts international humanitarian law.

We are relieved that the pause in hostilities led to the release of 61 Israelis, 20 foreign nationals and 180 Palestinians. These releases have been part of our demands since the beginning of the conflict, as humanitarian organizations.

Admittedly, the humanitarian truce offered a welcome respite to those in Gaza to mourn the loss of loved ones and perhaps receive some basic life necessities, but far too little in view of the vast needs and the approaching winter. Indeed, in the exceptional context of massive destruction in Gaza, where almost 60% of homes are uninhabitable, 60% of health infrastructures are dysfunctional and many roads are destroyed or littered with rubble, this short pause was only a fleeting relief.

It would have taken several weeks to distribute the necessary aid throughout the Gaza Strip. Replenishing food and medical supplies, repairing water infrastructures and rebuilding homes require time not only for logistics, but also for rebuilding confidence. With no guarantee of sustainability, Gazans are terrified of going out in search of help, and the prevailing insecurity is hampering the reconstruction of devastated areas. The resumption of bombardments only confirms this, having already killed 70 people in the first few hours, the majority of them women and children.

Your government was quick to demonstrate its solidarity with the Israeli and Palestinian populations by providing $60 million in financial aid to meet urgent needs in Gaza, the West Bank and surrounding areas. However, despite the undeniable necessity of this declared solidarity, it proves futile and illusory from an operational point of view without a guarantee of a total and permanent ceasefire.

We are witnessing massive destruction that has cost the lives of over 15,000 people in Gaza, 70% of them women and children, since the Israeli army began its indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks in response to Hamas’ atrocious attacks killing 1,200 Israelis. What’s more, Gaza has been under a complete siege since October 9, with the population living without electricity, fuel, water and food supplies. Oxfam has warned that hunger is being used as a weapon of war, which is prohibited under international humanitarian law.

Recently, Canada reaffirmed its call for the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and civilian infrastructure, in accordance with international humanitarian law. But what good are these principles if Canada is not in a position to demand that they be respected and implemented in all circumstances?

Mr. Prime Minister, over and above the operational necessity of a ceasefire to enable humanitarian aid to be delivered as needed, the fundamental principles on which Canada relies must prevail, particularly in complex and difficult situations. Canada’s moral credibility, and that of Western countries, is at stake if their leaders apply human rights principles when convenient.

A total and permanent ceasefire now is the only solution to protect civilians, rebuild their homes and their hope. It’s high time Canada demanded it, and offered the prospect of peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

In particular, we call on your government to:

• Demand a permanent and total ceasefire today;
• Request the opening of all entry points to deliver aid;
• End the siege and allow the reopening of electricity, water and fuel services;
• Target aid to women and girls to reduce gender-based violence and restore their access to sexual and reproductive health;
• Press for the restoration of commercial activities in Gaza;
• Demand an end to violence in the West

 Oxfam Canada and Oxfam-Québec are ready to intervene as soon as conditions permit. We’ve been present in this region since the 1950s, and we can only hope that these repeated cycles of war-truce-rebuild will come to an end.

CC:
Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development

“While Oxfam welcomes the release of Israeli and foreign national hostages back to their families during the pause, and the reuniting of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in return, more still remain in captivity.

The humanitarian pause brought a short respite from airstrikes, bombs and terror but it was never going to be enough to give trapped Palestinians sufficient amounts of food, water, basic services, safety and hope that they desperately needed. Now it has ended, Oxfam fears for the lives and futures of more than 2 million Gazans who again face death from renewed missiles and bombs, and from starvation and thirst and disease, and also for Israeli civilians, as the cycle of violence continues.

More than 1,000 aid trucks were reported to have entered Gaza during the pause – less than a third of normal weekly humanitarian and commercial trade into Gaza pre-siege. While food, water, blankets, and cooking gas were able to be delivered to some people during the all too brief pause, this was never going to be enough considering that 1.8 million people – or 80% of Gaza’s entire population – has already been displaced

The Band-aid has indeed been ripped away from Gaza’s bleeding wound and, in so doing, further denting hopes that humanity might have gained some foothold in the fragile silence of the past seven days. The spectre of further massed forced displacement of people from Khan Younis would, if effected, sharply deepen the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

Oxfam is also deeply concerned about plans to create “safe zones” in southern Gaza for aid delivery. These are not logistically feasible and contradict Israel’s obligation to allow unfettered humanitarian access, especially given prior indications of attacks on the south as early as this morning, which undermines the safety and effectiveness of such zones. They do not provide protection, nor guarantee safety, when they are declared unilaterally or enforced by the presence of armed forces.

The international community must use all diplomatic efforts to press for a lasting a ceasefire, ensure access to humanitarian aid via Israel and Egypt to all those that need it and secure the release of remaining hostages”.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Vita Sgardello
Manager, Communications
(613) 799-0234
vita.sgardello@oxfam.org

Notes to editors

“We welcome the fact that a number of the Israeli and foreign national hostages will be released. This deal allows much-needed time for families on both sides to be reunited, celebrate the safe return of their loved ones, and mourn those they have lost. It would be optimistic to see this as the beginning of a road toward a permanent ceasefire – but that looks distant.

This pause of the relentless bombing and destruction that is causing such suffering to more than two million Palestinians is a welcome respite for the delivery of some humanitarian aid – but no more than that. The next four days will be eaten up by a desperate emergency effort that can offer only very limited relief, not equal to the size of suffering and destruction and ultimately with no sustainability. This is a band-aid that will be ripped off a bleeding wound after four days.

There are no pauses long enough, or corridors wide enough, or other options to deliver aid creative enough, to alleviate the suffering of two million people, the destruction of Gaza, and the loss of innocent lives. The fact that this pause is now the central topic of discussion marks today as just another day without progress to the only humanitarian solution that really matters: an end to this horrific bloodshed.

The international community must urgently advocate for this truce to evolve into a lasting ceasefire, ensuring unobstructed humanitarian aid through both Israel and Egypt, including vital fuel supplies. It must lead to a peace process that tackles the core of the conflict: ending Israel’s prolonged military occupation of Palestinian territory and the blockade on Gaza while also securing the release of all hostages.

This process should uphold the civil, political, and human rights of Palestinians, emphasizing their right to self-determination and equality. While a truce permits mourning and burial of losses, it does not rebuild homes or restore rights; these remain stifled under the siege. We need a comprehensive and just resolution for both Palestinians and Israelis alike.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Vita Sgardello
Manager, Communications
(613) 799-0234
vita.sgardello@oxfam.org

Notes to editors

November 17, 2023

Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

Subject: Feminist Organizations Joint Appeal for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau,

We, the undersigned, a coalition of feminist, gender justice, and human rights organizations, come together to add our collective voice, echoing the concerns of Canadians and advocates worldwide. The escalating death toll in the Palestine and Israel region demands immediate attention and action. We implore the Canadian Government to wield its influence forcefully, demanding an immediate ceasefire in the occupied Gaza Strip and Israel. We call on our government to join the international effort to monitor the ceasefire. The time for decisive action is now. Peace, human rights, and gender equality are imperatives that must inform the Canadian response to these current events, consistent with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy. The path of militarization leads to heightened violence, especially gender-based violence, and obstructs access to critical resources, including healthcare. Women, children, and LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately vulnerable in times of conflict. As unwavering advocates for human rights and gender equality across diverse communities, we call on Canada to prioritize the well-being of affected communities. It’s time to champion peace, equality, and the safeguarding of human rights.

The call for “pauses” does not adequately address the urgent need to save lives and alleviate the immediate and critical humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.

Reports of civilian casualties, widespread trauma and injuries, individuals left without adequate medical care, and the dire conditions faced by vulnerable populations, including infants in incubators, children, pregnant women, those about to give birth or immediately post-partum, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people, compel us to appeal for immediate and decisive action to bring about a ceasefire. As the world witnesses the widespread suffering, injuries, and loss of lives among civilians, including thousands of children, it is our responsibility as feminist, gender justice, and human rights organizations to call on you to take a clear and decisive stance.

Furthermore, we request that Canada actively makes every possible effort to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the affected areas in Gaza and support the safe return of hostages to their families. The urgency of the situation demands swift and decisive action to ensure that medical facilities receive the necessary support to treat the injured and that essential supplies such as food, water, fuel, medical supplies, reach those in need.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. As advocates committed to the principles of gender equality and to the protection of human rights, we earnestly implore our government, which proudly identifies itself as feminist, to align its actions with these professed values. We trust that you will consider this joint appeal with the gravity it deserves.

Sincerely,

• Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
• AGIR Outaouais
• AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia
• Amnesty International Canada English Speaking Section
• Avalon Sexual Assault Centre
• Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
• Birth Mark
• Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity
• Canadian Council of Muslim Women
• Canadian Women’s Foundation
• Cape Breton Centre for Sexual Health
• Child Care Now (Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada)
• Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice
• DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada||Réseau d’action des femmes handicapées du Canada
• Ending Violence Association of Canada
• Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances
• FemDev Consulting
• Grounded Doula Services
• Halifax Sexual Health Centre
• Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
• National Right to Housing Network
• New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity
• Niagara Reproductive Justice
• Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
• Oxfam Canada
• Planned Parenthood NL Sexual Health Centre
• Planned Parenthood Regina
• Planned Parenthood Toronto
• Sexual Assault Services of Saskatchewan
• Sexual Health Nova Scotia
• South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
• The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS)
• The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women/ L’Institut canadien de recherches sur les femmes (CRIAW-ICREF)
• The Obstetric Justice Project
• Women’s Centre for Social Justice (WomenatthecentrE)
• Women’s Shelters Canada
• YWCA Halifax
• CC Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly
• Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Marci Ien

On Monday 13 November 2023, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced 1that their last remaining fuel reservoir had been exhausted, rendering an aid response impossible and accelerating the current humanitarian catastrophe to unimaginable proportions.

Hospitals and health facilities, already severely crippled, and in many cases besieged and under frequent fire, are staring down the barrel of total dysfunction, unable to provide even the most basic medical services to critically ill and injured patients. Without fuel, preventable deaths already anticipated due to access impediments will skyrocket, and the suffering of the populace will reach unfathomable levels.

The two remaining water distribution plants will cease to function in the coming few hours, leaving 2.2 million people with no potable water. This is not just a collective punishment and a violation of basic human rights but an imminent public health disaster. It also means no waste or sewage removal. The people of Gaza, already enduring unbearable hardships, now face a colossal escalation of health risks, including accelerated outbreaks of waterborne diseases.

Without fuel, the few trucks of aid that had trickled in over the last few weeks – Gaza’s only remaining lifeline for delivering essential life saving supplies – are completely immobilized. Moreover, without any fuel to telecom power generators, we expect another complete communications black out, severing communications with humanitarian colleagues with no line of sight into when communications can resume.

Aid agencies have already been forced to triage the use of fuel to either power hospitals or provide access to water. Soon neither will be possible.

We urge all parties to recognize and uphold their obligations under international law. These include the duty to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance and the protection of the rights of civilians in conflict zones. The decision by the Government of Israel to withhold and restrict essentials like electricity, water, internet, phone connections, and crucially, fuel, constitutes a violation of these obligations.

The international community must act collectively and decisively to ensure the uninterrupted flow of aid and the fuel required to deliver it, safeguarding the dignity and rights of all affected civilians.

These impediments to a critical and principled aid response are political and must be addressed through urgent diplomacy. Immediate and decisive action is required to avert a complete humanitarian collapse in Gaza.

The Association of International Development Agencies – Jerusalem, is the main umbrella of international non-governmental organizations working in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). AIDA is a membership body and coordination forum representing more than 80 international non-governmental and non-profit organizations working in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) (https://aidajerusalem.org/).

1 UNRWA says its Gaza fuel depot is now empty, warns of further shutdowns | Reuters

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Vita Sgardello
Manager, Communications
(613) 799-0234
vita.sgardello@oxfam.org

Like you, we are watching the humanitarian catastrophe unfold before our eyes in Gaza. We are deeply dismayed by the lack of political will to call for an immediate ceasefire. If you are feeling sad, angry, disappointed – we hear you. We feel it, too. But we are also seeing a shift: the outpouring of public support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza is working.

The Power is in the People

During a very moving briefing with our regional colleagues, our colleague Bushra Khalidi, Palestinian Policy Lead at Oxfam in the West Bank, told us that “the power is in the people.” She asked us to keep speaking up for the people of Gaza, who need us now more than ever.

Together, we have the power to make a difference for the 2.2 million people in Gaza without access to basic human needs like water, food, sanitation, and safety.

And so, we pass on Bushra’s message to you. Will you help us keep up the momentum and help us demand a ceasefire for Gaza now?

5 Ways to Take Action for Gaza

1) Sign our petition

Let the Canadian government know you support an immediate ceasefire. We need to urgently protect Palestinian and Israeli civilians and humanitarian workers from attacks and allow water, food, fuel, healthcare and other vital aid into Gaza. To do this, humanitarian workers must have a ceasefire to enter Gaza safely. Sign the petition now.

2) Contact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and your Member of Parliament TODAY

Urge them to support an immediate ceasefire by all parties and enact all possible measures to protect civilians.

To write to Justin Trudeau, use the contact form on the Prime Minister’s website. Or send a letter here:

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada 80 Wellington Street Ottawa ON K1A 0A2

If you need help drafting the letter, here’s a template you are welcome to use:

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, 
Attacks that deliberately target civilians are never justifiable, and the international community needs to call for the protection of Palestinian and Israeli civilians now. 
Humanitarian assistance is critical as we are watching the humanitarian catastrophe unfold in Gaza, with people lacking water, food, fuel, healthcare and other vital essentials to life. 
Halting the violence is the only way to guarantee the entry of vital aid and humanitarian personnel into Gaza, and to protect the civilians who are bearing the brunt of the conflict. 
Time is of the essence, and we need you to use all levers you have to push for a ceasefire. I urge you to call for an immediate ceasefire and access to humanitarian aid. Sincerely,
 [your name]

To write to your member of Parliament: Find out who your member of Parliament is on the parliamentary website. Click on their profile to find their email and their Constituency Office address. You can also write to them at the Hill postage-free here:

[name of you member of Parliament] House of Commons Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

3) Join a rally in your area

The power is in the people. People across Canada are mobilizing to show their support for a ceasefire in Gaza, the most important thing you can do is join them. Oxfam Canada has joined a coalition of 100+ civil society organizations to mobilize support for a ceasefire. It includes a list of actions, rallies and marches happening across Canada please use it to find and share actions happening in your local area. Find a local action

4) Donate, if you can.

The humanitarian need in Gaza is unprecedented, and the funds you provide will enable us to have aid ready to reach those in need as soon as it is safe to do so. While the bombing continues, Oxfam has been able to provide some support through our local partners to people in Gaza. We have distributed cash to more than 400 families to purchase food and other essentials and distributed 1,000 food kits and 400 hygiene kits. If you can, please donate today.

5) Share.

As widely and as often as you can. Amplifying the voices of those being silenced by the incessant bombing sends a powerful message and keeps the eyes of the world focused on Gaza. We have regularly posted updates from our staff in Gaza via our social media channels. Follow Oxfam Canada on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and LinkedIn to help us reach even more people with their stories and our calls for a ceasefire.

Background

Oxfam has been working in the OPT and Israel since the 1950s and established a country office in the 1980s. Prior to the current conflict we worked in the most vulnerable communities in Gaza, East Jerusalem, and Area C, the 61 percent of the West Bank where the government of Israel maintains full military and civil control.

Israeli forces have imposed a near-complete stranglehold on Gaza City and the northern region, effectively cutting the enclave in half from the border wall to the sea.  A member of Oxfam’s staff shared a harrowing account from her family yesterday:

“Escaped death twice today. (We feel) like rats in a cage. Gaza City is closed off, and we hear that people travelling to find shelter in the south were targeted in an airstrike and killed. It sounds like they’re going to bomb the hell out of the area. Shifa, is a nightmarish hell hole, with sewage overflowing. Flies are like bodybuilders, enormous, they’re so big and swarm everywhere, impervious to our attempts to swat them. The “zanana” (the sound of military drones) is loud and never leaves the sky.”

Oxfam humanitarian worker Alhasan Swairjo, who managed to contact colleagues from where he is sheltering with his family in north Gaza yesterday, recorded a voice-note that said:

“We are sharing resources with ten other families. The markets almost empty. There’s no fresh food across all the city. We depend on canned food. The bread markets have no electricity and only a limited amount of fuel – one day, two days, five days – we don’t know. We are making bread at home but don’t know in next few days if we will have enough cooking gas. Our children are suffering, they don’t understand why we moved, why Israel is shooting us. We cannot give a good explanation why all this is happening. Now we’re fighting to survive, our children are fighting to survive.”

Israel’s decision to deprive civilians in Gaza of items essential to their survival, such as food, water, fuel, medicines, and other aid, amounts to collective punishment and a violation of international humanitarian law. Its evacuation order of 13 October does not diminish the protected status of civilians who are unable or unwilling to leave and itself is likely inconsistent with Israel’s legal obligations given the additional dangers it created.

Communications are so patchy leaving no means for proper, independent accountability. Civilians should never be the target of attacks and, if they choose to remain in their homes, they have the right to do so in safety. Oxfam believes that there is the risk of further atrocious costs to civilian life in northern Gaza.

Oxfam is funding and in intermittent contact with a number of partner organisations still operating in southern Gaza, getting some locally-sourced aid to families. However humanitarian support is virtually impossible in the north.

The more than two million people now squeezed into the southern part of Gaza are also facing an unsafe, chaotic and uncertain situation, with insufficient water, food, medicines and fuel.

The one crossing point at Rafah to and from Egypt is open to a virtual trickle of aid, and yesterday increased to 102 trucks after much diplomatic wrangling, but is nowhere near enough to meet the massive and ever-growing needs of people. The wheat flour supply in Gaza is now so low that it could run out within a week.

Oxfam has condemned Hamas for its 7 October attack and in killing 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians and the taking of over 200 hostages – all of which breached international humanitarian law; all hostages held by Hamas and armed groups should be released immediately and without conditions.

Oxfam condemns Israel for its evacuation of northern Gaza – which amounts to forcible transfer – and its military airstrikes and ground war that have claimed more than 9,000 Palestinian lives and injured countless more, 6,086 of them women and children as of 2 November. The military crisis between Israel and Hamas and subsequent siege has caused a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war, a crime under international humanitarian law, and which is not being mitigated by the resumption of a small amount of aid via Rafah.

Oxfam is calling for an immediate cease fire, granting of humanitarian access and aid, and for the international community to push for an end to Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territory, including lifting of the Gaza blockade.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Vita Sgardello
Manager, Communications
(613) 799-0234
vita.sgardello@oxfam.org

Starvation is being used as a weapon of war against Gaza civilians, Oxfam said today as it renewed its call for food, water, fuel and other essentials to be allowed to enter.

The international agency analysed UN data and found that just 2 per cent of food that would have been delivered has entered Gaza since the total siege – which tightened the existing blockade – was imposed on 9 October; following the atrocious attacks by Hamas and the taking of Israeli civilian hostages. While a small amount of food aid has been allowed in, no commercial food imports have been delivered.

As the escalation of the conflict extends to its 19th day, a staggering 2.2 million people are now in urgent need of food. Prior to the hostilities, 104 trucks a day would deliver food to the besieged Gaza Strip, one truck every 14 minutes.

Despite 62 trucks of aid being allowed to enter southern Gaza via the Rafah crossing since the weekend, only 30 contained food and in some cases, not exclusively so. This amounts to just one truck every three hours and 12 minutes since Saturday.

Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Regional Middle East Director said: “The situation is nothing short of horrific – where is humanity? Millions of civilians are being collectively punished in full view of the world, there can be no justification for using starvation as a weapon of war. World leaders cannot continue to sit back and watch, they have an obligation to act and to act now.

“Every day the situation worsens. Children are experiencing severe trauma from the constant bombardment, their drinking water is polluted or rationed and soon families may not be able to feed them too. How much more are Gazans expected to endure?”

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) strictly prohibits the use of starvation as a method of warfare and as the occupying power in Gaza, Israel is bound by IHL obligations to provide for the needs and protection of the population of Gaza. In 2018, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2417, which unanimously condemned the use of starvation against civilians as a method of warfare and declared any denial of humanitarian access a violation of international law. Oxfam said that it is becoming painfully clear that the unfolding humanitarian situation in Gaza squarely fits the prohibition condemned in the resolution.

Clean water has now virtually run out. It’s estimated that only three litres of clean water are now available per person – the UN said that a minimum of 15 litres a day is essential for people in the most acute humanitarian emergencies as a bare minimum. Bottled water stocks are running low and the cost of bottled water has already surged beyond the reach of an average Gaza family, with prices spiking fivefold in some places. A spokesperson for the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNWRA) pointed out that some of the food aid allowed in – rice and lentils – is useless, because people do not have clean water or fuel to prepare them.

A series of airstrikes have left several bakeries and supermarkets either destroyed or damaged. Those that are still functional, can’t meet the local demand for fresh bread and are at risk of shutting down due to the shortage of essentials like flour and fuel. Gaza’s only operative wheat mill is redundant due to the power outages. The Palestinian Water Authority says Gaza’s water production is now a mere 5 per cent of its normal total, which is expected to reduce further, unless water and sanitation facilities are provided with electricity or fuel to resume its activity.

Notably, essential food items, like flour, oil and sugar, are still stocked in warehouses that haven’t been destroyed. But as many of them are located in Gaza city, it is proving physically impossible to deliver items due to the lack of fuel, damaged roads and risks from airstrikes.

The electricity blackout has also disrupted food supplies by affecting refrigeration, crop irrigation, and crop incubation devices. Over 15,000 farmers have lost their crop production and 10,000 livestock breeders have little access to fodder, with many having lost their animals. Oxfam said that the siege, combined with the airstrikes, has crippled the fishing industry with hundreds of people who rely on fishing losing access to the sea.

Oxfam is urging the UN Security Council and UN Member States to act immediately to prevent the situation from deteriorating even further. And is calling for an immediate ceasefire, unfettered, equitable access to the entire Gaza Strip for humanitarian aid, and all necessary food, water, medical and fuel supplies for the needs of the population to be met.

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Notes to editors

• United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) data on food deliveries to Gaza prior to the siege can be found here – this includes both humanitarian food aid and imports
• OCHA updates show that a total of 62 trucks of aid have been allowed to enter Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Saturday 21 ^– Tuesday 24 October.
• Saturday 21 October – 20 trucks entered via Rafah, 5 of which contained food.
• Sunday 22 October – 14 trucks entered via Rafah, 12 of which contained food.
• Monday 23 October – 20 trucks entered, 11 of which contained food.
• Tuesday 24 October- 8 trucks entered, 2 of which contained food.
• UN Security Council resolution UNSC 2417 – Protection of civilians in armed conflict

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Vita Sgardello
Manager, Communications
(613) 799-0234
vita.sgardello@oxfam.org
Donate Now

The Canadian government has announced it will match donations by individual Canadians until June 30, up to a total of $5 million.

Facts:

• Clashes between rival military factions in Sudan that began on April 15, 2023 have left more than 1,800 people dead and forced 1.4 million people to flee their homes.
• Refugees from the Sudan conflict have flooded into Chad, Central African Republic, and South Sudan, putting a strain on already overburdened humanitarian relief efforts in those countries.
• The persistent drought conditions first seen in 2020 continued into 2023 in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya with more than 23 million people facing severe shortages of food and water.
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to the highest number of food-insecure people worldwide at 26.4 million people – a quarter of the country’s population.
• Humanitarian Coalition members are on the ground in the region, providing emergency food, water, shelter, and health care to people in need.

Quote:

Richard Morgan, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Coalition, says: “The combined effects of climate change, conflict and hunger have left millions of people in Sudan, surrounding countries and throughout parts of East Africa on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. The Humanitarian Coalition is calling on all Canadians to donate to help people in need.”

The following are members of the Humanitarian Coalition: Action Against Hunger, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, CARE Canada, Doctors of the World, Humanity & Inclusion, Islamic Relief Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Plan Canada, Save the Children Canada and World Vision Canada. The Humanitarian Coalition brings together 12 leading aid organizations to provide Canadians with a simple and effective way to help during major international humanitarian emergencies.

Canadians can help provide emergency assistance to people in East Africa by donating HERE.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Oxfam is supporting a humanitarian response for refugees arriving from Sudan into South Sudan’s Renk and Raban counties in Upper Nile State, and in Chad’s Sila province.

Nearly 30,000 people have already crossed the border to South Sudan following fighting in Sudan, with 6,000 people arriving daily.

“This is a snowballing tragedy. People fleeing the conflict in Sudan are in urgent need of assistance, but they are arriving into countries already facing humanitarian crises, straining already stretched resources,” said Fati N’Zi-Hassane, director of Oxfam in Africa.

Oxfam staff at the borders report that thousands of Sudanese refugees are living in transit centres under makeshift tents, with not enough clean water or sanitation. There is no plan to keep thousands of people there for long in these tents and while efforts to transfer them to neighbouring cities like Juba are underway, the numbers are huge.

Even before the conflict erupted in Sudan, the situation was already dire in neighbouring countries. More than half the population of South Sudan (9.4 million people) and the Central African Republic (3.4million people) are facing extreme hunger and need urgent assistance, as they suffer the impacts of their own conflict, climate change and displacement.

In the Central African Republic (CAR), where nearly 10,000 Sudanese recently arrived, the prices of some staple foods like sugar and millet have doubled, because transport and trade have been severely disrupted.

Similarly, in Eastern Chad, where 400,000 of the total 583,000 refugee population were already from Sudan, nearly 20,000 have arrived just in the last few days.  The numbers are expected to rise to 100,000 within the next six months.

Many of the displaced are women and children who are arriving with nothing to fend for themselves and their families.

Oxfam aims to support 30,000 people at the South Sudan border, Upper Nile counties as well as in Sila province in Chad, with food, clean water and sanitation and hygiene kits. Oxfam is also currently assessing refugee needs in Central African Republic in order to mount a response there.

Funding for the humanitarian needs of the region is already meagre – with only 20 [er cent of the UN appeals having been filled to date for South Sudan, CAR and Chad combined.

Donors must immediately fill in the UN funding gap, to help humanitarian organizations mount responses inside Sudan and in neighbouring countries hosting refugees.

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Notes to the Editors:

• In January 2018, 5.3 million people (48% of the population) in South Sudan were estimated to be facing Crisis and Emergency (IPC Phases 3 and 4) acute food insecurity, out of which 1 million people are facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity according to the Integrate Food Security Phase Classification.
• In November 2022, about 9.4 million people, or over half of South Sudan’s population (54%), experienced acute food insecurity, classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse between October and November. Source: Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.
• The Humanitarian Appeal for South Sudan has only currently raised $424 Million (25%) of a total $1.7 Billion.
• In Central African Republic, 120,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection according to the 2023 Humanitarian Needs Overview released in November 2022.
• As per UN OCHA’s Financial Tracking System in May 2023, the UN funding gap for South Sudan in 2023 is $1.27 Billion (representing a funding gap of 75%).For Chad the funding gap is $652.9 Million (97% of the Humanitarian Response Plan requirements) and for Central African Republic, $368.8 Million (79% gap in Humanitarian Response Plan funding). The total funding gap for the three countries is 81%. This figure does not take into consideration the growing needs of refugees in the region.
• Oxfam calls for an immediate and lasting peace in Sudan. There is an urgent need of funding for frontline organisations to meet this growing need and avert further suffering in the region
• Donations can be made HERE.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

March 26 marks eight years since the escalation of the conflict in Yemen. A temporary UN-brokered truce expired in October and, whilst it has largely held, uncertainty around the political and economic future of Yemen remains.

The conflict has devastated the country. Over 19,000 people have been killed and millions more forced to flee their homes. More than 21.6 million people – two thirds of the population – need humanitarian assistance and protection yet donors have so far committed only a third of what is needed, and the support offered to people has been cut.

Ferran Puig, Oxfam in Yemen Country Director, said: “The people of Yemen are exhausted by war. Rising food prices and unpaid salaries mean even basic food stuffs have been pushed beyond the reach of many Yemeni people.

“Donors must not turn their backs on what remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

“It is past time that world leaders exerted real pressure to bring all sides back to the table so they can bring a permanent end to the conflict.”

Cost of living crisis

Yemen has been hit hard by the worsening global food crises.

• Since 2015, prices of wheat increased by almost 300 per cent in areas under Houthi control and by almost 600 per cent in IRG controlled areas
• The price of cooking gas has increased by almost 600 per cent since the start of the war. Many families are forced to use waste plastics as fuel for cooking, at great danger to their health

Yemen imports 90 per cent of its food, including 42 per cent of its wheat from Ukraine. Importers have warned that the global increase in costs will challenge their ability to secure wheat imports into Yemen. In a country where many people depend on bread for most of their daily food to survive, this could push millions towards starvation.

Impact on households

Many Yemenis have had to adopt negative coping mechanisms to survive.

• Families have reduced the quantity and quality of the food they consume. 2.2 million Yemeni children under the age of five are now acutely malnourished
• Many are forced to buy on debt or take out loans from friends or families to pay for basic food items and medicines
• Many have sold their assets, such as livestock, property, or machinery
• The most severely impacted are female headed households, who account for 26 per cent of the population most in need
• Many girls have had to drop out of school. Many are forced into early marriage or into begging in the streets
• Around 56 per cent of the four million internally displaced people have no source of income at all. Women and children who make up around 77 per cent of the displaced population are at greatest risk of starvation

International response

As the need grows, the lack of resources to respond comes with devastating consequences. The World Food Program has been forced to reduce the amount of aid it provides. A recent high-level pledging event concluded with a collective commitment of under a third of the amount needed ($1.2 billion of the $4.3 billion needed).

Oxfam in Yemen is supporting people to earn a living, providing basic services like clean water, sanitation, cash, and establishing solar energy at household and community levels.

Oxfam is calling for the international community to provide adequate funding of life-saving aid, a rescue economic package to stabilize the economy and put money into people’s pockets, and increased efforts to negotiate a lasting comprehensive peace in Yemen.

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For more details or to arrange interviews:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Oxfam surveyed 300 people displaced in Aleppo, and living in collective shelters, in the lead-up to Ramadan. It found that many have nothing left after the earthquake and from the effects of 12 years of conflict.

Many told Oxfam they had used up their last resources. Ninety per cent of them say there are unable to make any plans to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. Across the entire country, four in 10 Syrians – or nearly nine million people – were affected by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit last month, compounding an already acute humanitarian crisis.

Nearly 70 per cent of those surveyed said their homes had been partially destroyed. More than 65 per cent said they were relying on aid from NGOs to survive. Twenty-two per cent had lost their jobs or sources of income and 37 had borrowed money to cover their families’ needs.

Moutaz Adham, Oxfam Syria country director said: “people who have been made homeless by the quake have been forced to rely on harsh coping mechanisms to survive and they will face a tough and uncertain Ramadan.

“The data is stark and gravely concerning. People told us the earthquake has pushed them over the edge. For almost all families we talked to, this was at least the second time they had been forced out of their homes over the years of conflict. Almost half of them are now spending the vast majority of their income on food, leaving very little to cover all their other basic needs.

“Syrians have faced too many shocks for too long. It will be months, even years, before those who have lost everything after this latest disaster can rebuild their lives,” said Adham.

Jaydaa, from Aleppo, told Oxfam: “Before the quake, we only got to eat one meal a day, but at least we had a roof over our heads. Now we are left behind in a small tent to fend for ourselves against hunger and freezing temperatures at night.”

“Either from fleeing the conflict, the impacts of the earthquake or both, Syrians just want to live with dignity and look towards a future with hope. This earthquake, on top of 12 years of war, has devastated millions of people who were already having to live a hand-to-mouth existence,” said Adham.

Oxfam delivered clean drinking water to 46 locations; installed 40 water tanks in shelters; distributed over 2,250 hygiene kits including soap and sanitary pads and are also fixing taps and toilets in shelters and supporting safety checks to buildings.

“Syrians need support both to deal with the immediate devastation of the earthquake and to recover from the impacts of 12 years of conflict. We cannot allow Syrians to face another Ramadan like this,” he said.

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Notes to editors:

• Oxfam interviewed 300 displaced people in government-held areas of Aleppo between March 2 and 8 and asked about how the earthquake has impacted their lives.
• Oxfam is providing people impacted by the earthquake with clean drinking water. Oxfam teams are also installing water tanks in shelters, and fixing water taps and toilets. We are also delivering hygiene kits (including soap, sanitary pads, and diapers), so people can live with dignity. We have supported safety checks for damaged buildings, so families could return home. Oxfam aims to reach 800K of the most impacted people over the coming three years with lifesaving aid.
• Donations may be made HERE.

For more details or to arrange interviews:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Climate change, conflict and the spiralling costs of food and fuel have left already vulnerable communities struggling to cope. South Sudan has suffered a fifth consecutive year of severe flooding which has destroyed crops and homes and left around 70 per cent of the country inundated. Nearly one million people have been forced to flee their homes in search of food and shelter.

In Jonglei, one of the worst-affected states, Marta Kangach, who lost all her cattle and harvest in the floods, told Oxfam: “Currently we are living on shrub leaves along the river, because if you have no food, you have to eat what is available. As humans when you eat anything in little portions, it will sustain you and you won’t die. So, we go out to the bush and pick green leaves to cook.”

The UN humanitarian appeal for South Sudan is just two-thirds funded, with $1.3 billion raised compared with $1.5 billion in 2020 despite the increased number of people in need of help. The World Food Programme was forced to suspend food aid to 1.7 million people earlier this year due to lack of funding.  While international aid and a limited harvest has helped keep people from starvation, the outlook for the next lean season from April – July 2023 is bleak as aid declines, and 1.4 million children are projected to be malnourished.

Latest estimates are that 9.4 million people in South Sudan will be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2023, over three quarters of the population and an increase of 500,000 people from 2022.

Dr Manenji Mangundu, Oxfam South Sudan Country Director, said: “Climate change, compounded by conflict and soaring prices of food and fuel, has pushed South Sudan to the brink of the starvation.

“The world cannot continue to ignore the suffering of millions of people who face a daily struggle to survive.  Funding is urgently needed to save lives now and to ensure people can grow enough food and make a living in order to feed their families.

“The South Sudanese people are paying the price for a climate crisis that rich polluting nations have caused.”

Most states in South Sudan are low-lying and prone to frequent flooding. However, climate change has contributed to more frequent and heavier rainfall. Since 2018, flooding has been recorded at alarming levels destroying farmland and essential infrastructure such as schools, health facilities, roads and bridges. Even when the rains stop, the soil remains saturated, and water levels have not receded. Flooding is now engulfing areas that it hadn’t previously.

Flooding, inaccessible roads and inter-communal conflict as well as the war in Ukraine have contributed to high inflation, leaving food unaffordable for millions of South Sudanese. Prices in some regions of South Sudan are nearly double or treble the prices in the capital Juba, the only area that is well connected to the rest of the region of East Africa. In Pibor, a 50 kg bag of maize flour costs $90 compared with $40 in Juba while 20 litres of cooking oil costs $90 compared with $30 in Juba. However, prices in Juba are inflated too.

Oxfam is urging donors and the international community to step up and meet the urgent $1.7 billion UN appeal for South Sudan. The international agency is also calling for the loss and damage fund agreed at the recent COP 27 to be set up as soon as possible to support countries like South Sudan that are suffering the impacts of a climate crisis they have done nothing to cause.

Oxfam and partners are providing life-saving food, cash, clean water and sanitation supplies in South Sudan despite severe access challenges. Regular food distributions have reached almost 300,000 people, mainly in the former Jonglei State, with the aim to reach 100,000 more by the end of the year. But Oxfam urgently needs $6 million to scale up its operations. How you can help – donate here.

– 30 –

Notes to editors:

• The latest funding of $1.7 billion UN South Sudan 2022 Response Plan  https://fts.unocha.org/appeals/1098/summary
• The latest IPC projection for South Sudan: https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1155997/?iso3=SSD
• South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview 2023

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

As organizations working in Yemen, we recognize and applaud the important steps taken by all parties to the conflict to uphold the truce. During the past four months, ordinary Yemenis have experienced the longest period of calm in the country in over seven years. Since the truce entered into force on April 2, reports of civilian casualties have dropped significantly.

Commercial flights between Sana’a, Amman and Cairo have allowed over 8,000 Yemenis to access lifesaving medical care, pursue education and business opportunities and reunite with loved ones. In the past four months of the truce, more fuel ships have entered Hudaydah port than in the whole year of 2021, allowing hospitals and businesses greater access to fuel, helping to maintain proper functionality of and access to public services.

However, unless the truce is adhered to and extended, these important gains will be lost, risking the lives of people across Yemen. Further steps are urgently needed to protect Yemen’s people and future.

Civilian lives continue to be threatened by violations of the truce in some areas, with a recent uptick in casualties in the past month. We urge all parties to the conflict to extend the truce for a longer term of six months or more, adhere to its terms, and uphold their obligations under international law to protect civilians and deliver on all elements of the agreement, including the reopening of roads in Taiz.

The past four months have offered a moment of respite and hope for people in Yemen. We cannot afford to lose this progress now. An extension of the truce, adhered to by all parties, would support further fuel shipments into the country, allow more people to benefit from commercial flights from Sana’a, and support humanitarian actors to reach those most in need. It would enable parties to invest more in helping people overcome ongoing economic deterioration and soaring prices which further restrict people from accessing food, as well as agreeing on effective mechanisms to pay salaries. A renewed truce would also allow more time to begin urgently needed clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance from which people across the country remain at risk. Most importantly, it would protect the lives of ordinary Yemenis and open the door to longer-term peace.

We, the undersigned agencies, urge all parties to the conflict to adhere to and extend the truce agreement, build further on the gains made over the past four months, and work towards peace.

The people of Yemen deserve nothing less.

Abn’a Saddah Association
ACTED
Action Against Hunger
Action for Humanity
ADRA
Afaq Shbabia Foundation
CARE
Coalition of Humanitarian Relief
Direct Aid Society
Danish Refugee Council
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Global Communities
Handicap International | Humanity & Inclusion
International Medica Corps
International Rescue Committee
Islamic Relief
Intersos
Marib Girls Foundation
Medair
Medecins du Monde
Mercy Corps
Norwegian People’s Aid
Norwegian Refugee Council
Oxfam
Premiere Urgence Internationale
Qatar Charity
Save the Children
Tamdeen Youth Foundation
Yemen Peace School
ZOA

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Already exhausted by over seven years of conflict, Yemen has been hit hard by the worsening global food crises. The prices of wheat, flour, cooking oil, eggs and sugar have all increased by more than a third since March. Such price hikes haven’t been seen since the country was subject to a blockade and never for such a prolonged period.

Yemen imports 90 per cent of its food, including 42 per cent of its wheat from Ukraine. Importers have warned that stocks may run out in the coming months and that global increase in costs will challenge their ability to secure wheat imports into Yemen. Even after last week’s welcome announcement that Ukraine will be able to export grains, the effects of the major disruption in the food supply will be felt for some time to come. Any drop in global prices could well be short-lived and may not translate into a reduction in cost for ordinary Yemenis. In a country where many people depend on bread for most of their daily food to survive, this could push millions towards starvation.

Ferran Puig, Oxfam in Yemen Country Director, said: “This unprecedented rise in food prices threatens the lives of millions of people who are now in real danger of starvation.

“Families who have been pushed to the brink by seven years of conflict are being tipped over the edge as the prices of basic food rises beyond their reach.

“World leaders must act immediately to prevent catastrophic hunger and a worsening humanitarian crisis.”

A temporary extension to the Yemen-wide truce in June has bought some relief, but the situation remains volatile and this, coupled with a wider economic crisis, rising food prices and an ailing agricultural sector – due in large part to the effects of climate change – is making life even harder for the Yemeni people – nearly 80 per cent of whom are in need of humanitarian assistance while the humanitarian response remains only 27 per cent funded.

Between March and June this year, the price of basic foods increased by up to 45 per cent.

• Flour increased by 38 per cent
• Cooking oil increased by 45 per cent
• Sugar increased by 36 per cent
• Rice increased by 30 per cent
• Canned beans increased by 38 per cent
• Powder milk increased by 36 per cent
• Eggs increased by 35 per cent

The average national price of the Minimum Food Basket (MFB) has increased by 48 per cent since December 2021 and 25 per cent since the start of the year, with the increasing costs of food imports further exacerbated by exchange rate fluctuations. Yemen’s national currency, the rial, has lost its value by 28 per cent since the beginning of the year.

Petrol and diesel prices also increased by 43 per cent in the first quarter of the year. Increased cost of fuel and an unseasonable drought caused by rising temperatures globally have caused more suffering, especially for farmers. Many Yemenis depend on agriculture and livestock as a main source of income but have seen their crops damaged or delayed and livestock dying during the current drought.

As the need grows, the lack of resources to respond comes with devastating consequences. The World Food Program has been forced to reduce the amount of aid it provides, with five million recipients of food aid now set to receive less than half of their daily calorie requirement. Eight million will receive just 25 per cent.

Families told Oxfam that to survive they are having to borrow from better-off neighbors, go into debt with food sellers, and skip meals so their children can have more to eat.

Around 56 per cent of the four million internally displaced people have no source of income at all. Women and children who make up around 77 per cent of the displaced population are at greatest risk of starvation.

Oxfam in Yemen is supporting people to earn a living, providing basic services like clean water, sanitation, cash, and establishing solar energy at household and community levels. In 2021 we were able to help more than 23,000 households.

Oxfam is calling for the international community to facilitate the import of food supplies into Yemen by reducing obstacles, financing grain imports, and providing debt relief for Yemen.

Above all, Yemen needs a permanent end to conflict so people can safely live, learn, and earn a living. We are calling on all parties to extend the truce in the coming days as part of the path towards a sustainable peace.

– 30 –

Notes to editors:

• Source for per cent of grain imports: Yemen humanitarian response plan, April 2022: https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-response-plan-2022-april-2022
• WFP statement, July 4 2022: https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-high-levels-food-insecurity-and-reduced-rations-dg-echo-ipc-wfp-media-echo-daily-flash-04-july-2022
• WFP beneficiaries in IPC phase four and five will now receive less than 50 per cent of their daily calorie requirement. The remaining eight million will receive just 25 per cent.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

This drought is compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict, desert locusts, and now a further surge in food and commodity prices due to the conflict in Ukraine. Over 14 million people across Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya – about half of them children – are already on the verge of starvation. This number will rise to 20 million by the middle of 2022 if the rains continue to fail, prices continue to rise, and significant funds are not surged to meet the needs of those in crisis. In Somalia alone, over half a million people have already fled their homes in search of food and water since the start of 2022.

Even in the best case scenario with above average rains, it would take months for people to recover, and as many as 11 million people would remain highly food insecure in drought-affected areas through September 2022.

Women and children, especially girls, are always hit hardest by a food crisis. Many are at an increased risk of abuse and gender-based violence, including child marriage. Nearly 5.7 million children are threatened by acute malnutrition which leads to lifelong cognitive and physical impairments, increases the risk of other illnesses, and ultimately causes death.

The outpouring of support and solidarity for people affected by the conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated a strong sense of shared humanity. However, as humanitarian and development actors working in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, we have yet to see the same level of urgency and solidarity for millions of people like Elizabeth and her children, who bear the brunt of some of today’s biggest shared challenges, including the climate crisis.

“Not getting much needed international attention and additional resources at a time of historic need in the Horn of Africa would result in the loss of thousands of lives that could have been saved by a timely and at-scale response,” says Heather Amstutz, Danish Refugee Council Regional Director for East Africa and the Great Lakes.

We saw the horrific consequences of acting too late in Somalia in 2011, when over a quarter of a million people died as a result of drought and famine. In 2017 however, the Somali government and humanitarian community prevented the worst impacts of drought by swiftly acting on early warning signals, showing that a collective “no-regrets” approach to funding and programming can effectively avert famine. Now, more than ever, our shared responsibility must translate into action for communities in the Horn of Africa.

“In Somalia, national and local actors are making every effort to intensify their response, but there is only so much they can do without the necessary funds. It is critical that funds are directly channeled through local actors who work on addressing the root causes of hunger through a community-driven,  integrated humanitarian response,” says Issack Malim, Executive Director of the Nexus Platform in Somalia.

Failing to act quickly will also cost more to donors in the long run and risk reversing the last decade of investments in building resilience and ending drought emergencies in the region.

“In addition to a hunger crisis, we are seeing communities’ capacity to cope and recover from shock at its breaking point. The clock is ticking, and we must act quickly and wisely by increasing investments to strengthen communities’ resilience to future shocks,” says Sean Granville-Ross, Mercy Corps Regional Director for Africa.

Humanitarian partners have requested more than $4.4 billion in funding to provide life-saving aid and protection to approximately 29.1 million people in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya in 2022. For Somalia, so far less than 5% ($64.7 million) of that has been secured. The near-record levels of resources and attention for the Ukraine response sit in stark contrast with the badly underfunded crisis in the Horn of Africa, but also show that with enough political will, the response could be rapidly scaled up.

In the past, the strong leadership and convening power of donor governments have proven very effective at mobilizing attention and resources in moments of humanitarian crisis. Today, that leadership is missing for the Horn of Africa.

Efforts by the EU and UN to convene the international community to discuss the crisis in the Horn of Africa and unlock additional, flexible funds is an urgent first step, but we were disappointed to see the event downgraded from a pledging conference to a high-level roundtable. Preventing further deterioration of the crisis will require donors to start acting with a sense of urgency and take decisive action now. The question that remains, as we watch global donors gather in Geneva this week, is will they rise to the occasion?

This statement was endorsed by the following 53 local, national and international NGOs and NGO networks working in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya:

Action Against Hunger, Action in Semi-Arid Lands, ACT Alliance, ADRA Kenya, Aid Vision, Arid Lands Development Focus (ALDEF Kenya), ASAL Humanitarian Network Kenya, Care International, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), Centre for peace and Democracy, Christian Aid, CLEAR Global, Cohere (Formerly Xavier Project), Concern Worldwide, Daami Youth Development Organization, DanChurchAid, Danish Refugee Council, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, European Committee for Training and Agriculture, FCA Kenya, FCA Somalia, FilmAid Kenya, Food for the Hungry, Gargaar Relief Development Organization (GREDO), Horn of Africa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVOYOCO), Humanitarian Translation for Somalia, Humanity & Inclusion, International Aid Services Kenya, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), International Rescue Committee, Irman Foundation, Johanniter Unfall Hilfe e.V. Kenya, KAALO, Kenya Charter for Change Working Group, Malteser International, Mercy Corps, Misereor, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, Plan International, Relief Reconstruction and Development Organization, Social-life and Agricultural Development Organization (SADO), Save the Children, Somali NGO Consortium, Somalia Nexus Platform, Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC), Taakulo Somali Community, Tearfund, Trocaire, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), WASDA, We World, World Vision International.

Notes to editors:

• The World Food Programme has warned that the number of people facing hunger in the Horn of Africa due to the drought might rise from 14 million to 20 million by the end of the year.
• In Somalia, around 6 million people (38 percent of the entire population) are suffering from severe food insecurity (IPC3 or above), with 1.7 million of them in Emergency (IPC 4), and 81,000 people projected to face famine conditions (IPC 5) before June. There is a real risk of famine if humanitarian aid is not scaled up immediately.
• According to FSNWG’s Special Report on Drought, under an average to above-average rainfall scenario, Widespread Stressed (IPC Phase 2) and Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes would be likely through September 2022, with between 7 to 11 million people still highly food insecure (IPC Phase 3+) in drought-affected areas.
• According to UNICEF nearly 5.7 million children are threatened by acute malnourishment in the Horn of Africa, with more than 1.7 million at risk of severe acute malnutrition.
• As trade routes from Ukraine and Russia are severely disrupted, staples such as wheat are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. Countries such as Somalia, which relies on Russia and Ukraine for 90% of its wheat supplies, have seen wheat and oil prices rise by 300%. Because of the disruption in these imports, the cost of bread and other essential products is rapidly rising, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable.
• For more information on the impact of drought and food crises on gender-based violence, check the Gender Based Violence AoR’s Brief Overview of Research, Evidence and Learning on the Links between Food Insecurity and Gender-Based Violence in Conflict Affected Settings.
• For more information on humanitarian funding gaps for Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, refer to the UN OCHA’s Financial Tracking Service
• The High-Level Roundtable on the Horn of Africa Drought is co-hosted by the European Union and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It will take place in Geneva on Tuesday 26 April 2022 from 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm (EAT) and will be held in a hybrid format (online and in-person).

Contact information:

For Mercy Corps, Grace Wairima Ndungu | gndungu@mercycorps.org | +254 722 890 551

For Danish Refugee Council, Pauline Wesolek | pauline.wesolek@drc.ngo

For Nexus Platform in Somalia, Issack Maalim | issack.maalim@nexusom.org

For Plan International, Evelyn Wambui | evelyn.wambui@plan-international.org | +254 721 618899 / +254 793269706

For Oxfam, Davis Makori | davis.makori@oxfam.org

New analysis by Oxfam finds that 13 out of the 15 IMF loan programs negotiated during the second year of the pandemic require new austerity measures such as taxes on food and fuel or spending cuts that could put vital public services at risk. The IMF is also encouraging six additional countries to adopt similar measures.

In 2020, the IMF deployed billions in emergency loans to help developing countries cope with COVID-19, often with few conditions or none at all. Recently, IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva urged Europe not to endanger its economic recovery with “the suffocating force of austerity.” Yet, over the past year, the IMF has gone back to imposing austerity measures on lower-income countries.

“This epitomizes the IMF’s double standard: it is warning rich countries against austerity while forcing poorer ones into it. The pandemic is not over for most of the world. Rising energy bills and food prices are hurting poor countries most. They need help boosting access to basic services and social protection, not harsh conditions that kick people when they are down”, said Nabil Abdo, Oxfam International’s Senior Policy Advisor.

• Kenya and the IMF agreed a $2.3 billion loan program in 2021, which includes a three-year public sector pay freeze and increased taxes on cooking gas and food. More than 3 million Kenyans are facing acute hunger as the driest conditions in decades spread a devastating drought across the country. Nearly half of all households in Kenya are having to borrow food or buy it on credit.
• 9 countries including Cameroon, Senegal and Surinam are being required to introduce or increase the collection of value-added taxes (VAT), which often apply to everyday products like food and clothing, and fall disproportionately on people living in poverty.
• Sudan, where nearly half of the population is living in poverty, has been required to scrap fuel subsidies which will hit the poorest hardest. The country was already reeling from international aid cuts, economic turmoil and rising prices for everyday basics such as food and medicine before the war in Ukraine started. Over 14 million people need humanitarian assistance (almost one in every three people) and 9.8 million are food insecure in Sudan, which imports 87 per cent of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine.
• 10 countries including Kenya and Namibia are likely to freeze or cut public sector wages and jobs, which could mean lower quality of education and fewer nurses and doctors in countries already short of healthcare staff. Namibia had fewer than six doctors per 10,000 people when COVID-19 struck.

New analysis by Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI) also published today reveals that 43 out of 55 African Union member states face public expenditure cuts totaling $183 billion over the next five years. If these cuts are implemented, their chances of achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals will likely disappear. In 2021, an Oxfam review of IMF COVID-19 loans showed that the Fund encouraged 33 African countries to pursue austerity policies in the aftermath of the health crisis. The pandemic has not ended but these policies are already taking shape across Africa.

The analysis also shows that African governments’ failure to tackle inequality ― through support for public healthcare and education, workers’ rights and a fair tax system ― left them woefully ill-equipped to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The IMF has contributed to these failures by consistently pushing a policy agenda that seeks to balance national budgets through cuts to public services, increases in taxes paid by the poorest, and moves to undermine labor rights and protections. As a result, when COVID-19 struck, 52 percent of Africans lacked access to healthcare and 83 percent had no safety nets to fall back on if they lost their job or became sick.

“The IMF must suspend austerity conditions on existing loans and increase access to emergency financing. It should encourage countries to increase taxes on the wealthiest and corporations to replenish depleted coffers and shrink widening inequality. That would actually be good advice”, said Abdo.

– 30 –

Notes to editors:

• Download Oxfam’s IMF loan dataset  as well as Oxfam and DFI’s “Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index: Africa”. Our analysis of the IMF’s COVID-19 loans during the first year of the pandemic is also available for download.
• Oxfam estimates that over a quarter of a billion more people could crash into extreme levels of poverty in 2022 because of COVID-19, rising global inequality and the shock of food price rises supercharged by the war in Ukraine. For more information, download Oxfam’s brief “First Crisis, Then Catastrophe”.
• The IMF negotiated 22 COVID-19 loans with 23 countries between 15 March 2021 and 15 March 2022. 15 are loan programs that came with a full suite of conditionality or policy requirements, six are conditionality-free emergency financing and one is a Flexible Credit Line that does not usually include conditionalities. The IMF’s US$1.4 billion (SDR 1,005.9 million) disbursement to Ukraine was not included in Oxfam’s analysis, as it intended to help meet urgent financing needs and mitigate the economic impact of the war.
• In December 2021, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva told Euronews that the European Union should not put economic recovery in danger with “the suffocating force of austerity”.  The IMF’s own research shows austerity worsens poverty and inequality.
• Photographs and video from East Africa are available. As many as 28 million people across East Africa at risk of extreme hunger. West Africa is facing its worst food crisis in ten years, with over 27 million people suffering from hunger.
• According to Sudan’s latest household survey (2014), 44 percent of the population lives in poverty. However, this data does not reflect the impacts of the recent economic decline, high inflation and recent flooding. The IMF estimates that the ongoing economic crisis, exacerbated by COVID-19, will likely have significantly negative effects on living conditions and poverty.
• According to the World Food Program, 9.8 million people in Sudan are food insecure. 14.3 million are estimated to need humanitarian assistance in 2022 — the highest in the past decade.
• According to the World Bank, Namibia had 0.59 doctors per 1,000 people before the pandemic began.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

The international agency said another year of war would bring unimaginable suffering to civilians – almost two-thirds of Yemenis will go hungry this year unless the warring parties lay down their arms or the international community steps in to fill a massive gap in the appeal budget. This year’s aid program is currently 70 per cent underfunded, providing just 15 cents per day per person needing help.

The escalating cost of war includes:

• 17.4 million people are currently going hungry, with predictions this will rise to 19 million by the end of the year (62 per cent of the population and an increase of more than eight million since the conflict started).
• 4.8 million more people need humanitarian assistance than did in 2015, the first year of the conflict.
• Since UN human rights monitoring was withdrawn in October 2021 the civilian casualty rate has doubled, now reaching well over 14,500 casualties.
• 24,000 airstrikes have damaged 40 per cent of all housing in cities during the conflict.
• During the last seven years, over four million people have been forced to flee from violence.

The Ukraine crisis has exacerbated the situation, raising concerns over supplies of grain and cooking oil. Yemen imports 42 per cent of its grain from Ukraine and Oxfam has been told prices have already started to rise. Seven long years of war have also caused a fuel crisis. Prices have risen 543 per cent since 2019, tripling in just the last three months.

The increase in fuel prices has a knock-on effect, increasing prices of essential items such as food, water and medicines making them unaffordable for many who are already struggling to meet their daily needs. It is also causing a reduction in humanitarian aid deliveries to more remote areas as the fuel prices have increased so much some remote communities are now experiencing a reduced delivery of water and sanitation support.

“Yemenis are desperate for peace – instead they are facing yet more death and destruction. Violence and hunger are on the increase once more and millions of people cannot get the basics their families need,” said Ferran Puig, Oxfam’s Country Director in Yemen.

“People can’t afford to pump water to irrigate their crops and in remote areas where people rely on trucked drinking water, they can’t afford to pay increased prices meaning they have to use water that is not safe to drink.”

Health facilities across the country could soon be forced to shut off life-saving equipment because of lack of fuel. During the last few days, local media in Taiz have reported that the Al Thawra hospital has stopped its operations due to the fuel shortage.

A spiralling currency devaluation means that what little income people may have buys less and less every day forcing Oxfam and other aid agencies to regularly increase the cash transfers they provide to support vulnerable families.

Civilian deaths and injuries in the conflict have doubled since the UN body responsible for monitoring violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen was removed in October of last year. There have been over 14,554 civilian casualties since recording by the Civilian Impact Monitoring project started in 2017. During the last seven years, there have been over 24,600 airstrikes across Yemen. In the last few months, shifting frontlines have led to an increase in landmine deaths and injuries around Marib where retreating forces lay them to slow down their opponents.

“Yemen desperately needs a lasting peace so people can rebuild their lives and livelihoods. Without peace, the cycle of misery will continue and deepen. Until then, adequate funding for humanitarian aid is critical,” Puig said.

– 30 –

 Notes to editors:

•  The international escalation of conflict in Yemen occurred on March 26, 2015.
• Fuel price increase information up to mid-February: On the unofficial market, diesel is selling for US $40 for 20 litres in the North of Yemen while in the government controlled Southern areas sources say official prices were raised by 26 per cent  in mid-January to 17,700 Yemeni rial (YR) for 20 litres (US $70) while sources put unofficial prices at around 28,000-30,000 YR for 20 litres (US $111-120). The price of 20 litres of cooking gas has more than trebled in Northern Yemen – prices are now 17000YR (US$28) on the unofficial market compared the official price of 4750YR (around US $8).
• Impact of fuel crisis on food availability https://fews.net/east-africa/yemen/key-message-update/january-2022
• Displacement figures https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/iom-yemen-rapid-displacement-tracking-yemen-idp-dashboard-reporting-period-06-12-march 4279 Households = 25,674 people
• Hunger figure of 19M and 75% of population will need assistance this year  https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-martin-1
• Aid needs: 15.9M people needed humanitarian assistance – today the figure is 20.7M https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/2015-yemen-humanitarian-needs-overview vs https://hum-insight.info/plan/1077
• IPC hunger forecast 2022 https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-58/en/
• IPC Hunger 2014 https://www.fao.org/resilience/multimedia/maps/detail/zh/c/277311/
• Figure for aid per person = 1.3 BN pledged for 2022 divided by 22.8 M(75% of 30.3M population)= $57 per person in need per year = 15c per day for each person in need
• Number of airstrikes in Yemen from https://caat.org.uk/homepage/stop-arming-saudi-arabia/the-war-on-yemens-civilians/#:~:text=The%20Saudi%20Coalition’s%20air%20war,were%20clearly%20identified%20as%20civilian.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

As many as 28 million people across East Africa face severe hunger if the March rains fail. With the unfolding crisis in Ukraine taking their attention, there is a real danger that the international community will not respond adequately to the escalating hunger crisis in East Africa until it is too late, Oxfam warned today.

A massive ‘no regrets’ mobilization of international humanitarian aid is needed now to avert destitution and to help the 21 million people already facing severe levels of hunger in the midst of conflict, flooding, and a massive two-year drought – unprecedented in 40 years – in countries across East Africa.

“East Africa faces a profoundly alarming hunger crisis. Areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and beyond are experiencing a full-scale catastrophe. Women and girls are most vulnerable to hunger since they often eat last and least and face more economic insecurity,” said Brittany Lambert, Oxfam Canada’s Women’s Rights Policy Specialist.

“The repercussions of the Ukrainian conflict on the global food system will reverberate around the globe, but it is the poorest and most vulnerable people who will be hit hardest. Last year Canada endorsed the G7 Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Crises Compact, but so far these promises haven’t translated into the urgent funding needed to avert catastrophe in the world’s hungriest countries.”

COVID-19-related hikes in global food and commodity prices were already undermining the options available to heavily indebted African governments to resolve the mass hunger facing their people. However, the crisis in Ukraine will have catastrophic new consequences as it already pushes up food and commodity prices beyond what East African governments can afford.

Countries in East Africa import up to 90 per cent of their wheat from Ukraine and Russia. As disruptions begin to affect the global trade in grains, oil, transport and fertilizer, food prices are beginning to skyrocket. They hit an all-time high last week. In Somalia, the prices for staple grains were more than double those of the previous year.

In 2010-11, similar spikes in food prices pushed 44 million more people worldwide into extreme poverty, and indications are that the food-price inflation happening now will be even worse.

“Famine does not happen unexpectedly. It comes after months of ignored warnings and international indifference. Let’s not wait until it’s too late,” said Bucher.

• Over 13 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia have been displaced in search of water and pasture, just in the first quarter of 2022. Millions of others had to flee their farmlands and homes by conflicts especially around Ethiopia – where 9.4m people now need urgent humanitarian aid.
• The region has suffered from the worst plague of locusts in 70 years and flash flooding that have affected nearly a million people in South Sudan.
• Kenya has suffered a 70 per cent drop in crop production and has declared a national disaster with 3.1m people in acute hunger, now in need of aid. Nearly half of all households in Kenya are having to borrow food or buy it on credit.
• Ethiopia is facing its highest level of food insecurity since 2016, in Somali region alone 3.5m people experience critical water and food shortage. Almost a million livestock animals have died, leaving pastoralists who entirely depend on herding for survival with nothing. Women tell us heart-breaking stories about having to skip meals so that they can feed their children.
• More than 671,000 people have recently migrated away from their homes in Somalia because nearly 90 per cent of the country is in severe drought. This will likely leave almost half of Somali children under five acutely malnourished.
• In South Sudan, an estimated 8.3 million people will face severe food insecurity this lean season (May-July) as climatic and economic shocks intensify.

Despite alarming need, the humanitarian response is woefully underfunded. Only 3 per cent of the total $6bn UN 2022 humanitarian appeal for Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan, has been funded to date. Kenya has only secured 11 per cent of its UN flash appeal to date.

Idris Akhdar from WASDA a 21-year Kenyan partner with Oxfam, from Wajir County, North Eastern Kenya said: “Our team have met desperate people. People who are hungry, who are thirsty, and who are about to lose hope. In the last few days, I have seen across the region – Somali region in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya – the same hunger and destitution all over. We appeal to the international community to help.”

Oxfam together with local partners, is redoubling its support for those impacted by the East African hunger crisis, aiming to reach over 1.5 million people most in need with lifesaving water, cash, shelter and sanitation facilities. Oxfam will help people to build rebuild their lives from these climatic shocks.

“East Africa cannot wait. The hunger crisis, fuelled by changes in our climate and COVID-19, is worsening by the day. Oxfam is calling on all donors to urgently fill the UN humanitarian appeal funding gap, and to get funds as quickly as possible to local humanitarian organizations. The governments and warring parties in conflict zones need to ensure humanitarian agencies like Oxfam can safely reach the most vulnerable people,” said Oxfam International’s Executive Director Gabriela Bucher.

“We call upon the governments especially from grain exporting countries to do all they can to find suitable alternatives to the imminent disruption in the supply chain from Ukraine towards low-income, food-import dependent countries. And – as we witness the tremors triggered by the failure in international efforts to tackle the climate crisis – we underscore the need to ramp up action on climate adaptation and mitigation,” said Bucher.

– 30 –

 Notes to Editors:

• Oxfam’s Executive Director Gabriela Bucher will be holding a global press conference on March 22, 2022 from 3pm-5pm EAT (12 noon-2pm GMT) at Oxfam headquarters, Atrium building, Chaka Road, Nairobi, Kenya. Live zoom link available to all journalists HERE Gabriela will be available for interviews.
• Oxfam has new exclusive stories people in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, including b-rolls, interviews in VNR and photos available HERE.
• Oxfam partners In Kenya: ASAL Humanitarian Network; in Northern Ethiopia: ORDA in Amhara, APDA in Afar Regions; in Somalia: Kaalo, WASDA, SADO, SSWC, ADESO; and in South Sudan: SALT, DARD, YWCA.
• Figures on extreme coping mechanisms are from WFP food security analysis monitoring survey. Data is collected on a rolling basis. For more details on the methodology kindly check the Hunger Map.
• “Climate change and La Niña are working together to produce prolonged and persistent dryness.” Source: The World Food Programme and the Multi Agency in East Africa
• Displacement figures in Somalia from the UN Humanitarian Bulletin January 2022
• Data on the UN Humanitarian appeal from Source: UNOCHA , accessed March 14, 2022. Data on Kenya’s appeal based on UN flash Appeal initially raised for October 2021-March 2022.
• Figures on food price increase in 2010- 2011 are from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, April 2011 and the World Bank Feb 201
• South Sudan food insecurity projections are from South Sudan Food Security & Livelihood Cluster Analysis Report, February 2022.

Oxfam response in East Africa:

• In South Sudan: Oxfam has provided support to over 400,000 people and aims to reach and additional 240,000 people with safe water, sanitation and hygiene services and promotion, cash grants for families to buy food and other essentials, and livelihood support like seeds, tools, fishing kits.
• In Somalia, Oxfam aims to reach 420,000 people this year with lifesaving water, sanitation and health support, including drilling boreholes in water insecure areas, distributing hygiene kits, providing materials to help protect communities from water borne diseases, and distributing cash, seeds tools, and training farmers in small scale greenhouse farming. Oxfam will also support livestock treatment and vaccination campaigns together with the Ministry of Livestock, train community protection volunteers on gender-based violence issues, and distribute solar lamps to protect women and girls at night. To date we have reached over 260,000 people.
• In Kenya, Oxfam is currently supporting 40,000 people and planning to expand the support to approximately 240,000 people with cash transfers for food and other essential items and water, sanitation and hygiene activities such as repairing water points and boreholes to provide access to clean, safe water and hygiene promotion campaigns.
• In Ethiopia, Oxfam has supported 170,000 people in Northern Ethiopia with lifesaving clean water, food, and cash assistance, particularly in conflict affected areas in South Tigray, Central Tigray, Amhara and Afar. Oxfam aims to reach an additional 750,000 women, men and children in Northern Ethiopia with emergency food packages, livelihoods assistance, clean water, sanitation and hygiene kits and protection until March 2023. Together with our partners, we are also scaling up response in the Somali Region to respond to the effects of the drought.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Oxfam spoke to 300 Syrians in government-held areas of the country. Nearly 90 per cent said they could only afford to eat bread, rice and, occasionally, some vegetables. After 10 years of conflict, the shockwaves of COVID-19, and the Lebanese banking crisis coupled with the Ukrainian crisis are having serious repercussions for the floundering economy, disrupting food and fuel imports and causing the Syrian pound to plummet at breakneck speed.

“People have been pushed to the brink by a collapsing economy. Around Damascus, people queue for hours to get subsidized bread at state bakeries, while young children rifle through garbage trying to find scraps of food. Struggling to put food on the table means many families are turning to extreme ways to cope: going into debt to buy food, taking children out of school to work and reducing the number of meals each day. Marrying off young daughters has become another negative coping strategy, as it is one less mouth to feed. This is against a backdrop of 90 per cent of Syrians living in poverty, unemployment rate at 60 per cent and a monthly minimum wage in the public sector of approximately $26 [USD],” Moutaz Adham, Country Director for Oxfam in Syria, said

“Syria relies heavily on Russia for imports of wheat. The crisis in Ukraine has seen the Syrian government starting to ration food reserves, including wheat, sugar, oil, and rice amid fears of shortages and price surges, and this could be just the beginning.”

– 30 –

Notes to editors:

• 4 million people in Syria are food insecure, child labour occurs in 84 per cent of communities and child marriage for adolescent girls in 71 per cent of communities, according to the latest figures from the Humanitarian Needs Overview.
• The price of the World Food Program (WFP) standard food basket (a group of essential food items) has increased by 97 per cent in the past year.
• Last year, the Syrian government reportedly had to import 5 million tons of wheat, mainly from Russia.
• As part of its Emergency and Food Security response, Oxfam interviewed 300 beneficiaries in government held areas of Aleppo, Deir-ez-Zor and Rural Damascus governorates, 100 beneficiaries in each governorate and found that 88 per cent eat only bread, rice and occasionally vegetables. Additionally, 60 per cent of people Oxfam spoke to say they earn less than what they need to cover their food needs.
• Oxfam has been working in Syria since 2013 to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict. In the last year, Oxfam has reached 1.2 million people by providing clean drinking water, emergency cash assistance, and hygiene items and other materials.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

The protection of civilians must be assured: respect for international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations are vital to preserve peace. All Members of the United Nations must redouble their commitment to “settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered” as the UN Charter requires.

In any conflict it is always the most vulnerable people who are the worst affected. As conflict and its consequences ravage economies, it is people living in poverty, on both sides, who will lose their jobs and their access to services, and who will struggle most to cope with daily life. As ordinary men and women are pulled into a conflict they do not want, children and the elderly will be left without support.

As of today, the UN estimates that 386,000 people have already fled Ukraine into Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and other surrounding countries. Without peace, these numbers will sharply increase as people are displaced both internally and outside of Ukraine’s borders.

All people have the right to flee from conflict, and to seek asylum in safe countries. As countries bordering Ukraine receive tens of thousands of asylum seekers, Oxfam appeals to all governments to ensure that they find safe refuge. This must apply equally to all people fleeing conflict, whether from Ukraine, or to those in Yemen and Afghanistan and beyond. At moments where there is the greatest peril to human life, we must stand together in our common humanity, united in our pursuit of peace and human rights for all people.

Members of the HUMANITARIAN COALITION are providing emergency assistance to the people of Ukraine.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

The protection of life is of paramount importance. It is crucial that civilians are protected and we stand in solidarity with all those affected by the violence, wherever they may be.

The protection of civilians must be ensured: respect for international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter are essential to preserve peace.

We call on all states to fully respect international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law.

Oxfam also calls on all governments to ensure safe refuge for all people fleeing conflict, including women, girls and marginalized people, who are often among the worst affected in such situations.

— 30 —

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Last month 43 airstrikes hit civilian targets, representing more than a fifth of all airstrikes in the Marib area since fighting increased in February last year. Most of these were on houses and farms, destroying homes and businesses that will take many years to rebuild.

Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director Muhsin Siddiquey said, “this escalation in conflict, displacement and death that we are seeing in Marib is a snapshot of the suffering faced by communities across Yemen. Ordinary people who have sought refuge in a place once described as an oasis of calm have become collateral damage in a protracted conflict. The only way out of this is for the warring parties to meet and negotiate a permanent peace settlement.”

Civilians also face danger from missiles and shells fired from the ground as well as landmines and improvised explosive devices. Eight civilians were killed by landmines in Marib governorate in January 2022 compared with five for the whole of 2021, reflecting a worrying rise in the use of these outlawed weapons. Landmines are often placed along roads and tracks across farmland leading to Marib city that are used by civilians bringing in goods to sell and migrants travelling through Yemen.

Siddiquey said, “landmines are barbaric. They don’t distinguish between civilians and combatants and their threat, together with unexploded bombs and shells, hangs over communities for decades until they are de-activated. One key road leading to Marib is now a no-go area.  Children have been killed while tending farm animals and even gathering firewood can be deadly. I am particularly worried by reports that records are not kept of where landmines are laid.”

According to UN figures, over one million displaced people live in Marib governorate, either with locals or in one of between 120 and 150 formal and informal sites. However local authorities put the figure at close to two million. Of these, many have now been displaced five or six times.

The UN estimates that 85 per cent of displaced families are unable to pay rent on a regular basis as opportunities to earn money are scarce. Many are anxious about being evicted since some nine in 10 of the settlements are built on private land without occupancy agreements. Rental prices in Marib city have soared after the recent wave of displacements.

The spiralling currency depreciation coupled with an ongoing fuel crisis has seen prices of food, fuel and medicines more than double. Many people are forced to borrow money and are trapped in a cycle of debt, unable to afford their basic needs.

Yemen is now in its fourth wave of COVID-19 and many displaced people lack access to basic facilities such as latrines and clean water.  Nearly eight years on from the start of the conflict only about half of healthcare facilities are still operating leaving two out of three Yemenis without access to health services.

Oxfam is working in Marib to improve water supplies, provide latrines and to provide cash transfers so families can buy basic essentials.  During the last year Oxfam helped 95,928 people in Marib including providing access to drinking water for 60,000 and cash transfers to 14,875.

The United Nations has issued a statement  reminding warring parties that being at war does not absolve them of their obligations under international humanitarian law, which strictly prohibits disproportionate attacks and requires that all feasible precautions be taken to avoid civilian harm.

Since the Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen — the UN appointed body responsible for monitoring human rights abuses in Yemen — was disbanded in October last year there is no international monitoring of human rights violations. All parties in Yemen’s protracted conflict have been responsible for civilian casualties.

— 30 —

Notes to editors:

• Number of camps taken from https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-thousands-desperate-food-water-and-shelter-conflict-hit-marib and https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-thousands-desperate-food-water-and-shelter-conflict-hit-marib
• The IOM estimate nearly  100,000 people have been displaced during the last year as frontlines shift causing the closure of five camps and forcing people to seek a safe place to live yet again.
• 23.11.21 https://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/briefing/2021/11/619cb1e84/displaced-yemenis-struggle-access-aid-fighting-intensifies-marib.html
• 24.08.21 https://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/briefing/2021/8/61249d4b4/shelter-needs-soar-newly-displaced-yemens-marib.html
• Oxfam press release:  Reaction to today’s decision by the UN Human Rights Council to withdraw the mandate to the Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen  (October 7, 2021)
• UN population figures taken from UN Habitat Marib Urban Profile (March 2021)
• Yemen healthcare needs https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-response-plan-2021-march-2021-enar

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Notes to editors:

Recorded cases of COVID-19 have tripled and the death rate has risen by more than fivefold (420 per cent) in the last month. Excluded from these figures are countless undiagnosed deaths of people in their homes due to the scarcity of tests and hospital beds. Nor does the official death toll of 1649 include the vast majority of Yemeni people who live in the north of the country where COVID-19-related data is not available.

Despite promises that COVAX, the global initiative to deliver vaccines, would achieve at least 23 per cent vaccination coverage in all member countries by the end of this year, less than one per cent of Yemen’s 30.5 million people have so far received one dose and only 0.05 per cent of the population are fully vaccinated.

Half-way through the year the COVAX scheme was already short by 88 per cent of the promised doses for Yemen, having delivered just 511,000 of 4.2 million. Fears that Yemen’s only source of vaccines to date will fail the country again increased last week when the initiative announced it was a half a billion doses short of its global supply target.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s in Yemen’s country director, said: “Yemen has one of the highest COVID-19 fatality rates in the world – it simply can’t cope with this virus. The conflict has decimated the already fragile healthcare system. Many people are very weak because they can’t afford to feed themselves properly or to buy basic medicines. Others are unable to afford the cost of transportation to a medical centre because of the ongoing fuel crisis.

“Vaccination is a simple solution that would save lives, but the international community is failing the people of Yemen who need doses now. We need the vaccines that have been promised but it is also shameful that having bought up all the vaccines for themselves, rich countries like the UK and Germany are blocking the solutions that would see the rights and recipes of these lifesaving vaccines shared so that more can be produced for countries like Yemen. Protecting lives should be more important than protecting the outsized profits of pharmaceutical corporations who have already made billions from this crisis.”

Over four million Yemenis have been displaced during the conflict with around two million living in Marib, currently the site of fierce fighting. Conditions in the camps are dire, many people have no access to clean water, sanitation facilities or healthcare.

According to the UN two out of three Yemenis lack access to healthcare services. Seven years on from the start of the conflict, only an estimated half of healthcare facilities are still operating. An estimated 20 million Yemenis need healthcare assistance including 5.9 million children. Sources report that Yemen’s doctors in public hospitals have been working unpaid with some sleeping in hospitals and clinics as they cannot afford accommodation.

This year the UN requested donor countries to provide $3.9 billion for essential humanitarian aid – so far less than half has been donated with healthcare only receiving 11 per cent of the funds it needs.

– 30 –

Notes to editors:

COVID-19 STATS:

• Number of cases of COVID August 2020 – September 19, 2021 = 1260
• Number of cases of COVID July 2020 – August 19, 2021 = 420
• Number of deaths due to COVID August 2020 – September 19, 2021 = 229
• Number of deaths due to COVID July 2020 – August 19, 2021 = 44
• Source – Johns Hopkins University
• Vaccine supply raw data from Airfinity, Vaccination raw data from Our World in Data (All vaccine data from 20.09.21).

• Source for Covax vaccine supply stats:  https://www.who.int/news/item/08-09-2021-joint-covax-statement-on-supply-forecast-for-2021-and-early-2022
• The IRG government in the South of Yemen closed schools last week (w/c 13 September).
• Latest key figures on IDPs https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-unhcr-operational-update-covering-period-24-august-3-september-2021
• COVAX = COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization.
• Yemen healthcare needs: https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-response-plan-2021-march-2021-enar
• Broadcast quality B roll of the camp and crowded local markets is available upon request.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

400,000 people in Gaza do not have access to regular water supply after 11 days of bombardment devastated electricity and water services and severely impacted the three main desalination plants in Gaza city, Oxfam warned today.

Oxfam Country Director in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, Shane Stevenson said: “Every one of the 2.1 million people living in the Gaza strip has been affected by Israel’s bombing that took 240 lives, destroyed or damaged 258 buildings containing nearly 1,042 homes and commercial offices, and devastated vital public services.”

Around 100,000 Palestinians were displaced by the bombing and are attempting to return home. Even if their homes are still standing, life for them will not be normal.

“Gaza is largely dependent upon fuel for its electricity, including to pump clean water from wells into homes. With the disruption in the supply causing a shortage of fuel, hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza will soon have no access to basic hygiene,” Stevenson said.

“Electricity cuts and the destruction of office buildings have forced many small businesses to come to a halt. Israel’s authorities have stopped the bombing but are now restricting fuel deliveries. They have also closed most of the Gaza fishing zone, meaning nearly 3600 fishermen have now lost their daily income and food”.

“Water is doubly important, during this critical phase of the Coronavirus pandemic, to help people limit the spread of COVID-19. Six hospitals and 11 clinics have also been damaged including the only COVID-19 laboratory in Gaza,” he said.

Gaza and the West Bank have already seen more than 330,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 3,700 people have died due to the virus.

Even before the recent hostilities, the average daily consumption of water was just 88 liters per capita — far below the global minimum requirement of 100 liters. Oxfam is already working with partners to provide people with immediate lifesaving clean water, hygiene kits and cash to help people buy food and their essentials, and to restore destroyed water systems. The agency aims to reach an additional 282,000 people and needs $4.4 million (CAD) to ramp up its humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

“Meeting people’s immediate humanitarian needs is critical now. But Gaza cannot rebuild without addressing the root causes of the conflict. The cycle of war means any humanitarian effort now could be lost again tomorrow. The international community must ensure concrete political action to bring an end to the occupation and the ongoing blockade of the Gaza Strip,” Stevenson added.

– 30 –

 Notes to the Editor :

• The World Health Organization has set the minimum requirement for daily per capita water consumption at 100 liters. This amount should cover basic domestic needs such as drinking, bathing, cooking, and washing. In Gaza, average daily per capita consumption is only 88  liters; in Israel, by comparison, it is more than 200.
• Figures on impacted hospitals were reported in OCHA Flash Report #9, May 19
• The COVID-19 laboratory has now resumed working as per OCHA Flash Report # 11 on May 21.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Country Director in Yemen, said: “Around 50,000 Yemenis are already facing starvation. This designation is devastating for them and for the millions more who rely on food aid.  The tragic fact is that people will die if food imports are disrupted.

“We desperately need the US to immediately reverse this decision in order to avert catastrophe. Yemen imports 88 per cent of its food supply but food importers have told us that the designation means they can no longer operate.  I’ve also been told by a major grain importer that there is less than one month’s supply in their warehouse.  People need food – if it can’t be brought into the country how can they eat?”

The United States government’s designation of Ansar Allah means that Oxfam has been forced to immediately pause its support to up to 245,000 people due to restrictions on contributions from private donors in the United States. The flow of remittances – a vital source of income for food insecure people across the country – will also be severely impacted.

Oxfam warned that the effects of this decision will not be confined to the areas controlled by Ansar Allah only and will affect the country as a whole. Oxfam is calling on the US government to reverse both group designations of Ansar Allah, the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation and the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation. While all sides of the conflict have committed violations of international law and unacceptable violent attacks against civilians, the designation will not provide justice or accountability to any of their victims. It will only compound the suffering of Yemen’s most vulnerable people.

Siddiquey explained: “Importers have told us they are worried that banks will no longer be able to do business with them. In any case, over 58 per cent of Yemen’s grain is imported through two ports in Houthi controlled territory, Hodeida and Saleef.   Even if ships could divert to government-controlled Aden, the port simply could not cope with the extra cargoes. Food supplies would be drastically reduced and, most importantly, prices would skyrocket.

“It is an ongoing, unforgivable tragedy that people in Yemen are suffering from malnutrition and lack of water in plain sight of the whole world. Yemenis deserve to live in a country without conflict where their children have a future.”

The US government designation is coming at the worst possible time for Yemeni people.  After six years of deadly conflict, aid to Yemen has already been cut by half with only 50 per cent of the US$3.38 billion needed received by the end of December 2020.

– 30 –

Notes to Editors:

• Spokespeople are available in Yemen.
• Figures for food imports to Yemen are here: https://www.acaps.org/sites/acaps/files/products/files/20201216_acaps_yemen_analysis_hub_food_supply_chain.pdf
• Aid relief information and update – https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-humanitarian-update-issue-12-december-2020
• Figures for numbers facing starvation and reliant on food aid taken from here – https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-mark-35

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Notes to editors:

The G20 heads of state are due to meet virtually later this week at a summit hosted by Saudi Arabia. Arms sales to the Gulf nation could come under fresh scrutiny as the US president-elect, Joe Biden, is on the record as saying he would stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia that fuel the war in Yemen.

After five years of conflict, Yemen was already suffering the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis with 10 million people going hungry, the largest cholera outbreak on record and only half of hospitals fully functioning. Oxfam reported in August that there has been one air raid every 10 days on hospitals, clinics, wells and water tanks throughout the war.

The arrival of coronavirus has only worsened these dire circumstances. And yet the United Nations’ response plan to get clean water, food and medical care to the most vulnerable, is only 44 per cent funded this year.

Saudi Arabia’s decision to lead a coalition of eight countries in support of the internationally recognized government in Yemen escalated the conflict and has been responsible for all air raids over more than five years. When arms exports by G20 nations to other members of this coalition are included, the figure of $17bn rises to at least US$31.4bn between 2015 and 2019, the last year for which records are available. That’s more than five times the amount those member nations of the G20 have given in aid to Yemen between 2015 and 2020. In addition, Saudi Arabia has given $3.8bn in aid.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said: “Having suffered years of death, displacement and disease, the people of Yemen need these powerful members of the international community to bring all parties to the conflict together to agree to an immediate countrywide ceasefire and return to negotiations committed to achieving a lasting peace.

“Making billions from arms exports which fuel the conflict while providing a small fraction of that in aid to Yemen is both immoral and incoherent. The world’s wealthiest nations cannot continue to put profits above the Yemeni people.”

Despite a unilateral ceasefire declaration by the Saudi coalition in April, fighting continues across the country. The governorates of Marib and Al-Jawf in the north of the country are the worst-hit by airstrikes while the governorate of Taiz in central Yemen is seeing the worst ground fighting. There’s been a recent upsurge in fighting in the key port city of Hudaydah, the most important point of entry for the food, fuel and medicines needed for 20 million Yemenis in the northern governorates to prevent famine and a recurrence of a cholera epidemic.

Some G20 nations, including the US and UK, give a small fraction in aid compared to the worth of exports by their domestic arms companies to Saudi Arabia. Some, like Japan, have given aid to Yemen but have not exported arms to Saudi Arabia in the last five years. Other countries, like Argentina, have neither given aid nor exported arms to Saudi.

Ibtisam Sageer Al Razehi, a 35-year-old former teacher and mother of three, lives with her children in the remains of the family house in Sa’ada city which was damaged by missiles and artillery fire. Her husband was killed by an airstrike in 2015.

“I lost my husband, my children lost their father, we lost the breadwinner and because of war I also lost my salary as our last hope for living,” she said.

“Humanitarian aid has decreased a lot; now we receive food every two months instead of every month. I appeal to the world to have mercy on the children of Yemen and stop this war. We are very tired of living in war for years, we lost everything beautiful in our lives, even the simple hope of peace.’’

– 30 –

Notes to editors:

• Data on the worth of arms exports to Saudi Arabia and other coalition countries has been taken from SIPRI’s Arms Transfers Database. It includes exports between 2015 and 2019 inclusive.
• Data on the amount of aid donated to Yemen comes from the UN OCHA Financial Tracking Service

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Medical and water infrastructure in Yemen has been hit during air raids almost 200 times since the conflict escalated more than five years ago, Oxfam said today, as the country continued to battle its outbreak of COVID-19.

That’s equivalent to one air raid every 10 days during the conflict affecting hospitals, clinics, ambulances, water drills, tanks and trucks, according to an Oxfam analysis of information on airstrikes collected by the Yemen Data Project.

Arms exporting countries have profited from the sale of billions of dollars-worth of munitions to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners throughout the course of more than five years of war in Yemen, despite knowing that some of these arms could be used in violation of international humanitarian law. The conflict escalated in March 2015 when a Saudi-led coalition backed the internationally recognized government against the Houthis

Yemen reported its first case of the coronavirus in April. As of August 12, there are 1,845 cases and 529 deaths from COVID confirmed but its thought the true number of people affected is much higher than this.

Yemen’s medical facilities have been decimated by more than five years of war, with only half fully functional. The United Nations estimates that 20.5 million people – two thirds of the population – need help to get clean water. Oxfam warned last month that thousands of people could be dying from undetected cases of cholera because COVID-19 has overwhelmed the country’s remaining health facilities.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said: “Vital infrastructure like hospitals, clinics, water tanks and wells have consistently been in the cross hairs throughout this conflict. Their damage and destruction make Yemen even more vulnerable to diseases like COVID and cholera.

“Lives aren’t just lost when the bombs fall but also during the weeks, months or years it takes for hospitals and wells to be rebuilt.

“The international community cannot continue to turn a blind eye to Yemen’s suffering which is being fuelled by arms sales.”

The Civilian Impact Monitoring Project (CIMP), which collects reports of all incidents of armed violence with a direct civilian impact, has recorded 115 occasions when medical or water facilities have been hit in the last two and a half years. This includes airstrikes, shelling and small arms fire with 102 civilians dead and 185 injured due to these incidents.

CIMP received reports of airstrikes on three quarantine centres – one in Saleef district of Hudaydah governorate in late March and two in Al Maljim district of Bayda governorate in early April.

So much damage has been done to civilian infrastructure, rebuilding it is likely to cost tens of billions of dollars. The UNDP has cited a 2016 damage and needs assessment which estimated the cost of damage to physical infrastructure in Yemen to be between USD $4 to $5 billion, including $79 to $97 million to water, sanitation and hygiene.

Since the confirmation of cases of coronavirus in Yemen in April, Oxfam has refocused its work to respond to the pandemic. We are working on rehabilitating the water supply to one of the main hospitals in Aden, distributing hygiene kits for the most vulnerable households, and trucking in clean water to camps for people who have had to flee their homes. Across Yemen, we’re training community health volunteers to spread the word about coronavirus and the importance of hygiene and hand washing.

– 30 –

Notes to editors:

• The Yemen Data Project recorded 86 air raids on medical facilities and 107 on water tanks, trucks, drills and dams between March 26, 2015 and June 30, 2020.
• CIMP recorded 115 incidents involving medical or water infrastructure between January 1, 2018 and July 31, 2020.
• The UNDP report into the economic cost of the war is available here.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

“While we welcome the renewal of the resolution to allow cross-border aid, we are very concerned that the reduced crossing will limit the provision of clean water, food, shelter and healthcare on which millions of Syrians rely.

“Increasing COVID-19 cases in Syria are adding to what was already a desperate situation.

“It is now vital that the Government of Syria facilitates access and allows more agencies operating from Damascus to increase their humanitarian response for communities who rely on cross-border aid. Donors must ensure that funding is immediately available to get aid to the northeast, through all means possible.”

We urge all actors to protect civilians, exercise restraint and prevent the further escalation of conflict. Parties to the conflict must ensure full adherence to international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians. The Government must uphold the human rights of all civilians within Rakhine and Chin States.

We see first-hand the impact months of escalating fighting in Rakhine and Chin States is having on populations living in these areas. These latest operations will likely cause greater hunger, displacement and human suffering at a time when populations are dealing with COVID-19 and heavy rains from the monsoon season. Many children are at risk due to fighting and unable to attend school. Further, given that many farmers are now displaced during planting season, the recent escalation of fighting is further likely to negatively impact the long-term food security and livelihoods of impacted communities. Humanitarian access is already extremely limited and assistance is simply not able to reach many of the most impacted communities.

We call for unfettered access for humanitarian actors and their partners so that they can independently assess needs and provide comprehensive assistance and protection to affected communities. Unfettered access to all areas of Rakhine and Chin States for independent third parties, including journalists and human rights observers, should also be granted as soon as possible.

Many INGOs are working in Rakhine and Chin, often in partnership with national and local organizations, to provide humanitarian relief and development assistance and deliver aid based only on need. We abide by the regulations administered by the Government of Myanmar in relation to the provision of assistance, and coordinate with Union and State Governments as well as civil society and local communities most affected by the conflict. We adhere to humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality and impartiality.

We reiterate our earlier message to all parties to conflict to heed the call by the UN Secretary-General for a global ceasefire, extending to all parts of Myanmar without exceptions, to enable the protection of civilians and support efforts to prevent and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to evolve in Myanmar.

Signatories: Action Aid Myanmar, Action Contre La Faim, Arche Nova, CARE International, Christian Aid, Danish Refugee Council, Humanity and Inclusion, International Rescue Committee, Lutheran World Federation, MA-UK, Malteser International, Mercy Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam International, Plan International, Relief International, Save the Children, Solidarités International, World Vision.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Recent funding gaps and other challenges in Yemen will put an additional estimated 5.5 million people in the war-torn country at risk of losing access to life-saving aid, such as food, cash and clean water this year, 24 international humanitarian NGOs said ahead of the Virtual Yemen Pledging Conference.

With Covid-19 spreading rapidly in the country, the withdrawal of donor funds from the largest humanitarian crisis in the world will cost lives, these organizations warned.

The Pledging Conference is a donor event and an opportunity for aid agencies to ask donors for funds to cover essential activities in Yemen.

Ahead of the event, which is taking place today, a survey was conducted among INGOs working in Yemen to assess the impact on Yemeni civilians if funding shortfalls persist.

The nine NGOs, which responded to the survey, expect a combined drop in funding of $82.5 million compared to 2019, including a sharp reduction in the means to support the already collapsing health sector – affecting an estimated total of 5.5 million people.

This number gives us an indication of what the funding shortfall would mean for the wider humanitarian response but the impact on the sector is thought to be even higher with millions more likely to lose out.

It could reduce health services such as mobile clinics as well as the organizations’ ability to provide community water systems, threatening a spike in cholera and the fight against the spread of Covid-19.

This will also push vulnerable communities closer to starvation when already 8.5 million people are having their food aid halved in the midst of lockdowns and job losses. Almost 1.5 million families in Yemen depend on food assistance to survive, many of whom have already been impacted by the scale-down of the World Food Program’s (WFP) monthly food distributions. Without an urgent injection of funds some organizations will be forced to stop all support for agriculture and livelihoods across the country. Currently, 20.1 million people in Yemen are in need of food assistance, and half of all families are buying food on credit.

Ensuring the supply of necessary goods in Yemen is logistically challenging and access issues have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 outbreak – owing to quarantine measures required in seaports, humanitarian supplies through Hodeidah and Aden have been cut by two thirds.

The undersigned NGOs warned that the impact of the current funding gaps, along with the ongoing violence and the effect of Covid-19 preventive measures, will be disastrous for Yemeni children and their families.

“This conference is a critical opportunity to save thousands of lives and turn things around, but we need to act now,” said the organisations.

“The largest humanitarian crisis in the world is now compounded by an unprecedented pandemic. Donors must increase their funding for humanitarian response in Yemen, with priority given to critical life-saving aid, such as food and cash, health services, water, sanitation and hygiene awareness and protection. If funding is critical, peace is the only way to guarantee Yemen’s future. We call on all governments at the conference to apply pressure on warring parties to implement a nationwide ceasefire immediately and restore peace talks.”

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Notes to Editors:

• *In the lead-up to the Yemen pledging conference, a rapid survey was conducted among operational INGOs managing humanitarian programs across Yemen in order to demonstrate the likely negative outcomes for the Yemeni people if funding shortfalls persist and donors continue to withhold assistance. Nine agencies responded, helping to provide an indication of the funding challenges affecting the wider NGO community.
• Signatory agencies include:

1. ACTED
2. Action Contre la Faim (ACF)
3. ADRA
4. CARE
5. Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
6. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
7. Global Communities
8. Human Appeal
9. International Rescue Committee (IRC)
10. INTERSOS
11. Islamic Relief
12. Médecins du Monde (MdM)
13. Mercy Corps
14. Muslim Hands
15. Norwegian Refuge Council (NRC)
16. Oxfam
17. Polish Humanitarian Action (PHA)
18. Première Urgence- Aide Médicale Internationale (PU-AMI)
19. Relief International
20. Save the Children
21. Search for Common Ground
22. Solidarites
23. War Child UK
24. ZOA

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

Money transfer providers in six governorates across Yemen told Oxfam they have seen the number of remittances drop by as much as 80 per cent between January and April this year as Yemenis working in Gulf states, the UK and the US saw their incomes plummet due to lockdowns and social distancing.

The World Bank estimates that one in 10 people in Yemen wholly rely on money transfers to meet their basic needs. Remittances to Yemen in 2019 totalled $3.8 billion – 13 per cent of GDP.

One service provider in Sa’ada said the number of remittances his business had received this year had dropped from 2,500 in January to barely 100 in March and April – a reduction of 96 per cent. He estimated that up to 30,000 people were dependent on this money.

At the same time, suspected cases of COVID-19 have surged, especially in the country’s southern city of Aden. There have been more than 250 confirmed cases across 10 governorates with 49 deaths. It is likely the truer number is much higher as testing facilities are limited and half the country’s health facilities were already out of service before the virus hit.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said: “COVID-19 is already exacting a terrifying toll on Yemenis; both those suffering directly from the virus and the millions of people hit by the economic fall-out from the pandemic.

“All of this comes on top of more than five years of war which have created a huge humanitarian crisis, hunger, disease and a decimated health system. Without the safety net of remittances, more Yemenis may be forced to rely on aid as a lifeline. Although the world is reeling from the virus, the international community needs to make sure that life-saving aid continues to flow to those most in need.”

The vast majority of Yemeni migrants reside and work in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Most are not covered by those states’ economic initiatives to protect jobs and businesses so have faced the loss of their income as well as continued living expenses.

Abu Ameer, who fled fighting near his home in Haradh to Sana’a three years ago, had been relying on money transfers from his son in Saudi Arabia as the only income for his family of seven, but his son had to stop working in April due to the lockdown. Ameer said, “Since then, I purchase food on credit from the grocery and have two months overdue rent. I hope my son will be able to work and send money soon to pay what we owe and feel secure again.’’

Remittances are an important source of foreign currency, helping to stabilize Yemen’s hard-hit economy. Yemen’s Central Bank is the main funding body for imports, which the country relies on for basic supplies including oil, food and medicine. The Yemeni Rial experienced a sharp depreciation in 2018, which pushed up the cost of food and fuel. The decline in remittances is expected to trigger another wave of depreciation as the country’s foreign currency reserves dwindle.

The UN is requesting $2 billion at the virtual online pledging conference to fund its work in Yemen until the end of 2020. Without securing funding, vital aid programs could be closed down within weeks. Oxfam is urging donors to continue to fund life-saving aid and critical work to respond to COVID-19.

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Notes to Editors:

• Oxfam International’s Executive Director, Jose Maria Vera, will be addressing the virtual pledging conference on behalf of international NGOs working in Yemen. It is due to begin at 8am EST on June 2.
• World Bank data on remittances to Yemen is available here.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Paula Baker
Media Relations
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

The north is at greatest risk because of the scarcity of water in the area. The five governorates of Sana’a, Hajjah, Hudaydah, Taiz and Dhamar have consistently reported high rates of cholera since 2017.

More than 56,000 suspected cases have already been recorded in the first seven weeks of 2020, roughly equal to the same period last year. The number of cases of cholera in 2019 was the second largest ever recorded in a country in a single year, surpassed only by the numbers in Yemen in 2017.

At over 860,000 suspected cases, the total in 2019 is more than two and a half times the size of the third largest number in a single country in one year. In 2017 in Yemen there were over a million cases.

Yemen’s cholera outbreak began in April 2017 and quickly spiralled out of control with more than 360,000 cases recorded in the first three months. Although the rate of new infections had slowed a year later, the number of suspected cases began to rise again in early 2019.

The prolonged, consistent nature of new cases over the last 14 months shows the disease is still rampant in Yemen.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said: “’The outlook is bleak for people in Yemen with cholera continuing at similar levels to last year and the rainy season likely to see thousands more people infected.

“This is a health crisis hiding in plain sight. It’s shocking that this ongoing crisis is getting so little attention.

“A lack of clean water and food has left many people weak and vulnerable to disease, and yet aid agencies are struggling to reach those most in need because of access constraints imposed by all sides.

“We need urgent action from the international community to ensure safe, secure and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid and to bring the parties together to agree a nationwide ceasefire.”

The number of deaths from cholera in 2019 dropped to 1025 – less than half the number of fatalities in 2017. But efforts to definitively beat the disease have been massively undermined by the war, which has decimated health, water and sanitation systems.

Medical supplies are in chronically short supply and only around half the health facilities in Yemen are fully functioning. Fluctuating exchange rates have pushed up the price of diesel, in turn increasing the price of trucking clean water to parts of the country where groundwater is unavailable. More than 17 million people struggle to get clean water.

Siddiquey said: “The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is entirely man made and those who continue to arm all sides in this war bear responsibility for its devastating consequences.”

Since the escalation of the conflict in Yemen in 2015, Oxfam has provided clean water and sanitation to more than one million people, including in hard-to-reach areas of the country, through providing water by truck, repairing water systems, delivering filters and jerry cans, as well as building latrines and organizing cleaning campaigns.

-30-

Notes to Editors:

• Statistics for suspected cholera cases and deaths from 2017 to 2020 are available from the World Health Organization here
• Figures on previous cholera outbreaks have been taken from the World Health Organisation’s Global Health Observatory data repository here
• The total number of cases in Yemen between January 2017 and December 2019 was 2,253,488.
• The third largest outbreak in a single year was in Haiti in 2011 when 340,311 cases were recorded.

For more information:

Paula Baker
Oxfam Canada
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

In the past five days alone, 142,000 people have fled their homes, bringing the total number of people displaced – most of them women and children – to over 800,000 since December. This is the single largest displacement of people in such a short period since the conflict started in Syria in 2011.

Canada’s leading aid agencies are calling on the Government of Canada to exercise available diplomatic channels to encourage parties to reach and respect a ceasefire, refrain from using explosive weapons in populated areas, uphold humanitarian law and secure humanitarian access, to ensure displaced populations are able to access vital aid.

The humanitarian situation is dire. According to UNICEF, more than 6,500 children have been forced to flee their homes every day over the last week. In addition to the increased violence in recent weeks, 2.8 million residents in northwest Syria are already in need of some kind of humanitarian assistance.

Most of the people displaced in northwest Syria have been displaced multiple times before, with each new displacement introducing new risks, exhausting coping mechanism, and intensifying existing vulnerabilities, like mental health issues.

The brutal winter weather is making this situation increasingly urgent. People fleeing do not possess adequate clothing and supplies to protect themselves. Displacement camps reportedly do not have the capacity to host any new arrivals and require both access for humanitarian actors and increased resources.

Women and girls are particularly vulnerable as the lack of shelter options and the sub-standard living conditions in areas of displacement places them at increased risk of sexual and gender-based violence. With people settling in overcrowded and unsafe areas, needs related to shelter, protection, food, water, hygiene and health are urgent priorities.

In addition to civilians themselves, civilian infrastructure is also under attack, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, schools, health centres and hospitals being heavily impacted. The UN Security Council must continue to emphasize the need for restraint and the importance of protecting civilians and facilitating uninterrupted humanitarian access.

The international community must condemn this ongoing violence and commit to holding those responsible for violating International Humanitarian Law to account. After nine long years of suffering for Syrian civilians, a peaceful solution to this conflict is urgently needed. We call on the Government of Canada to condemn the violence in northwest Syria and help ensure a ceasefire.

Signed by:

• Save the Children Canada
• World Vision Canada
• CARE Canada
• Oxfam Canada
• Oxfam Quebec
• Islamic Relief
• Humanity and Inclusion
• Canadian Lutheran World Relief
• Canadian Foodgrains Bank
• Mennonite Central Committee

For more information:
Paula Baker
Oxfam Canada
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047
paula.baker@oxfam.org

“We have had to suspend work in three locations where we were delivering cash aid to people in need of help. If we have to continue the suspension for a few weeks more, 100,000 of the most vulnerable people will be affected,” Oxfam Iraq Country Director Andres Gonzalez Rodriguez said.

“Oxfam is one of the few international agencies working in hard-to-reach areas affected by the latest conflict. As far as possible, we will try to keep our humanitarian work going with our partners around the country. However, we have had to relocate some staff and we are keeping all our staff, partners and work under close observation due to the heightened security concerns.”

Oxfam runs 26 humanitarian and development programs in five governorates in Iraq, specializing in water and sanitation, emergency food, cash and gender programs and protection work. Oxfam and its partners reach over a million people in Iraq with this aid.

Oxfam has closed its offices, including in Irbil, and asked staff to work from their homes and avoid travel.

“The Oxfam office in Irbil is just three kilometres away from where the missile hit the airport.  Staff heard the rockets overhead and some saw the impact. Staff in our Ramadi office saw the missile passing over Ramadi city before it hit the Ain al-Asad military base,” added Gonzalez Rodriguez.

“All parties to this conflict are obliged to work hard to de-escalate the crisis and to build peace in order to spare the Middle East region further humanitarian suffering. People who have already suffered decades of war and deprivation will bear the brunt of further conflict and cannot endure another blow. The impacts of another regional conflict on tens of millions of civilians in the Middle East and beyond will be catastrophic and push an over-burdened humanitarian system to breaking point.”

In the Middle East and North Africa over 18 million people have already been forced from their homes due to violence and persecution – over a quarter of all the displaced people in the world.  Iran hosts nearly a million refugees from Afghanistan – a war which began nearly two decades ago and shows little sign of abating.

Oxfam Canada urges all parties involved to show restraint, to respect humanitarian law and allow unfettered humanitarian access to those in need, regardless of perceived affiliations. Now is the time for cooler heads to prevail and the work of de-escalation to begin.

“International law imposes a clear obligation on states to protect the lives and safety of civilians,” Noah Gottschalk, Oxfam America Humanitarian Policy Lead said. “The international community must speak up boldly in defense of these fundamental principles and remind our leaders that it is their responsibility to prevent further human suffering. We hope that in these tense days, leaders recognize that saving lives is more important than saving face.”

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Notes to editor: