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.  

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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.

The project will be implemented by Oxfam Canada in partnership with Oxfam in Myanmar and three local women’s rights organizations in the country. It contributes to the Government of Canada’s strategy to respond to the Rohingya and Myanmar crises announced on June 20. The strategy aims to support communities in transitioning from crisis-response to advancing durable solutions in Myanmar in order to address the medium and longer-term needs of refugees and other crisis-affected populations.

“Conflict, growing inequality and escalating humanitarian needs require us think differently about how we work with communities to uphold their rights. By challenging harmful social norms and women’s exclusion from decision making spaces, this innovative new project will not only advance the rights of women and girls, but also contribute to peaceful coexistence of communities in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, ” said Lauren Ravon, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director.

Women and adolescent girls in project communities, particularly in Rakhine State, will be supported to participate and take on  leadership roles in governance structures within their communities, all while promoting more positive attitudes and behaviours towards women’s rights and peaceful co-existence. The project will improve access to essential services and resources, such as livelihoods and business support training, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) support services. Local women’s rights organizations will strengthen their capacity to advocate for the inclusion of diverse women and marginalized groups in decision making spaces on peace, recovery and development.

Over its five year duration, Women Leading Durable Solutions (WLDS) will place particular emphasis on working with vulnerable rights holders, particularly adolescent girls and women and from underrepresented groups. WLDS will strengthen positive relationships, understanding and trust by integrating efforts to combat racism, exclusion and discrimination towards those with intersecting identity markers such as gender, religious, ethnic, sexual orientation, disability and income. The project employs a three-pronged approach to advance women’s empowerment by integrating humanitarian assistance, long-term development and peace and security to meet women’s needs, mitigate their vulnerabilities and address the underlying drivers of conflict.

“Thanks to the support of Global Affairs Canada, Oxfam and our partners have an opportunity to test out new approaches to integrating humanitarian assistance, long-term development and peacebuilding while opening space for women as agents of change,” Ravon said.

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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

Elena Sosa Lerín
Communications Officer
Oxfam Canada
(613) 240-3047
elena.sosa.lerin@oxfam.org

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, made the announcement at the Canada’s Together for Learning Summit: Engaging Displaced Youth to Transform Education. The project is part of the Government of Canada’s $67.2 million in development assistance funding to support education for children and youth experiencing forced displacement around the world.

Starting in 2022, Geared for Success will work to give community-based organizations led by refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDP), technical and financial support, including training and supporting gender-responsive education programming.

Geared for Success will place particular emphasis on the equitable and inclusive learning outcomes for refugee, IDPs and host communities, particularly adolescent girls and young women aged 15-29, who are not getting the same opportunities for education and making decisions for their own life living in South Sudan and Uganda.

“It is inspiring to be part of this initiative that transforms gender relations by addressing gender-specific barriers that limit girls’ access to education. Oxfam Canada will work closely with local organizations to address harmful norms, practices and stereotypes that prevent girls from staying in school,” said Lauren Ravon, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director.

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Notes to Editors:

• ‘Together for Learning’ is an international campaign, which promotes quality education and lifelong learning for children and youth that are refugees; forcibly displaced from their home region, due to violence, natural disasters or other external causes; living in host communities where refugees or displaced people are staying.

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.’’

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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

Heavy rains have swollen river basins in north Bangladesh, leading to severe flooding, submerging towns and destroying homes and crops in a region already suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic, Oxfam said today.

The floods, which are predicted to peak this weekend (July 18 and 19), have already claimed eight lives and affected 2.2 million people, only two months after the region was hit by Cyclone Amphan, the strongest storm in a decade. Heavy monsoon rains have also caused damage and are limiting the movement of vulnerable people in the over-crowded Cox’s Bazar refugee camps.

Vincent Koch, Humanitarian Director, Oxfam in Bangladesh said: “Bangladesh is already facing multiple crises with Covid-19 and its economic fallout, making these floods even more deadly.”

“People in low-lying areas are at risk of water-borne illnesses caused by the floods which in turn makes them more vulnerable to contracting Covid-19. These communities have already lost savings or vital remittances because of lockdown and have no support to fall back on.”

The floods began in late June and the situation has deteriorated in the last week as major rivers have risen above danger levels.

The Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, home to almost a million Rohingya refugees, have been spared the worst of the flooding, but heavy monsoon rains have damaged shelters and increased the possibility of landslides as the camps are built on steep hillsides.

Koch said: “Refugees in the camps have described a ‘crisis for dry space’, with wet mud encroaching into shelters leaving no dry areas to sleep.  The bamboo bridges and pathways that criss-cross the camps have become more precarious making it more difficult for the elderly and people with disabilities to get around.”

In communities in the north affected by the floods, Oxfam and its partners are preparing to provide clean water and sanitation services and shelter. In the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps, Oxfam continues to provide water and sanitation and repair rain-damaged infrastructure.

Koch said: “Increases in rainfall, building on the rivers and a changing climate have increased the frequency of floods in South Asia over the last 20 years. Extreme weather events now are happening multiple times a year, giving communities no time to recover before the next flood. Char and flood-vulnerable communities need information, both about heavy rain forecasts and upcoming flooding. But this information is often inaccessible to the most marginalized and vulnerable communities.”

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Notes to editors:

• In Cox’s Bazar, Oxfam is helping contain coronavirus by providing water and sanitation and increasing hygiene awareness to 173,000 people in the Rohingya refugee camps and 9,000 people in the surrounding community.
• To help communities better prepare for flooding, Oxfam and its partners are working to improve early warning systems through facilitating the dissemination of information about floods from water infrastructure managers and from disaster risk reduction agencies.

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.”

As many as 12,000 people could die per day by the end of the year as a result of hunger linked to COVID-19, potentially more than could die from the disease, warned Oxfam in a new briefing published today. The global observed daily mortality rate for COVID-19 reached its highest recorded point in April 2020 at just over 10,000 deaths per day.

‘The Hunger Virus’ reveals how 121 million more people could be pushed to the brink of starvation this year as a result of the social and economic fallout from the pandemic including through mass unemployment, disruption to food production and supplies, and declining aid.

Oxfam’s Interim Executive Director Chema Vera said, “COVID-19 is the last straw for millions of people already struggling with the impacts of conflict, climate change, inequality and a broken food system that has impoverished millions of food producers and workers. Meanwhile, those at the top are continuing to make a profit: eight of the biggest food and drink companies paid out over $18 billion to shareholders since January even as the pandemic was spreading across the globe – 10 times more than the UN says is needed to stop people going hungry.”

The briefing reveals the world’s 10 worst hunger hotspots, places such as Venezuela and South Sudan where the food crisis is most severe and getting worse as a result of the pandemic. It also highlights emerging epicentres of hunger – middle income countries such as India, South Africa, and Brazil – where millions of people who were barely managing have been tipped over the edge by the pandemic. For example:

• Yemen: Remittances dropped by 80 per cent – or $253 million – in the first four months of 2020 as a result of mass job losses across the Gulf. Borders and supply route closures have led to food shortages and food price spikes in the country which imports 90 per cent of its food.
• Brazil: Millions of poor workers, with little in the way of savings or benefits to fall back on, lost their incomes as a result of lockdown. Only 10 per cent of the financial support promised by the federal government had been distributed by late June with big business favoured over workers and smaller more vulnerable companies.
• India: Travel restrictions left farmers without vital migrant labour at the peak of the harvest season, forcing many to leave their crops in the field to rot. Traders have also been unable to reach tribal communities during the peak harvest season for forest products, depriving up to 100 million people of their main source of income for the year.
• Sahel: Restrictions on movement have prevented herders from driving their livestock to greener pastures for feeding, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people. Just 26 per cent of the $2.8 billion needed to respond to COVID-19 in the region has been pledged.

Women, and women-headed households are more likely to go hungry despite the crucial role they play as food producers and workers. Women are already vulnerable because of systemic discrimination that sees them earn less and own fewer assets than men. They make up a large proportion of groups, such as informal workers, that have been hit hard by the economic fallout of the pandemic, and have also borne the brunt of a dramatic increase in unpaid care work as a result of school closures and family illness.

“Governments must contain the spread of this deadly disease but it is equally vital they take action to stop the pandemic killing as many – if not more – people from hunger,” said Vera.

“Governments can save lives now by fully funding the UN’s COVID-19 appeal, making sure aid gets to those who need it most, and cancelling the debts of developing countries to free up funding for social protection and healthcare. To end this hunger crisis, governments must also build fairer, more robust, and more sustainable food systems that put the interests of food producers and workers before the profits of big food and agribusiness.”

Since the pandemic began, Oxfam has reached 4.5 million of the world’s most vulnerable people with food aid and clean water, working together with over 344 partners across 62 countries. We aim to reach a total of 14 million people by raising a further $113 million to support our programs.

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Notes to editor:

• The Hunger Virus: How the coronavirus is fuelling hunger in a hungry world is available to download.
• Stories, pictures, and video highlighting the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on hunger across the globe are available on request.
• The WFP estimates that the number of people in crisis level hunger − defined as IPC level 3 or above – will increase by approximately 121 million this year as a result of the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic. The estimated daily mortality rate for IPC level 3 and above is 0.5 − 0.99 per 10,000 people, equating to 6,000 − 12,000 deaths per day due to hunger as a result of the pandemic before the end of 2020. The global observed daily mortality rate for COVID-19 reached its highest recorded point in April 2020 at just over 10,000 deaths per day and has ranged from approximately 5,000 to 7,000 deaths per day in the months since then according to data from John Hopkins University. While there can be no certainty about future projections, if there is no significant departure from these observed trends during the rest of the year, and if the WFP estimates for increasing numbers of people experiencing crisis level hunger hold, then it is likely that daily deaths from hunger as a result of the socio-economic impacts of the pandemic will be higher than those from the disease before the end of 2020. It is important to note that there is some overlap between these numbers given that some deaths due to COVID-19 could be linked to malnutrition.
• Oxfam gathered information on dividend payments of eight of the world’s biggest food and beverage companies up to the beginning of July 2020, using a mixture of company, NASDAQ, and Bloomberg websites. Numbers are rounded to the nearest million: Coca-Cola ($3,522M), Danone ($1,348M), General Mills ($594M), Kellogg ($391M), Mondelez ($408M), Nestlé ($8,248M for entire year), PepsiCo ($2,749M) and Unilever (estimated $1,180M). Many of these companies are pursuing efforts to address COVID-19 and/or global hunger.
• The 10 extreme hunger hotspots are: Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Afghanistan, Venezuela, the West African Sahel, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Haiti.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

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

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

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.

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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

Oxfam Philippines Country Director Maria Rosario Felizco said that many of communities impacted were still recovering from the impacts of Typhoon Kammuri (local name: Tisoy) and are in dire need of support: “Oxfam is deeply concerned about the situation of communities hit by Typhoon Phanfone. Many of the communities are still struggling to get back on their feet in the wake of Typhoon Kammuri, which hit earlier this month.”

Oxfam staff member Leah Payud, based in Leyte, where the typhoon made one of its landfalls, described the devastation experienced by her community: “Ursula carved the same path as Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Although weaker, its devastating impacts are widely felt, especially here in Leyte, where houses have been damaged and electric posts toppled. We spent Christmas Day in total darkness.”

Oxfam is working closely with humanitarian organization People’s Disaster Risk Reduction Network (PDRRN) to assess the damage from the storm. Teams immediately visited four towns in Leyte and Eastern Samar, where Oxfam has ongoing projects. According to Esteban Masagca, PDRRN Executive Director, early assessments by staff and volunteers indicate coastal villages urgently need emergency shelter materials, bedding, portable water, and food. Power outages, loss of access to infrastructure such as schools and markets, and severe damage to houses along the shore also loom as serious problems post-disaster.

Masagca said: “Families are urgently requesting emergency shelter-grade materials because the storm completely destroyed their homes along the coast. Families need bedding and mosquito nets, especially as dengue continues to be a major threat in the communities. Portable water is urgently needed since water refilling stations cannot operate because of the ongoing power blackout. Water kits and disinfectants are crucial to prevent water-borne diseases, as many sources of water have been contaminated. It truly saddens us that thousands of families will enter the New Year without food, or even homes.”

Felizco continued: “Families will need support during this time of great need. Oxfam and our partners are working closely with local government and other humanitarian agencies to ensure the immediate needs of survivors are addressed effectively. We will prioritize the needs of women and girls throughout our emergency assessment and response.”

Oxfam has been working in the Philippines for 30 years to address the underlying causes of poverty through its various programs on economic justice, conflict transformation, gender justice, and rights in crisis.

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For media interviews, please contact:

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

Due to the attack, Oxfam has suspended all staff movements and operations in the area and advised staff to stay home.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Country Director in Yemen, said: “Our first priority has to be the safety and wellbeing of our staff, and we are doing all we can to keep them safe. Aid workers should not be a target; it is essential that agencies are able to operate freely, without threats to the safety of staff and property.

“Organizations like Oxfam are a key source of aid for millions of people struggling to survive the conflict in Yemen. Attacks on our operations ultimately hurt the Yemenis who rely on the assistance we provide.”

Oxfam has been working in Al Dhale’e to provide people with equitable and safe access to water and sanitation services, cash assistance and food vouchers, as well as helping to build resilient livelihoods to cope with the impact of the conflict.

The suspension of operations in Al Dhale’e will affect around 1,359 households who would have benefited from cash assistance and 5,000 people who would have benefited from infrastructure projects, as well as 485 people due to undertake vocational training activities.

Oxfam has been working in Yemen since 1983. Since the escalation of the conflict in 2015, we have reached more than 3 million people with life-saving assistance.

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For media interviews, please contact:

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

Oxfam welcomes the real strides which have been taken to include more refugees at the Forum, they have been represented on high-level panels alongside governments, business leaders, and UN agencies. However, this still accounts for only 2 per cent of the total attendance list of nearly 3000 participants.

During the forum, Victoria Nyoka, a refugee from South Sudan living in Uganda said, “The organizers of this forum should have prioritized voices of refugees, particularly those from the grassroots level. While participants have made over 700 pledges, they need to move beyond fine words and put them into practice.”

“At this forum, Oxfam gave up its seats on high level panels and meetings to ensure refugee voices can be heard. In the future, member states should ensure they include refugees at every high-level forum to its delegation,” said Danny Sriskandarajah, the Chief Executive at Oxfam Great Britain.

Member states, private sector foundations and UN agencies have signed a pledge on meaningful refugee participation. This was put forward by refugees from the Global Refugee-led Network which calls for refugees to be included in all decisions affecting their lives. Oxfam calls upon more stakeholders to sign this pledge.

While the Forum has been taking place in Geneva, millions of refugees remain at risk or are stuck in limbo because many countries are still failing to shoulder their fair share of responsibility for protecting people forced from home.

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Notes to editors: 

• The Global Refugee-led Network (GRN) is a network of refugee-led groups in six regions, North America, South America, Europe, Africa, MENA and the Asia Pacific. It is governed by an eighteen-person steering committee, with three representatives from each of the six regions. Steering committee members represent the regional branches of the Network, which work autonomously under the umbrella of the Global Refugee-led Network to shape local, national and regional policies.
• For more information about GRN visit: https://www.globalrefugeelednetwork.org/
• Link to the pledge
• For more details on latest figures and key demands from countries at the forum please check Oxfam’s report “Welcome, Support, Pledge, Resettle”

For media interviews, please contact:

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

Danny Sriskandarajah, the Chief Executive at Oxfam Great Britain said: “Millions of vulnerable refugees are at risk or stuck in limbo because many countries are failing to shoulder their fair share of responsibility for protecting people forced from home. This conference could help to fix some of the most glaring faults in current refugee processes – but only if countries step up by committing to welcome more people, provide more reliable funding, and to fully include refugees in decisions about their futures.”

Devine Caneza, a Burundian refugee who has been living in Uganda since 2015 said: “We must have representatives when decisions are made about us. We are the ones who know very well the situation of our lives and what is needed to help other refugees.”

Oxfam is supporting eight refugees invited into this summit to make sure their voices are heard. Together they are calling for United Nations Member States to do their fair share to offer international protection to people who have been forced to flee their homes, so that they can live in safety and with dignity.

Oxfam says that some progress has been made to meaningfully include refugees in discussions, but more effort is needed to ensure that these experts are not only consulted but directly involved. Oxfam and The Global Refugee Network have called on member states, INGOs and UN agencies to sign a single pledge to meaningfully engage refugees in all processes and decisions which affect them.

Asan Juma Suleiman, a South Sudanese refugee living in Uganda said: “By involving us and hearing our stories in the peace process, refugees like me can help ensure an everlasting peace. We can help to restore hope. To world leaders, my life matters as a human being, not as a refugee.”

In 2016 the leaders of 193 governments committed to the more equitable and predictable sharing of responsibility for refugees as part of the New York Declaration and this promise was reaffirmed by 176 governments last December through the Global Compact on Refugees.

However, despite these commitments, it is still mainly geography that dictates where most refugees end up. Currently around 80% of the world’s 25.9 million refugees and 3.5 million asylum seekers are hosted by predominantly low-and-middle income countries, often for long periods of time – simply because these countries are the immediate neighbours.

Oxfam says that resettlement options are hugely lacking. At present only ten countries offer more than 1,000 resettlement places a year, far more countries must at least rise to this level.

“Our first priority must be to ensure that countries are sharing their responsibilities more fairly to accept refugees through resettlement and other safe legal routes. But we also need to ensure that host countries have long-term and predictable financial support. This is crucial so they can meet the needs of both refugees and their local host communities,” Sriskandarajah said.

Joelle Hangi, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo now living in Kenya, said, “Refugees like me want more support to be able to stand on our own two feet and address our own issues. We’re the one who understand these things better than anyone else. We need access to quality education and to be included in policy debates. Countries need to offer people a hopeful future, those of us who may have experienced real trauma, and who just want to be able to live in safety and with dignity. We want to contribute as productive members of the societies that are offering us a future.”

Oxfam’s key asks for the summit are:

• Member states should live up to their commitments and do more to support refugees and host communities.
• Refugees and refugee-led organisations should be put at the heart of discussions and decisions.
• All countries should step forward to increase their resettlement places.
• States must also put in place the necessary measures to welcome spontaneous arrivals of asylum seekers.
• Governments must meet their aid commitments and ensure long-term, multi-year predictable funding for host countries.

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Notes to the editor:

• Globally there are 70.8 million people who have been forcibly displaced. 25.9 million are refugees, 3.5 million are asylum seekers and 41.3 million are internally displaced.
• Oxfam together with NRC, DRC, IRC and Save the Children have all contributed to the consultation and analysis of the Global Compact for Refugees
• Spokespersons including Danny Sriskandarajah and 8 (refugees) will be available for interviews at the conference.

For media interviews, please contact:

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

Unusually heavy rainfall has hit 29 counties across the country, causing widespread displacement. Areas where Oxfam operates, including Akobo, Pibor and Lankien, have been severely hit. Houses have been destroyed and many areas are submerged and inaccessible. People have lost their crops and livestock and many schools and health clinics have been closed, as they are either flooded or have been converted into relief shelters.

With heavy rains forecast for at least another two weeks, the situation is likely to get much worse before it gets better and the risk of a major outbreak of waterborne diseases including cholera increases by the day.

Sajit Menon, Oxfam humanitarian manager in South Sudan, said: “The scale of these floods is unexpected; at this time of the year in South Sudan the dry season is usually about to start. The cruel fact is that thousands of people in the areas hardest hit by the floods were already going hungry. People who were struggling to survive have had what little they had washed away by this extreme weather.

“People managed to reach safety on high ground but are left with no food and no clean water or sanitation. Disease is as much of a threat as hunger. They also need basic shelter, as their homes have been damaged or completely destroyed. We have witnessed pregnant women carrying their belongings and their older children in their arms, while wading through knee deep mud, with nowhere to go.”

Oxfam is assessing the needs of those worst hit by the floods. In the coming days, together with other agencies, it will start distributing temporary sheeting, soap, buckets and other hygiene items, to over 45,000 people in Lankien, Akobo and Pibor. Oxfam needs $5 million to help the people worst affected.

Menon said: “The flooding is impeding the humanitarian effort. In a country with only 200 km of paved roads delivering aid is always a challenge – but the floods mean we need extra resources to reach those in need. And we must do it fast before it is too late – thousands of lives are at risk. ”

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For more information contact:

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

11 million people relying on water supplied by piped networks and four million people, who depend on water trucked in by private companies, have had to drastically reduce their daily consumption since fuel prices soared in September. In three major cities, Ibb, Dhamar and Al Mahwit, home to around 400,000 people, central water systems have been forced to shut down completely.

Oxfam has had to cut trucked water to thousands of people because of the increase in fuel prices. Piped water systems installed by Oxfam, which supply a quarter of a million people, are running at around 50 per cent capacity.

Access to clean water is a matter of life and death in Yemen, particularly for the more than seven million people already weakened by malnourishment, as water borne diseases are rife. The country has experienced one of the worst cholera outbreaks in recent history. Since April 2017, there have been over two million suspected cases of cholera and over 3700 deaths.

The current fuel crisis is the latest example of the warring parties using the economy as a weapon of war. Fuel supplies have been an ongoing problem in Yemen but escalated dramatically last month following extra restrictions on imports announced by the internationally recognized government. The Houthi authorities are also placing restrictions on imports.

As a result, ships carrying fuel have stopped docking, and prices have shot up due to the lack of supply. In Sana’a a litre of petrol is now almost three times the price it was in August.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said: “This fuel crisis is affecting every area of people’s lives but none more crucial than the lack of clean water. For millions of Yemenis already struggling to survive hunger and disease, clean water is a lifeline that is now being cut.

“This weaponization of the Yemeni economy is yet another cruelty inflicted on the people of Yemen who have been forced to endure four years of conflict.

“All sides need to end the restrictions being imposed on importers so that fuel can once again reach the country unimpeded.”

Fuel is crucial to the supply of clean water in Yemen. Many people depend on groundwater which is brought to the surface by pumps running on solar power and fuel. Others, particularly people who have had to flee their homes and are living in camps, rely on water brought in by trucks which run on diesel.

Yemen was already one of the most water-scarce countries in the world before conflict escalated in 2015. Since then, at least eight water systems installed by Oxfam have been damaged or destroyed in fighting, cutting off water supplies to more than a quarter of a million people.

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For more information contact:

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

Case in point: Canada’s ongoing arms sales to Saudi Arabia, a country engaged in a devastating war on neighbouring Yemen. As the arms industry profits, women in Yemen are paying the price.

Take Soud, for example, who has lost four young children in the war. Her two young daughters (three and four years old) were killed by missiles as they played outside. The attack also left Soud with a physical disability, making it difficult to care for her remaining children. As if such heartbreak was not enough, she later lost her two sons (five and six years old) when they contracted the measles and she was unable to afford a doctor’s care and medicine.

Or take Nada, a single mother of four, who fled with her children when armed conflict gripped her city. They now sleep in the hallway of a school-turned-shelter, on a mattress they all share. She shoulders the weight of caring and providing for her family alone. She articulates what so many women in Yemen feel: “We have nothing; we are not part of this. Yet we bear the burden of this war”

The situation in Yemen is nothing short of horrifying. Violence, rising food prices, the destruction of infrastructure, and a lack of basic services makes daily survival a painful struggle for millions of Yemenis. To date, the war has claimed over 17,000 civilian casualties, forced over 3 million people from their homes, and made 80% of the population reliant on humanitarian aid. It is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis – ever.

And, tragically, there’s no end in sight. Four and a half years since the start of the conflict, violence continues to wreck the country with indiscriminate airstrikes, shelling, and landmines attacks. All fighting parties, including the Saudi-led coalition, are reportedly violating international humanitarian law (IHL) – hitting civilians through attacks on hospitals, marketplaces and schools. The effects of the war in Yemen are devastating, and there is no doubt that weapons are one of the main causes.

The paradox of weapon sales and feminist foreign policy

Canada has a range of policies that, together, outline a feminist approach to foreign policy. The National Action Plan on WPS, the Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada’s Inclusive Approach to Trade, Canada’s Defense Policy, and Canada’s policy on Gender Equality in Humanitarian Action are but a few examples.

To date, the war has claimed over 17,000 civilian casualties, forced over 3 million people from their homes, and made 80% of the population reliant on humanitarian aid. Photo by: Gabreez,Oxfam

Arms exports undermine a feminist agenda in several ways. Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) lays the groundwork for conflict prevention by prioritizing gender equality. This is a smart approach since evidence shows a strong link between gender equality and peace. Indeed, gender equality is a better predictor of peacefulness than a country’s level of democracy, level of wealth or its ethnoreligious makeup. But the FIAP’s preventative efforts won’t be effective if Canada simultaneously sells weapons that fuel wars and harm women.

Wars have detrimental impacts on social and economic development, and gender equality. It is not surprising, then, that the war in Yemen has deepened gender inequality, reversing women’s fragile gains in education and the workforce. It is inefficient for Canada to focus its international assistance spending on women’s rights in Yemen, while selling weapons that result in the suppression of their rights.

Furthermore, there are strong links between unregulated weapon sales and gender-based violence (GBV). For women, the risk of GBV increases with armed conflict due to displacement, the breakdown of social structures, and a collapse of the rule of law. Where weapons are poorly regulated, widely available, and misused, there is almost always an upsurge in gender-based violence. This is certainly the case in Yemen, where GBV has risen by 63 per cent since the conflict broke out in 2015.

Gender and the Arms Trade Treaty

Just last week, Canada formally joined the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) – an international effort to regulate the flow of weapons to countries where they could be used to perpetrate war crimes, genocide and other grave violations of international law.

The ATT even includes a specific article (7.4) requiring countries to consider the risk of arms “being used to commit or facilitate serious acts of gender-based violence or serious acts of violence against women and children.” This is the first legally binding global instrument to recognize and create obligations around the connection between arms transfers and GBV. In this sense, the ATT makes a critical contribution to global efforts to address GBV.

While joining the ATT is an important milestone for Canada, it will regrettably not affect pre-existing arms deals like the one with Saudi Arabia.

Yet, if Canadian arms transfers to Saudi Arabia were assessed according to ATT criteria, the assessment would almost certainly conclude that serious risks exist.

The risk assessment should arguably go beyond examining attacks on women (which in themselves constitute violations of IHL) and look at the wider gendered impact of the use of weapons in Yemen. This is essential to reducing humanitarian harm in conflict, which the ATT was designed to do.

The wider gendered impacts of the armed conflict in Yemen are many; and are obvious in the earlier stories of Soud, Nada, and countless other Yemeni women:

• Women and children are more likely to become internally displaced;
• Women who are injured by blasts can miscarry, or become unable to care for their children due to disability;
• Destruction of infrastructure means women have to walk further to get water – increasing the risk of GBV. It also means they cannot access vital healthcare services, including pre/post-natal services and medical care for their children;
• Women who are not accompanied by a male relative have difficulties accessing aid;
• 1.1 million pregnant and lactating women are acutely malnourished, leading to high rates of maternal and infant mortality.

The way forward: Linking the Arms Control, Women, Peace and Security (WPS), and Sustainable Development Agendas

It is incoherent for Canada to proceed with weapon sales to Saudi Arabia, especially now that Canada has joined the ATT. The next government of Canada must abide by the spirit of the ATT and stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia.

Canada should write compliance with the ATT GBV commitments into its WPS National Action Plan, with departmental WPS focal points contributing to the development of risk assessment processes for Article 7.4 of the Treaty.

Beyond this, it is important to tackle other drivers of the conflict in Yemen, including the fact that the current political process does not address Yemeni civilians’ priorities, concerns, and grievances. While women-led organizations and youth groups continue to mobilize for sustainable peace and an inclusive political process, their voices remain largely marginalized. Canada should push for an inclusive peace process, and support the meaningful participation of Yemeni women in the process.  Evidence shows that when civil society groups – including women’s organizations – participate in peace agreements, they are 64 per cent less likely to fail.

Canada should provide long-term support for the Yemeni women’s movement, to strengthen their advocacy and their ability to help shape their country’s future. We know that countries where women are empowered are vastly more secure and less likely to relapse into violent conflict. Nowhere is this more crucial than in Yemen, where the war has already pushed development back by 21 years, and where recovery will take decades.

Policy coherence across all of Canada’s foreign policy areas is the key to protecting women’s rights where they are furthest behind, in Yemen. What could be more important, and more feminist, than that?

Written by Brittany Lambert, Oxfam Canada Women’s Rights Policy Specialist and Christine Martin, Oxfam Canada Humanitarian Campaigns & Outreach Officer and as first published on Women, Peace and Security – Canada.

Only 45 per cent of Mozambique’s humanitarian appeal has been funded, while the number of people in need of food aid has risen by 25 per cent since April 2019 – up from 1.6 million to two million as the impact of Cyclones Idai and Kenneth has been compounded by drought in the South and unrest in the North.

Farmers are fainting in the fields along the southern shore of the Buzi river because they have nothing to eat but tomato soup, one of the few fast-growing crops people could plant after the extensive flooding damaged their lands, wiped away their harvests and destroyed their seed stocks.

In dozens of resettled communities, relocated to mitigate the risk of future floods, people are not getting enough food and with the lean season approaching, there will not be a harvest until next year.

Rotafina Donco, Oxfam Country Director in Mozambique, said, “Things are taking an ominous turn, regardless of our efforts to provide resettled communities with essential aid: women are skipping meals so that the little food there is can be given to children. Families are foraging for wild plants as there’s not enough or very little to eat. Hunger risks becoming the silent killer of those who survived Idai.”

Ten per cent of Mozambique’s population is now in need of food assistance and levels of food insecurity are rising to crisis threshold in hard to reach areas in Sofala, Zambezia, Manica and Tete provinces, affected by Idai, as well as Cabo Delgado where Kenneth struck.

“Today, the emergency phase ought to be over but those who survived Idai are on the brink of a food insecurity crisis,” says Donco.

“Despite sustained aid efforts, the demand is outstripping supply: entire communities in Buzi district are facing shortages of food, clean water, shelter and access to livelihoods.”

Food insecurity is hitting women hardest, as even before the cyclone, poverty rates in the areas affected by Idai were higher than the national average, and the lack of recovery risks pushing them even deeper into deprivation. Aid donors and the government must prioritize the needs of women and girls.

José Mucote, Director of AJOAGO, said, “We were still grappling with a biting drought in the South, when Cyclone Idai and the floods struck central Mozambique. Each disaster is making people poorer by the day and more vulnerable to whatever may come next. Every day we’re supporting people who were already living in extreme poverty and had coped with more and more crises over the past two decades.”

The Sofala region in central Mozambique was heavily hit by the Cyclone and flooding which, partially or totally,  destroyed lands and crops of over 433,056 families. In dozens of displaced peoples’ sites where entire communities were relocated to mitigate the risk of future floods, thousands of people are relying on aid to survive. The lean season is now approaching, and the next harvest will only be ready by March/April 2020: until then, almost two million people will remain at risk of food insecurity.

As the intensity and frequency of natural hazards has increased because of the climate crisis, the people of Mozambique are left wondering whether the next rainy season will bring more flooding or another drought and how they can ensure the safety of their families and protect their livelihoods.

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Notes to Editors:

• In response to Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, COSACA humanitarian consortium consisting of Oxfam in Mozambique, Save the Children International and Care International have to date reached over 600,000 people in Sofala, Manica, Tete, Zambezia, and Cabo Delgado provinces. COSACA response teams are ensuring the needs of women and girls are prioritized in the areas of nutrition and livelihoods, health, shelter, water and sanitation, child protection and education.
• According to the revised UN Humanitarian Response Plan, which was released this week [12 September] 2.6 million people still need humanitarian assistance in Mozambique and in particular two million people are food insecure after Cyclones Idai and Kenneth. The figures are an increase from the previous Plan, released in March, which reported 1.6 million facing food insecurity. In addition to the cyclones and floods, the analysis takes into account drought in the south and growing insecurity in the north of the country.

For more information contact:

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

Women, who lead the vast majority of displaced households, may be especially vulnerable, including facing the threat of sexual violence. While some women have begun returning to South Sudan, many are not going back to their homes but seeking a safer and better place to live.

The report, No Simple Solutions: Women, Displacement and Durable Solutions in South Sudan, is by Oxfam, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Care Foundation, Danish Refugee Council, and South Sudanese organizations, Nile Hope and Titi Foundation. It highlights the experiences of women in transit and the conditions they need in order to return home.

After five years of brutal conflict, more than seven million South Sudanese – over half the country’s population – are in need of humanitarian assistance. Homes, schools and hospitals have been destroyed and it will take years for essential infrastructure and services to recover.

The conflict created the largest displacement crisis in Africa with over 4.3 million people forced to flee their homes; 1.8 million people are internally displaced and there are 2.3 million refugees in the region.

Elysia Buchanan, South Sudan policy lead, Oxfam said, “Since the signing of the revitalized peace deal, armed clashes between parties have reduced, bringing tentative hope to many. But because of the slow implementation of the deal, many women told us they are still not sure if lasting peace is at hand.”

The civil war also fueled the rise of sexual violence, including rape as a weapon of war, and the abduction of women and girls who were forced into sexual slavery.

With the sheer scale of the crisis, and endemic levels of sexual and gender-based violence, a South Sudanese woman activist quoted in the report warned humanitarian agencies against rushing to support people to return home. “This would be like throwing people from one frying pan to another. Humanitarian actors should take things slow, until refugees and internally displaced people can move themselves.”

Due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, people returning from neighboring countries often find themselves in more difficult conditions than when they were displaced, including struggling to find somewhere to live.

Connolly Butterfield, Protection and Gender Specialist of NRC, said, “Time and again, women spoke to us of the challenges they face in returning to their homes. They make the journey back, only to find that their houses and properties were completely destroyed, or had already been occupied by strangers, sometimes soldiers. Some of the women said that if they try to reclaim their properties, they have no means of support. They are more likely to be threatened or exposed to physical or sexual assault.”

It is estimated some 60 per cent of displaced South Sudanese have been displaced more than once, and one in 10 have been displaced more than five times. The report calls on humanitarian agencies to do more help to people caught in the endless cycle of movement.

Buchanan said, “Helping people return to their homes and rebuild their lives is our goal. But by ignoring or downplaying the issues that make returning dangerous, or not ensuring people have adequate information on what they are coming home to, humanitarian agencies could inadvertently endanger people or make their lives worse.

The international community must only support the return of internally displaced people if conditions are safe and dignified, and the decision to return is informed and voluntary. The humanitarian response must be sensitive to the needs of women and girls, taking into consideration the country’s harmful gender norms.

Martha Nyakueka, Gender and Protection Coordinator of the national NGO Nile Hope, said, “after years of conflict, it will take time for the country to recover. The warring parties who signed the peace deal must ensure that the agreement leads to lasting changes on the ground, not just in terms of security, but also in terms of improving the lives of the South Sudanese people.”

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Note to editors:

No Simple Solutions: Women, Displacement and Durable Solutions in South Sudan is a joint report by Oxfam, Nile Hope, Norwegian Refugee Council, Care International, Titi Foundation, and Danish Refugee Council.

For more information, contact:

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

Two years ago this Sunday (August 25), the first of more than 700,000 Rohingya people fled to Bangladesh after a military crackdown by the Myanmar army. An estimated 500,000 Rohingya people remain in Myanmar, including almost 130,000 in confined camps that are fenced in and where movement is severely restricted.

Efforts to return up to 3,450 refugees to Myanmar began earlier this week. Oxfam welcomes the commitment by the Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR to ensure returns only happen in conditions that are safe, voluntary and dignified. Refugees long to return to their homes, but many say they fear going back without a guarantee of rights and justice.

Rohingya people living in camps in Myanmar have told Oxfam staff how endless checkpoints and confusing bureaucracy are cutting them off from healthcare, education and work. Many describe waiting days or even weeks for a permit to go to hospital, while some said they knew of people who had died waiting, including mothers in labour. A generation of children are missing out on an education, since not all camps have formal schools, and there is only one secondary school to serve 23 camps. Adults can no longer earn a living through agriculture or fishing, leaving them reliant on meagre food rations.

The Government of Bangladesh has shown great generosity in hosting almost a million Rohingya in what has become the world’s largest refugee camp. Yet Rohingya people cannot leave the camp without permission and only have access to the most basic healthcare and education, and are not allowed to work.

Elizabeth Hallinan, Advocacy Manager for Oxfam’s Rohingya Response, said: “Rohingya people feel as though they are in limbo with no end in sight. They are alive, but merely surviving. Immediate action is needed so they are free to travel and work to provide for their families.”

One Rohingya man in Myanmar told Oxfam: “I want you to imagine what it is like to have no rights, no business, children have no education. It is like a prison … Except this is the next level prison, because we do not know how many years we have to stay here” Another said: “The Rohingya are like a person inside a deep well … The surrounding people give him food and assistance, but no one thinks about the ladder and getting him out of the well.”

Those in Myanmar but outside the camps face similar restrictions: they need permission to travel outside their villages and are often cut off from vital services. The accounts Oxfam has heard echo the findings of other organisations including the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty.

Canada has played a leadership role in providing humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya crisis. Canada should also continue to expand targeted sanctions related to Myanmar, and show willingness to resettle Rohingya refugees with a focus on the most vulnerable – I including women and survivors of sexual violence.

Oxfam is calling on the Government of Myanmar to end restrictions on movement and ensure equal rights for all. The root causes of violence in Rakhine State must be addressed, as outlined in the Rakhine Advisory Commission recommendations.

The Government of Bangladesh should give refugees the chance to lead meaningful lives by allowing them to work and receive training. But it also needs ongoing support from the international community to care for so many refugees; the UN estimates that $950.8 million will be needed to fund the Rohingya response in 2019 but only a third of that figure has been pledged by governments around the world.

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Notes to editors:

• Oxfam has spokespeople available in Bangkok and Cox’s Bazar.
• In the last two years, Oxfam has helped more than 350,000 Rohingya people in Bangladesh and Myanmar. This includes providing clean water, vouchers for food and building infrastructure like roads and solar-powered lights in camps in Bangladesh.
• The most common concerns for Rohingya people, as reported to Oxfam staff, were restrictions on their movement and associated problems around healthcare, education and work; denial of citizenship and equal rights; and the inability to return to their homes in Myanmar.
• Oxfam is calling for the Government of Myanmar to fully implement the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, which include ensuring freedom of movement for all people irrespective of religion, ethnicity, or citizenship status. Despite some efforts to improve infrastructure in the camps and to provide alternative places to live, restrictions on movement have not been lifted.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

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

Oxfam says the situation is likely to get worse over the coming days.

The international humanitarian organization has moved in to support over 360,000 people in these countries with food, clean drinking water, emergency shelter, toilets and hygiene kits to people. Oxfam’s aid team have already conducted immediate needs assessments and are now providing emergency assistance in the worst-hit areas.

“We have already started supporting people in Assam and Bihar in India, Gaibandha and Kurigram in Bangladesh, and Rautahat and Sarlahi in Nepal. But more aid must reach faster to save lives,” said Zubin Zaman, Oxfam Regional Humanitarian Manager of Asia.

As the floods rise, more people will need food and water to survive. Clean drinking water, safe toilets, and hygiene are essential to prevent the outbreak of deadly disease. To reach them, Oxfam is closely working with our local partners who are based in and from the communities themselves to reach those who need assistance the most.

One of Oxfam’s partners in Assam, India is North East Research & Social Work Network (NERSWN); its project Coordinator, Dahal Narzary said, “The situation on the ground is grim as roads and highways are inundated, making it difficult for humanitarian teams to reach villages and areas which are cut off due to floods. We require more support and additional stocks for distribution to the worst affected communities.”

Even while the floods have started to recede in some areas, the villages and communities remain stranded and cut out from any aid as floods and earth slips washed away roads. In many areas, there’s no public transport, and power and telecommunications are down.

Early estimates put the cost of supporting people hit in the short and mid-term at $26.3 million, but the total damage is likely to be much more. A full assessment will not be possible until the floods recede fully and there is access.

“We are extremely concerned about the safety and survival of those people still most at risk, especially women, children, and those with limited ability to move. We need to do all we can – including raising more aid, as things are likely to get worse before they get better,” said Zaman.

Oxfam is working closely with the three governments and local authorities and will ramp up its response and as the situation changes.

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Notes to editors:

• Oxfam spokespeople in India, Nepal or Bangladesh are available for interviews.
• Bangladesh is near the beginning of monsoon season, which will last until September. Weather monitoring stations in Cox’s Bazar registered 700 mm of rain in the week to July 8.
• Average rainfall for July in Chittagong, the province in which Cox’s Bazar is located, is 733 mm.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:

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

This week we learned that the number of people in situations like mine – forced from their homes because of violence or persecution – has passed 70 million worldwide. In responding to this unprecedented challenge, it is paramount that refugees ourselves participate in the decisions that directly affect us and in efforts to find solutions.

Refugees are often victims of the conflicts they flee from. They also face challenges leaving their home countries, finding asylum in a new place, and in living alongside host communities. Here in Uganda, many have sought refuge in the country for the second or even third time due to repeated conflicts in their home countries, including my native South Sudan. I first came here in 1992, when I was only seven years old. I came again in 2016.

Being repeatedly uprooted and seeking protection has given us years of experience in how to live harmoniously with host communities, how to find creative ways to make ends meet and how to support each other. The pain and sorrow we have endured also drive our commitment to peace – the most durable solution.

In December, world leaders will come together at the Global Refugee Forum and commit to concrete steps to improve the lives of refugees. If I had the chance to address those delegates, I would urge them to ensure that refugee girls are able to realize their full potential. I would use the example of the prominent women delegates in the room and ask whether these women would be seated among us if they had not been supported through education, reproductive health services and other related support. I would advocate for peace and for governments to embrace tolerance, accountability and reconciliation to prevent conflicts that result in refugee situations. I would ask them to support refugees to be agents of peace.

But refugees should not only participate in international discussions – they should also contribute to decision-making at the local level.

In Uganda, refugees have platforms through which they can express their challenges and ideas. They democratically elect members of community leadership committees, who raise their voices about any recommendations or grievances. There is also a forum of refugees that engages in debates with the Government. I have set up an organization, called Refugee Women and Youth Aid, that brings together 17 groups of women to share knowledge, skills and experience.

There are lessons here for other countries, but there are also challenges. It is still too rare for refugees to address leaders at the highest levels, who are in a position to change our lives.

As a woman refugee leader, I have often been left out of important meetings within the settlement. The male folk still hold women in low esteem due to long-standing cultural beliefs that discriminate against women. Because of such patriarchal beliefs, refugee women and girls need extra support to effectively participate in the design, implementation and review of refugee programs.

As a leader, I call on the Ugandan Government and its humanitarian partners to prioritize proper education at all levels for refugees. Having large numbers of displaced young people frustrated or bored because they can’t go to school is a recipe for continued conflict, violence and under development. Refugees also yearn for work opportunities so they can supplement humanitarian aid and sustain themselves. Some women are forced to trek large distances to find safe water, firewood and construction materials, and sometimes there are conflicts with host communities over these resources. These problems could be solved through tree planting and proper use of natural resources such as land for agriculture and alternative sources of fuel like briquettes. There should be more initiatives to bring refugees and host communities together, to help reduce tensions and suspicions that can trigger violence.

None of these challenges can be solved without the active participation of refugees, including women. We refugees are not responsible for our displacement. We did not choose to become refugees and we face many difficulties. We need to be included in spaces where our voices can be heard, and we must be equally represented in decision-making processes.

The Commission reviewed Oxfam’s reporting mechanisms and processes around safeguarding as well as looking at the culture of the organization and how power imbalances might be contributing to misconduct.

The report points to weaknesses in Oxfam’s reporting mechanisms, safeguarding process failures, accountability gaps and organizational culture challenges. At the same time, the Commission recognizes the progress that has been made by Oxfam to strengthen its approach to safeguarding and the organization’s “tremendous will, energy, and commitment to reform.”

Since February 2018, the Commission notes that Oxfam has taken important steps, including but not limited to new confederation-wide prevention of sexual misconduct and child protection policies, standard operating procedures for reporting misconduct and a single Oxfam-wide safeguarding network. The report also notes that Oxfam has recently developed its first survivor supporter guidelines and is working together with partners to build their capacity to address and prevent misconduct. In addition, Oxfam has strengthened our annual performance review approach to ensure that all staff support our values, code of conduct and leadership expectations, and increased training and developed better recruitment policies.

In addition to deepening Oxfam’s commitment to priorities already underway, we will:

• Launch a new “Global Integrity Fund” to help strengthen the safeguarding capacities of local civil society organizations working on the front lines;
• Boost our own safeguarding capacity and resources in the most fragile and challenging environments in which we operate; and
• Establish two new global senior leadership roles of Chief Ethics Officer and Culture Lead.

“The Commission says that Oxfam has taken an important step in being publicly committed to change and transparent in its work. I’m heartened that it says we have the potential to support the transformation of the wider sector. But it has given a strong warning that we should not under-estimate the task ahead of us – and I can assure everyone, we absolutely do not,” said Winnie Byanymia, Executive Director of Oxfam International.

Oxfam Canada’s work is guided by feminist principles, which were developed collaboratively by Oxfam Canada staff, and is deeply committed to the important internal and institutional work that must be done to prevent and address sexual misconduct and transform our organizational culture. As an organization that puts women’s rights at the heart of everything it does, we also recognize the importance of addressing the unequal power dynamics that leave women vulnerable to exploitation and abuse in the first place. That is why at Oxfam Canada, while investing in our internal policies and organizational change, we will continue to build on the best of our work to support women’s leadership around the world, combat attitudes that tolerate violence against women and girls and ensure that women can escape the poverty and conflict that make them vulnerable.

 – 30 –

Notes to Editors:

• Oxfam set up the Independent Commission in February 2018 and gave it a full mandate – independently and publicly – to investigate its work and highlight what more Oxfam needed to do to improve our safeguarding practices and transform our culture. Information on the Independent Commission is available here.
• Oxfam’s 10-Point Action Plan to transform its working culture and improve its collective systems of safeguarding policies and practices is available here.
• Oxfam Canada’s policies and Code of Conduct are here.

Contact:

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

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Economic empowerment is fundamental to women’s ability to move out and stay out of poverty. Meet two amazing women participating in Oxfam projects that have supported their ability to make a living and lead a dignified life.

Mariam: becoming a plumber

Plumbing can be a hard industry for women to break into anywhere in the world. But in Jordan, women face traditions and barriers that make this career even harder.

Mariam didn’t let that stop her. Five years ago, she was invited to join a course to learn basic plumbing skills. Since then, she has established a well-known business and reputation in Amman.

“There have been times when I wanted to stop because of the challenges I’ve faced.”

It hasn’t been easy for Mariam to establish herself in a traditionally male dominated industry. But now she has male plumbers working for her!

“The men that work for me are happy to work for a woman – even today I had a call from a male plumber asking for work.”

Oxfam has trained over 400 women, in partnership with women like Mariam, in basic plumbing skills as part of a broader project that focuses on reducing waste and educating communities in Jordan on water conservation.

In Jordan women are generally responsible for managing water use in the home, so we’ve intentionally targeted women to play a key role in water conservation – while also training them as plumbers and opening up a new career and livelihood for them.

“Women here want to work. We want opportunities, but often there aren’t any for us. We need support to keep growing these opportunities for women.”

“I’ve proven to people, my community, and the world around me that women can do anything.”

Huda: starting a small jewelry business

Huda and her family are from a small village in the Dara’a region of Syria. When fighting intensified there six years ago, she made the difficult decision to leave.

“On the day we left our village about one hundred people died in airstrikes that hit their houses. That’s why we decided to leave. I felt so sad that day. I cried a lot thinking that people were dying. One man lost four of his children in one day. Imagine that.”

Huda remembers her first days in Jordan. “Coming here was like having a new life. I started taking courses on how to make soaps and jewellery and I really liked it.”

Huda turned to soap making to help treat her son’s eczema. When she took them to the local marketplace, people fell in love with them. She began getting phone calls asking for more.

Through Souq Fann, an e-commerce platform developed in partnership with Oxfam, Huda is able to sell her soaps online and scale her business up. We help support local artisans in Jordan, giving them access to sell to new markets while producing products from their homes.

“I was so proud. I sent my friends the link to the website – they were so happy for me.”

Like Huda, many Syrian women are trying to build a more dignified life by working from home.

The organizations said this alarming humanitarian situation was triggered by attacks which began on March 30 and have continued for a month in Beni territory, North Kivu. According to local health authorities, over 60,000 people have been displaced in April alone.

Seven thousand of them are sheltering in a primary school just one kilometre from the border crossing to Uganda. The only water available to drink is from the river and there are only a few toilets at the school, meaning the threat of disease spreading is high. As no food is being provided, for many people the only way to get food is to go back to their villages where they don’t feel safe.

Tamba Emmanuel Danmbi-saa, Oxfam’s Humanitarian Program Manager in the DRC, said: “This is a deeply worrying situation. These people fear going back to their homes and are being forced to live in cramped, unsanitary conditions, in an area where Ebola remains a significant threat. These people urgently need food and adequate sanitation facilities as well as clean water and health services.”

The humanitarian organizations said that ongoing violence in the area makes reaching people with aid from within DRC extremely difficult and Ugandan authorities are preparing to receive an influx of new refugees. In Uganda, they could have greater access to basic services, including health care, and the protection they need. However, there are serious concerns about reports that people are being prevented from crossing the border into Uganda at at least sixteen official crossings.

As a result, some displaced people are being left with little choice but to return to the villages they fled, where they are at risk of further attacks. Others are avoiding official border points and choosing to cross illegally through the forests along the border or by boat across Lake Albert. This also increases the risk of Ebola being spread, since people are not being screened like they would be at the official border crossings.

Francis Iwa, Executive Director of Care for Forced Migrants (CAFOMI), said: “These unofficial crossings are placing people in search of refuge at an increased, and totally unnecessary risks of sexual exploitation and abuse. Once they enter Uganda, they also are avoiding official immigration procedures and registration as refugees – which means they may not be screened for Ebola and will be unable to access the very services prepared to assist them.”

Elijah Okeyo, Country Director of the International Rescue Committee in Uganda said: “The governments on both sides of the border need to work with the humanitarian community to protect the displaced people and provide the help they urgently need.”

Humanitarian organizations, the UNHCR and the Ugandan government are preparing to receive the displaced people. The 18 humanitarian organizations are calling on the Congolese authorities to ensure displaced people are able to cross freely and safely into Uganda.

Heather Kerr, Save the Children’s Country Director in DRC, said: “We estimate at least 30,000 children have been displaced in this violence, and are now living in squalid conditions. Many of these children would have seen terrifying violence, with family members attacked and their homes destroyed. Now, they are exposed to diseases like Ebola, which hits children hardest. This is an unacceptable situation and it needs to be resolved, now.”

The 18 humanitarian organizations are calling on Congolese and Ugandan authorities, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, international organizations and donors to urgently cooperate and pool resources to ensure people receive the help they need as quickly as possible. They also need to make sure they are prepared to cope with a new refugee influx from DRC as well as meeting the needs of refugees already in Uganda.

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Note to editors:

• Spokespeople available for interview.
• Uganda already hosts more than 1.2 million refugees – the most in Africa and among the highest in the world. Services for refugees are severely overstretched and the 2019 response plan for Congolese refugees in Uganda is just 2% funded so far, with only $8.1 million received of the $389.5 million needed.
• In DRC, over 13 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and more than 5 million people have fled their homes, the largest number of internally displaced people in Africa. The UN’s humanitarian response plan for DRC was less than 30 per cent for most 2018 and had only reached 45 per cent by the end of the year. The 2019 response is currently 88 per cent underfunded (https://fts.unocha.org/appeals/673/summary)
• The organizations supporting this press release are: ACT Alliance, Action Against Hunger, Care and Assistance for Forced Migrants, Care International, Catholic Relief Services, Cordaid, Danish Refugee Council, Finn Church Aid, Finnish Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee, Jesuit Refugee Service, Mercy Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, Save the Children, Swiss Church Aid, Uganda Joint Christian Council, and War Child Holland.

They are making the following appeals:

• Congolese authorities and the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) should ensure the protection of the displaced people and facilitate their access to the essential services they need
• Congolese authorities should ensure that displaced people are free to move, including to safely cross the border and seek assistance and protection in Uganda.
• Congolese and Ugandan authorities should jointly call for and facilitate cross-border humanitarian operations, to ensure displaced people in areas bordering Uganda have greater access to humanitarian services within the DRC.
• Ugandan and Congolese authorities, the UNHCR, the international organizations and donors must intensify collaboration and resource mobilization to ensure adequate preparations are made to receive any new refugee influx from DRC and to meet the needs of refugees already in Uganda.

Contact for more information or a request for interview:

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

Canadians can go to our website to email the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, to express their support for cancelling the arms deal.

Canada continues to export light armoured vehicles (LAVs) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, despite repeated calls from Oxfam and other civil society organizations to end the arms deal with Saudi Arabia1, and credible evidence that LAVs have been used in the conflict in Yemen. It is incoherent to focus on women through humanitarian assistance while fuelling a war that disproportionately harms them.

“All warring parties, including the Saudi-led coalition, have violated international humanitarian law,” said Brittany Lambert, Women’s Rights Policy & Advocacy Specialist at Oxfam Canada.

“No country should be directly or indirectly supplying weapons, munitions, military equipment or technology that could be used in the conflict until the violations stop. Warring parties on all sides bear responsibility for exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation. After 4 long years of suffering, we must all work together to bring Yemeni families peace – not more war.”

In December 2018, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Canadians that his government was looking for ways “to stop exporting these vehicles to Saudi Arabia.” Unfortunately, there has been no follow-up on this issue since.

As the Canadian government makes its decision, the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. According to a recent UN report, approximately 70,000 Yemenis have died since the beginning of 2016. At the moment, three civilians are killed every day in Yemen – one person every eight hours. More than 10 million people are on the brink of starvation and 18 million people do not know when their next meal will be. This food crisis could get worse in the coming months, as the price of food continues to skyrocket. In fact, it has increased by a third over the last year.

Women and girls bear the brunt of this devastating situation. Desperation is pushing some hungry and isolated families to marry off their daughters, sometimes as young as three years old, to get food and try to save the rest of their family.

“Every day that passes without concrete progress towards peace, more Yemenis lose their lives and the suffering deepens for those struggling to find food and shelter amid the world’s worst humanitarian disaster,” Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said.

“The backers of the warring parties are complicit in this crisis; we call on them to stop arming the belligerents. They and the rest of the international community need to do all they can to help bring about a lasting peace in Yemen.”

“With the support of Canadians, Oxfam hopes to remind the government of its obligations,” Lambert added. “A great democratic nation cannot prioritize trade and profits over respect for human life.”

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Notes to Editors:

• A letter was sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in early March by the following organizations: Action Against Hunger, Save the Children Canada, Amnesty International Canada (English Section), Amnesty International Canada (French Section), Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, Rideau Institute, The Group of 78, Doctors of the World Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Quebec and Project Plowshares.

For more information or to arrange an interview contact:

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

The war is not over: the dozens of people killed in recent airstrikes and shelling are testament to this. As more than 200 Syrian groups who participated in the conference highlighted: civilians still face this daunting reality as well as many other threats, ranging from detention and conscription to unexploded ordnance, a lack of essential services and a lack of critical documentation.

This is what people are living through in Syria – all across the country they require protection and assistance. Donors and humanitarian agencies must come together now to support people who have suffered eight years of conflict and desolation – without reservation or restriction.

Fundamentally, these risks civilians face, the ongoing conflict, unexploded ordnance, crippling poverty and the lack of basic services are all significant barriers which need to be overcome before conditions are conducive to the return of refugees.

It is therefore essential that the international community follows up on previous commitments on education, livelihoods, inclusion and issues around legal stay and documentation. The financial commitment of donors is critical, but so is the will to see these commitments transform into changes for IDPs, refugees and vulnerable host communities – and this will require a concerted effort from donors, host governments and aid agencies.

While we welcome the expressed support for Syrian women and their visible participation in this conference, donors need to make this rhetoric meaningful and put Syrian women and youth at the center of all decision-making that affects their lives.

It was disappointing that no commitment was made on resettlement. The number of Syrians being resettled has dropped dramatically with two-thirds fewer refugees being resettled now than in 2017. The international community needs to share responsibility by both increasing resettlement pledges and translating those pledges into actual places.

Syrian civilians, IDPs, refugees and host communities impacted by this conflict will require long-term investment to recover and rebuild their lives, including multi-year funding commitments. The international community, donors and host countries owe it to the people of Syria to stand by them and see their commitments through.

Contact Information:

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

The calls come in a new report published ahead of a meeting of international governments in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the future of aid to Syria and the region. This week also marks eight years since the start of the conflict in Syria.

While the fighting in large parts of Syria has subsided, 11.7 million people are still dependent on humanitarian aid – over sixty percent of whom are in government-controlled areas. Homes and schools have been destroyed, neighbourhoods lack clean running water and sanitation, and people lack the means of making a living to feed their families.

Over 80 percent of the population is living below the poverty line, more than one in three schools are damaged or destroyed and over two million children are out of school, according to the UN.

Despite the scale of needs, governments and other donors are reluctant to fund work which they perceive as contributing to the reconstruction of Syria, especially in government-controlled areas – leaving millions of Syrians dependent on aid for some time to come.

Moutaz Adham, Oxfam Syria Country Director, said: “The money is needed to help the millions of Syrians that have borne the brunt of eight years of bitter and brutal conflict to recover – to help them feed their families, put a roof over their heads, send their children to school. They don’t want hand-outs but a helping hand to rebuild their lives and become self-reliant again.”

At the same time, the Government of Syria’s restrictions on access and on direct engagement with communities as well as its opaque and complex approvals system makes it extremely difficult for humanitarian agencies to provide help to people in need across the country.

Mark Ohanian, DRC’s Syria Country Director, said: “The needs and expectations of the Syrian people should be at the forefront of our response. Donors should fund a comprehensive humanitarian response across all parts of Syria, including early recovery and resilience programming, to enable Syrians to restart their lives in dignity.”

Adham said, “Just because control of an area has shifted, does not mean people are no longer in need. To help the Syrian people recover from this devastating crisis, funding is needed for essential services like water, education and healthcare, and humanitarian agencies must have access to deliver them. Without this support, Syrians will continue to suffer for many more years to come.”

— 30 —

Note to Editors

• Read the full report “Aid in Limbo: Why Syrians deserve support to rebuild their lives”
• Case studies of families affected by the war in Syria are available here. Some names have been changed. All the children’s names have been changed.
• Figures in this release are based on data from the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), Syria, 2019.
• Oxfam is an international confederation of 19 organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries. In all we do, Oxfam works with partner organizations and alongside vulnerable women and men to end the injustices that cause poverty.
• Oxfam’s operations inside Syria focus on the provision of clean water to conflict affected people through the rehabilitation of water infrastructure, providing water by truck and repairing of water sources. We are currently working in 9 of Syria’s 14 governorates. We work with communities to prevent the spread of diseases by promoting good hygiene practices in schools and by training local community volunteers. We distribute food where needed and support farmers to grow food and make a living through training and cash-for-help (unconditional aid provided by the organization for people who need it the most).
• The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1956 that works in more than 30 countries throughout the world. DRC fulfils its mandate by providing direct assistance to conflict-affected populations – refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and host communities in the conflict areas of the world.
• DRC is one of the largest INGO operating in Syria from Damascus, having begun operations in 2008 and scaled-up response to the crisis in 2012, and is a leading actor in the provision of emergency Shelter/WASH, Education, Protection, Livelihoods and Mine Risk Education.
• Oxfam and DRC are two of the largest international NGOs operating with registration from Damascus.

Contact Information:

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

“When I showed the women the model, the oldest lady in the room took it in her hand and took a close look for a few seconds. Then she looked at me and nodded her head positively and with a big smile. That’s when I got my answer that I might have done something right! That moment will stay with me for a long time.”

Nuha, a Bangladeshi architect, worked with Oxfam in Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar last fall. She spoke with local women to design improved hygiene and sanitation facilities, getting their feedback on models and sketches of their ideas to create safer latrines.

Rohingya refugees are consulted for the design of safe toilets in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Credit: Maruf Hasan/Oxfam

Together, they have been working on inclusive new designs for toilets, showers and laundry areas, that put refugees’ needs at the centre of the design process. Given the challenges of the hilly terrain and threat of mudslides and how tightly packed the camps are, finding suitable space to build toilet and washing facilities had proved extremely challenging.

“I was nervous when we went to show the community the design. I was worried that I had missed an element they needed. I decided to make a model big enough to give them an idea of how the latrine would look. ”

Currently, facilities may not meet the needs of all refugees. Research conducted by Oxfam and partner agencies in April 2018 found that a third of women did not feel safe or comfortable going to collect water or using toilets and shower cubicles – many of which lack a roof and a lockable door.

In emergencies, we meet urgent needs to save lives, but also look at long-term solutions to restoring women’s livelihoods, health, safety and leadership. Women are often left out of critical decisions that affect them, like how food, water, and medicine are distributed, and even where to build the toilets.

Oxfam has been collaborating with female architects and Rohingya refugees to improve toilet and washing facilities for women and girls living in the world’s largest refugee camp. Credit: Maruf Hasan/Oxfam

“I’m interested in design processes that include community participation.” explains Nuha. “Working with the refugees has taught me the impact of smaller details that can make big difference. I hope that the women and girls feel proud of their design.”

Nearly a million Rohingya people have fled violence in Myanmar and are living in crowded refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Oxfam is providing vital aid including clean water to help prevent outbreaks of disease, and food vouchers which can be exchanged for fresh ingredients at local markets. We are helping people to stay healthy by installing water points, toilets and showers, distributing soap, and talking about good hygiene. We have installed solar-powered lights and provided portable solar lamps so that refugees – especially women – feel safer leaving their shelters after dark.

Rohingya refugee women help design better and safer toilets. Credit: Maruf Hasan/Oxfam

Michelle Farrington, Oxfam’s Public Health Promotion Coordinator in Cox’s Bazar, said: “We knew from our research that we needed to adapt our existing designs to make the camp’s toilet and washing facilities more accessible for the women and girls and that’s where the architects came in. They helped enormously: bringing an architect’s eye to the new designs and ideas we’ve been developing with the refugee women. Their contribution to our project will hopefully mean that women and girls living in one of the most challenging places imaginable will be able to do something that most people take for granted: wash and go to the toilet safely.”

From August 2017 to January 2019, Oxfam has reached at least 266,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. Learn more about Oxfam’s response here.

More than half a million people who have fled fighting in Yemen are facing a double threat of famine and near freezing temperatures Oxfam said today, as it called on the warring parties to respect the ceasefire agreed in Sweden last week.

People forced to flee their homes are set for a winter struggle to survive in areas of the country which are one step away from famine and often without adequate shelter to protect them or fuel to keep them warm as temperatures plummet.

Almost 20,000 displaced people are facing winter weather in districts already experiencing famine conditions.

Winter temperatures are likely to drop to below freezing in highland areas of Yemen and rain brought in by southwest winds can fall in heavy torrents, leading to flooding. Many of the 530,000 displaced people living in these areas are in makeshift shelters with no insulation or weatherproofing.

Humanitarian agencies have identified over 75,000 displaced, vulnerable families in districts across the country who will need help to cope during the winter months, and there are likely to be more who haven’t been included in the assessment. 2658 of these families are in districts with catastrophic levels of hunger.

Despite the warring parties agreeing to a ceasefire and withdrawal of forces from the key city and port of Hudaydah at negotiations in Sweden last week, there have been clashes, shelling and airstrikes in recent days. Continued fighting will disrupt aid efforts and make it harder for Yemenis to survive the winter.

Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director said: “Freezing temperatures could be the final straw for families already struggling to survive desperate hunger. Imagine trying to survive a winter freeze in a tent, far from your home, without knowing where your next meal is coming from – that is the dreadful prospect facing tens of thousands of families.

“It is vital that the ceasefire holds so that aid is able to reach as many people as possible this winter and those struggling to survive at least get a respite from the fighting.

“While a step in the right direction, the international community cannot assume that the agreements reached in Sweden will fix everything. They need to keep the pressure on the warring parties to lay down their weapons and work towards a peaceful solution to the conflict that will give the people of Yemen real hope.”

Malnourished people are less able to cope with disease and extreme temperatures. Food price rises have put the cost of basic necessities beyond the reach of many. The price of a month’s worth of essential food rose 15 per cent in October, the last month for which data is available. This basket of foods now costs 137 per cent more than it did before the conflict began.

Yemen has already been described by the UN as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Salaries of public sector workers in the north of the country have not been paid for almost two years, leaving approximately 6.9 million people without a main source of income. Around eight million people are thought to have lost their jobs since the beginning of the conflict because of the closure of private businesses.

Oxfam is providing aid, including clean water and cash to buy basic food supplies, to people forced to flee their homes.

Notes to Editors:

The number of people in need of help to cope with winter weather has been assessed by humanitarian agencies working on shelter in Yemen and is available here.

The assessment of levels of hunger by district was carried out by agencies using the Integrated Phase Classification system.

Contact information

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

33-year-old Rasmiya sits on the floor of her one room mud house on the outskirts of Qara Tapa town in southern Diyala.

Rasmiya is one of thousands of women struggling to feed their children in the wake of ISIS. Having left her home in Sa’aidat, a small village nearby in 2014 when ISIS took control, Rasmiya, her husband, their five children and grandmother have been displaced ever since. Work is scarce and therefore, so is food.

By the end of 2016 there were 40.3 million people living in internal displacement as a result of conflict and violence in the world. This number has nearly doubled since 2000 and has increased sharply over the last five years.

The fridge is not the only thing that’s empty in Rasmiya’s home. The walls and floors are bare except for an old TV and a pile of thin mattresses in the corner which she brings out for the family to sleep on at night.

Internal displacement uproots people from their homes, often at a moment’s notice, depriving them of their jobs, basic services and social connections.This week marks 20 years since the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement were adopted. They provide a framework for the protection and assistance to internally displaced people. The Guiding Principles have inspired laws and policy in 76 countries.

However, little has changed on the ground. Unacceptable numbers of people are displaced each year, and more and more people live in situations of prolonged displacement with no solution in sight.

In late 2015, in the town of Qara Tapa, Oxfam gave 300 displaced households an unconditional cash grant of $200-$300US and in 2017 Oxfam ran a “cash for work” project in Qara Tapa town to rehabilitate two damaged schools. The project provided an income for 90 laborers who were a mix of displaced and host community. Simultaneously Oxfam ran an “income generation” project supporting ten people to reopen their businesses.

As people rebuild their lives in the wake of ISIS they need support to find work, feed their families and get their children back into school. Despite the hardships her family face Rasmiya is still positive about the future,

Oxfam in Iraq aims to build resilience in conflict-affected areas of the country by rehabilitating existing basic services and providing longer term interventions in the areas of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Emergency Food Security and Vulnerable Livelihoods, in coordination with local authorities and partners.

Rajiah, 46, fled violence near her home in Myanmar 6 months ago, with her younger daughter, who is 15 years old. She is now living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh with thousand other Rohingya. Rajiah is one of close to a million Rohingya people have fled violence in Myanmar to seek refuge across the border in Bangladesh. This unprecedented number of refugees, of whom more than half are children, has caused a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

Women helping women survive and thrive

Rajiah has been surrounded by women throughout her life as the eldest of 10 sisters. She herself has 5 daughters, two of which are also in camps living as refugees in Bangladesh with their husbands, while the other two remain in Myanmar. Tragically, Rajiah’s husband disappeared when the violence broke out in Myanmar and Rajiah has no way of knowing where he is. Like so many women in the camp, Rajiah must head up her household alone.

Oxfam has come to know Rajiah as a leader when she was unanimously selected to represent her community during an Oxfam assessment of what their most pressing needs were. Rajiah is well educated and has been working with and for her community throughout her life. She told us that she delivered some 10,000 babies as a midwife in Myanmar.

Now, as a refugee in Bangladesh, she is making sure she puts her experience to good use and supports and provides information to the pregnant women in her community. Her name means “Hope” – a true reflection of her personality and life’s work.

Rajiah brings leadership to Cox’s Bazar

Rajiah was born in a relatively affluent family in Myanmar. Education was an important part of her childhood, and her family made sure all the girls had 8 years of schooling. Rajiah speaks particularly highly of her father, who she says was the greatest influence in her life.

Rajiah honed her leadership skills from a young age, starting at school as a class leader. Later, organizations who were working in her community, including the UN, selected Rajiah as one of their volunteers. She continued working as a health worker and played a major role in the vaccination process in her area, helping to prevent children dying needlessly from preventable illnesses.

Rajiah is outspoken and confident, a full believer in women’s role outside the household. That way, she says, women can get knowledge and they can advance – and then other women can also come forward simply by seeing these role models. She is very keen on working and further helping her community, especially the women in her community.

Oxfam is there

Oxfam is planning to organize women’s groups in the camps and Rajiah is the ideal person to lead this process in her community. With her leadership skills, kind and warm personality, she will undoubtedly make great progress with the women in the community.

Oxfam is also currently focusing on providing water and sanitation and adapting to better deal with the crowded conditions and sheer numbers of people. We are drilling wells and installing water points, toilets and showers.

We’re also helping people stay healthy and hygienic by distributing soap and other essentials and working with community-based volunteers to emphasize the importance of clean water and good hygiene, especially as monsoon season approaches.

So far, we have reached at least 185,000 people, and hope to reach more than 250,000 in the coming months.

Your support has been vital in this effort – thank you.

This entry posted by AJM Zobaidur Rahman, Campaigns and Communications Officer, Oxfam in Bangladesh, on 27 March 2018.

*Name changed.

I’ll never forget the look in the eyes of those three sisters I met at a recent Coldplay concert.

Their eyes glistened as I talked about the global displacement crisis – the plight of 65 million people who have fled violence, persecution and insecurity around the world. 

Turns out, they knew exactly what that feels like. They had experienced it themselves.

The sisters had recently left behind friends and family in Venezuela in search of safety, and they found it in Canada.  They opened up to me about the struggles they faced as their country fell into political turmoil and the economy collapsed. How isolating and overwhelming it all felt. And how it felt to be welcomed into another country by complete strangers.  

In that moment, I realized why the work I was doing at the Coldplay concert on behalf of Oxfam Canada was so important. As a volunteer ambassador for the charity on the band’s Head Full of Dreams tour, my job was to raise awareness about the Stand As One campaign – a global movement of fans standing in solidarity with refugees and displaced people. Though we are talking about the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War, many governments are closing their doors to these women, children and men who have nowhere else to go. Thousands have died along the way trying to reach safety.

Why don’t we hear about this more in our busy lives?

It breaks my heart.

People have a tendency to feel powerless in the face of these global calamities. What difference will signing a petition or sharing something on social media really make? It all seems so empty.

But the reality is, making noise, raising awareness, building a global community of allies, and establishing a sense of solidarity all serve an important purpose. Governments listen when people speak up.

When I heard about Oxfam’s Stand As One campaign, I was immediately drawn to it. I had the incredible childhood of growing up in Indonesia, where my parents worked in education and development with displaced people who experienced discrimination. The combination of my parents’ compassion for their stories, and my personal experience with these people made the refugee crisis something very close to my heart.

By standing as one, we are sending a message to world leaders that we won’t stand by while people suffer. Whether these people are facing war, famine, recession, segregation, or political unrest, there is a need for people to come together to ensure that they know they are supported.

By starting these conversations at concerts, around the dinner table, and at social gatherings, we are empowering people in our communities to be informed, engaged, and involved in bringing about change.

The sisters were pleased to hear about Oxfam’s efforts to get people around the world learn more about the refugee crisis and pressure their governments to help more people forced to leave their homes through no fault of their own. They talked about how in the midst of fear and hardship, movements grounded in solidarity gave them hope and courage. Knowing they had the support of complete strangers made a big difference in their lives. Now these young women had the opportunity to be a part of that same community supporting others.

When I was selected to be an Oxfam ambassador, I had no idea that my little elevator pitch about Stand As One would spark deep discussions and bring out personal stories. I was really impressed by how many people were willing and eager to engage in a conversation about injustice. Some people I spoke to didn’t even know there was a refugee crisis. I found that astounding.

By starting these conversations at concerts, around the dinner table, and at social gatherings, we are empowering people in our communities to be informed, engaged, and involved in bringing about change.

The more we are willing to take the time out of our privileged lives to talk about these tough topics, the more momentum the movement gains. By simply sharing the hashtag or getting your name in a human chain, you are contributing to bringing about change in the lives of the people around you, and others around the world you may never meet.

As part of the global community, we have the responsibility to practice kindness and take action when injustice and hardship arise, wherever that may be. The concept of solidarity as a tool to fight injustice and bring about change is something that really resonates with me.

One of the loveliest moments from Coldplay’s show was when they dedicated the song Everglow to people in need around the world. Chris Martin took a moment to encourage fans to send love and prayers to people in Syria, Yemen, Charlottesville, your brother, sister, anyone who needs it.

If you’re planning on seeing Coldplay’s concert, you’ll understand how powerful this moment is: being surrounded by people all coming together in solidarity and selflessness. I think that is the very essence of what Oxfam’s Stand As One is all about.

Click here to learn more about Oxfam’s #StandAsOne tour with Coldplay.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Kirby, Oxfam Ambassador on tour with Coldplay.

This summer, Coldplay invited Oxfam volunteers on their World Tour to encourage fans to get involved with the STAND AS ONE campaign.

Right now, more than 65 million people have been forced to flee war and persecution. Millions more are on the move because of natural disasters and poverty. The needs have never been greater, yet many countries have turned their backs. 

Coldplay is also a long-time supporter of Oxfam’s work around the world to overcome poverty and injustice. By asking people to stand together, Oxfam and Coldplay aim to build a world where people forced to flee their homes have the support and protection they need.

In June and July 2017, Oxfam Canada ran a contest to select the Oxfam Ambassadors to join Coldplay on tour. The winners are granted free entrance to a Coldplay concert and expert training to excel at their Oxfam Ambassadorship. 

By standing together, Oxfam is creating a human chain of supporters to show refugees that they are not alone. Together, we will make sure world leaders know that we won’t stand by while people suffer. 

Coldplay’s Canadian tour dates are:

Toronto: August 21st and 22nd
Edmonton: September 26th & 27th
Vancouver: September 29th

Join us. Sign this petition to tell Prime Minister Trudeau that you stand with people forced flee.  

Stay tuned. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for news and updates on Oxfam’s Coldplay tour story. 

Read more. 

• BLOG: Why We All Need to Stand As One with Refugees

The lives of women and children in refugee camps around the world are fraught with dangers. Most have fled violence in their own countries or villages – be it Syria, Yemen, Somalia or the Democratic Republic of Congo – like Sylvie.

In refugee camps, they face the additional threat of disease. Starvation. Sexual violence.

As an Oxfam supporter and champion against poverty, you know that there are more displaced people on our planet today than at any other time in history. The reasons are complex – generally rooted in greed, power struggles and fear.

You and I can feel like there is little we can do in the face of such overwhelming need. Such huge numbers. But there absolutely is.

We can help individual refugees like Sylvie and her children.

And it all begins with water.

In refugee camps around the world, Oxfam is building water stations and latrines. Getting clean drinking water to families like Sylvie’s. Keeping people alive.

Your support is powerful, and we need your help to continue our lifesaving work. After all they have been through, you can ensure refugee families are treated with dignity and care. We need your help to continue this life-giving work.

As you know, Oxfam are water experts. In humanitarian crises, people turn to us – including other international development agencies working to protect refugees and children. They know that we have the skills and the knowledge to get clean water in, fast.

“My husband’s stomach was hurting. He was sick for one week, and went to hospital when the problem got worse. But when he got there, he died.” – Sylvie

In fact, for children and families in crisis settings, the single most important thing we can provide is water, sanitation and hygiene. We call this program WASH.

Everybody has a need and a right to safe water and hygiene. And when they don’t have these basic facilities, disease spreads. People get sick. Some die.

Around the world, we are bringing WASH programs to refugee camps. And you can help. Here are examples of what your donation can fund:

• In Buporo camp, there was only one water tank. “But now there are many water points and there is enough for everyone,” says Sylvie. “It has solved the problem of fighting over water and people can shower and wash their clothes. It has reduced the incidents of diarrhea in the camp.” You helped Oxfam install two tanks on the hill above the camp that capture and pipe spring water down to tap stands in the camp. You have helped us train people to filter, clean and test the water to make sure it is safe to drink.

• In Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp, you have helped Oxfam get the community involved in designing and installing the camp’s toilets and shower stalls, as well as water taps. Each block is now adorned with tiles painted by the camp’s children. It’s a small thing. But it’s also a big thing – because it means that these people in crisis have dignity, and have ownership over a part of their lives.

Ensuring women have safe access to the toilets and showers by including locks on the inside of doors and lighting for access in the dark. Providing safe, local water sources and facilitating access to services for vulnerable people such as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, or survivors of violence.

Tap stands. Hand-washing stations. Toilets. Water tanks and pipelines. This is all simple technology, really. Whether it’s conflict, flooding or drought, women like Sylvie are going to extreme lengths just to survive. From the gift of clean water, to food, to support rebuilding their livelihoods – together we can give them the hope they need to help their families come back stronger.

When you give to Oxfam, your gift provides safety and security to women like Sylvie.

So what makes the “Oxfam bucket” so innovative?

1. A handy tap so that people can get water without having to dip dirty hands or bowls into it.

Oxfam is providing clean water, toilets and hygiene classes to children in Port Loko’s Educaid primary school. The facilities include a solar powered water pump, tap stands and toilet blocks for both male and female students. Photo: Tommy Trenchard/Oxfam

2. A tight-fitting lid that keeps water in and keep insects, germs, and dirt out. Clean water can be crucial to preventing the spread of disease.

Here, the Oxfam bucket is being used for handwashing to prevent the spread of cholera in Sierra Leone. Jane Beesley/Oxfam.

3. At 3.7 gallons, it’s the perfect size.  It holds a lot of water, but it’s not too heavy when full.

Brother and sister Kapr and Isatu Kargbo are both Ebola survivors who received buckets, soap, and water purification tablets from Oxfam. Photo: Michelle Curran/Oxfam.

4. It’s smooth and spike free on the bottom so that people can comfortably carry it on their heads. This is especially important for families who have to walk long distances every day to fetch clean water.

Oxfam buckets ready for distribution after the 2013 typhoon in the Philippines. Jire Carreon/Oxfam

5. It’s made of durable UV-resistant plastic that won’t deteriorate in harsh sunlight.

A boy in Sierra Leone washes his hands. Will Wintercross / Oxfam.

6. Stackable for easy distribution in large numbers.

Refugees in South Sudan line up to receive buckets and soap as part of Oxfam’s public health campaign in the camp. Alun McDonald

7.It’s easy to clean thanks to curved edges at the base that prevent bacteria from accumulating.

Oxfam is providing water and sanitation facilities to refugees living in informal tent settlements in Lebanon and Jordan. Photo: Karl Schembri/Oxfam

8. A built-in cap allows people to pour in water without removing the lid, preventing contamination. 

And the best part is—just $20 for A bucket. Donate now and help save lives by providing essential clean water for those who lost their home due to conflict.

]]> https://www.oxfam.ca/story/this-is-just-such-a-good-idea-period/ Tue, 14 Jun 2016 16:39:39 +0000 https://oxfamcanprod.wpengine.com/blog/this-is-just-such-a-good-idea-period/ Written by Ann Witteveen, Humanitarian Manager, Oxfam Canada.

I grew up in the 70’s when commercials for ‘feminine hygiene products’ were a rarity and even when shown were often so cryptic it was hard to make the link – soft music and sepia toned images meant to whisper quietly into the ears of female consumers without offending the sensibilities of their male counterparts.  In those days every teenaged girl knew that that the quickest way to get her dad, the math teacher or her coach off her back was to say anything at all about her period. Times have changed and there is now no missing the point behind a TV ad or (more likely) you-tube video featuring a gymnast in white shorts flogging tampons for a multi-national company. 

In this case the forthright attitude of a group of women refugees from South Sudan, living in Rhino Refugee Settlement near Arua, Uganda was totally in tune with their sisters in the developed world. They were performing a short skit to demonstrate the importance of having a way to manage their monthly periods by making reusable pads. Their performance came complete with acrobatic moves and a storyline that showed how important such a practical article of everyday life is for women and adolescent girls here, just as it is everywhere.  And that managing menstruation in a refugee camp may not be listed on a UN assessment report as a humanitarian need but, in many ways, it is just that.

In fact, a new how-to manual for Aid Workers lays out the issues and practical steps that all must take to ensure women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, including menstrual health that is a precursor to preventing and mitigating gender based violence.  Included in these guidelines (in the Water and Sanitation Section) is a specific requirement to ensure dignified access to hygiene-related materials. Similar to our South Sudan refugees, the authors don’t want any confusion and so the instruction to ‘distribute suitable material for the absorption and disposal of menstrual blood for women and girls of reproductive age” leaves nothing to the imagination.  Julie Lafrenière, who works for Oxfam Canada and was one of the authors of the book is unapologetic for the blunt-speak – "we didn’t want any confusion" she notes,  "Women need these items and not just once a year!  Their sustained availability should be secure and provisions should include bins for disposal."

The reusable pads described above meet the requirements of the guidelines but they are not an Oxfam invention.  They are a copy of a product made by Afripads – a social business in Uganda that specializes in the local manufacture of similar cost-effective, reusable items.

These are still too expensive for refugees so a homemade version was developed.  The design is simple, a rectangular piece of cloth sewed into a ‘u’ with a piece of towel inserted into the open end.  Tabs on each side and a button underneath secure the pad to panties.  The whole thing can be easily washed and dried.  Oxfam with its local partners, Community Empowerment for Rural Development (CEFORD) and Agency for Corporation and Research in Development (ACORD) provided the materials and design and the women make them, selling extras at the local market.  

I was in Uganda to visit an Oxfam project that has funding from Global Affairs Canada. Oxfam is providing water and sanitation in the camp but also assisting women to form groups to discuss issues and support each other.  They call themselves “Roko Ta Nusuwan” roughly translated as ‘Voice of Women’ in Arabic.  They meet every two weeks or so, under the leadership of a trained facilitator (also a resident of the camp). 

The topics discussed are up to them and have included domestic violence, problems accessing food aid, their own trauma due to the conflict in South Sudan, and so on.  For Oxfam and our local partners it is a window from which to judge how we’re doing, it gives us a chance to check in and make sure the services we offer are meeting every refugee’s needs, not just those who wield the most power. 

Refugee stories are finally grabbing some headlines around the world – with pictures of Syrian families especially and their often tragic journeys to Europe filling our TV screens. The reality is that most refugees will never make it to a new country and many will spend years living in a camp like this one, along a border in some far flung country that most Canadians couldn’t place on a map.  The scale of these crises (UNHCR estimates that 59.5 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2014 compared to 51.2 million a year earlier and 37.5 million a decade ago) can overwhelm but what we must never lose sight of is the human faces and lives they represent. And when we get the chance let’s also celebrate the resilience, dignity and optimism these and other women manage to maintain, in often appalling circumstances, on a day by day, problem by problem basis.

June 20th marked World Refugee Day. Oxfam Canada and our Humanitarian Coalition partners were in Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square calling attention to the plight of refugees and displaced people around the world.

Whether through civil war or other forms of conflict, natural disasters or climate related disasters such as drought, the global scale of displaced people is unprecedented. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates there are now over 60 million forcibly displaced people around the world including 19.5 million refugees – the highest number on record!

Last year I travelled to Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, where I saw firsthand how Syrian families living as refugees in cold and muddy tents were struggling to cope under difficult winter conditions. I remember one Syrian mom, Nahla*, tell me “We can’t sleep most nights because water leaks in (our tent) and makes everything wet. I am very worried for my children.  I think of going back to Syria every day.” Millions of displaced people share that same dream – they are living in makeshift dwellings, in urgent need of safe drinking water, sanitation services, food, shelter, medicine, education and security, wanting desperately to return home. Many are from Syria, like Nahla*, but countless others are from dozens of crisis affected countries across the world.

Burundi is one of those countries, but one that seldom makes the headlines.

Already one of the poorest places on the planet, more than a decade of wars has left Burundi in an extremely difficult situation. Fear of violence and intimidation is forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Over 250,000 people have fled, the majority to Tanzania,  overstretching the capacity of the local government and aid agencies to respond.

The numbers are so shockingly high and hard to imagine, we can forget that each and every person forced to flee their home has a face, a story, a family, and dreams for the future.

Like many Burundian refugee women, Godeberite* now lives in a makeshift shelter in a crowded Tanzanian refugee camp, trying to nurture a young family in extremely difficult conditions. Having run out of options and forced to flee her home in Burundi, she arrived in the Nduta refugee camp in March. She was heavily pregnant with her first child Victor*, who is now 1 month old. Before an Oxfam water station was added, she used to have to walk for over an hour to fetch water.

Women and children account for more than 75% of displaced persons globally, and are particularly affected by crises and during displacement. For example, in addition to facing an increased risk of violence and sexual violence, women often become the primary caretakers for children, the injured, the sick and the elderly, which substantially increases their workload and emotional burden. Godeberite spoke to Oxfam, giving us a glimpse of how challenging life was for her in Nduta.

“There are more sicknesses here than back home in Burundi because of the large population living together. They did give pregnant women milk but as everything was open people would come and steal it from me. Right now I have access to clean water and that’s why I am healthy. If I did not have this it would have been very easy to get infections.”

Oxfam’s work in the Nduta camp includes the provision of water and sanitation facilities, emergency food, and most recently, livelihoods programs. These include income generation activities developed to make use of people’s existing skills and knowledge, like bee keeping and farming, but also paid work projects to improve the camp infrastructure and protect the environment, like drainage facilities, better roads, and planting trees. In fact, we are even working towards implementing solar pumping stations for water and installing semi-permanent latrines for families.

On June 20th, World Refugee Day, I will be joining Oxfam Canada and our Humanitarian Coalition partners in Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square where we will be calling particular attention to the plight of Burundian refugees, and how access to water and sanitation are essential for Godeberite and all other women struggling to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy in times of crisis. Join us to #helpthemdreamagain.

For event details, please click here.

*names have been changed to protect identity.

Oxfam Canada and other members of the Humanitarian Coalition have launched a national campaign in the lead up to World Refugee Day, on June 20th, to raise awareness and funds for the 60 million people displaced around the world. The Humanitarian Coalition is Canada’s only joint appeal mechanism. It is comprised of CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Plan International Canada and Save the Children Canada.

Limited capacity within the Greek government and the pressure to deliver the demands of the EU-Turkey deal has led to people being kept in closed reception facilities in deteriorating conditions. Moria center is now very overcrowded, holding more than 3,000 people. Non-Syrians are unable to access asylum processes and about 80 unaccompanied children are among those being held.

Nearby Kara Tepe camp, which has freedom of movement and provides care for vulnerable people such as unaccompanied children, pregnant women and the elderly, is almost full, leaving people in need of special care and support stranded at Moria center.

On the Greek mainland, approximately 47,000 people are living in sites across the country, many of which need improvements to ensure people’s safety and wellbeing. Since the EU-Turkey deal was approved, procedures for processing arrivals into Greece have been changing on an almost daily basis but little information has been shared – leaving people in a state of confusion and frustration.  On the mainland, people are living in limbo with very little access to the authorities in order to be registered or to seek asylum.

Oxfam is calling on the European Union and the Greek government to urgently provide people with safe and dignified living conditions and more information on, and access to, adequate registration and asylum processes. It is also calling for all sites holding asylum seekers to be opened and asking that people should be allowed to move into alternative accommodation facilities to prevent overcrowding and improve access to basic services.

Giovanni Riccardi Candiani, Oxfam’s Country Representative in Greece, said: “Europe has created this mess and it needs to fix it in a way that respects people’s rights and dignity. The EU says it champions the rights of asylum-seekers beyond its borders but these rights are not being respected within EU countries.”  “The EU-Turkey deal is putting refugees and other migrants in Greece in unsafe and unfair situations. Deportations back to Turkey should be suspended until the registration and asylum process is adequately resourced. People must be informed of their rights and have full access to a process to seek asylum in a fair, unambiguous and transparent manner. Oxfam is being told by these people that their top need is information about registration and the asylum process,” said Candiani.

Oxfam is working in six sites across Greece: Kara Tepe on Lesbos island, and in Katsika, Doliana, Filipiada, Tsepelovo and Konista camps in North-West Greece.  Oxfam suspended its support to Moria after the EU-Turkey deal was agreed and the site was converted into a closed facility, due to grave concerns about people’s dignity and their rights to safety and fair asylum procedures.

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Contact information
In Canada: Melanie Gallant | Phone: (613) 240-3047 | melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca
UK: Attila Kulcsar  | +44 7471 142 974 | attila.kulcsar@oxfaminternational.org

For updates, please follow @Oxfamcanada.

The crossing between Libya and Italy is the deadliest sea route in the world and the death toll for the current year has already reached 219 people. Regardless, nearly 10,000 people attempted to use this route to reach Europe in March alone. Total arrivals to Italy in the first quarter of 2016 are almost double the number of arrivals in the same period in 2015. But before people even reach the Mediterranean crossing points, many are left traumatised due to traffickers’ abuse in North Africa.

According to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, migrants detained in the country often face torture, beatings, and forced labor. Recently four migrants were shot dead and 20 wounded while trying to escape a detention center.

22 year old Somali woman, Filsim, said: “I spent 8 months in Libya. We were imprisoned by a gang of traffickers when we arrived in the country. They would leave us for two or three days without food and water, and they beat us for fun. I have so many scars on my breast.”

Filsim was finally released when her family managed to pay an US$800 ransom to the traffickers. She had to then pay US$1000 for the trip to Italy.

The EU’s response to the Lampedusa drownings this time last year and the Mediterranean crisis as a whole has yielded successive emergency summits, beefing up Europe’s border security and bringing in a ‘hotspot’ plan for Italy and Greece where asylum claims are expedited with a focus on swift rejections.

Three hotspots have been functioning in Sicily since September 2015, but the European and Italian authorities in charge of them have yet to agree a clear legal framework and on how they are run. This leaves a serious gap in clarity on how this system is ensuring respect for Italian, European and international law. The Italian parliament was challenged on this – no response has been forthcoming.

Vincent Koch, Oxfam’s Regional European Response Coordinator said: “We have desperate people in desperate need and in desperate situations and the EU’s answer is to put their political interests before the safety and dignity of human beings. The EU’s approach to migration is adding to the overall death toll in the Mediterranean and ruining people’s chances of leading safer lives.”

The expedited approach of the hotspots is yielding faster decisions and more expulsions, but as a result many people are being shut out of the asylum system, left stranded and even more vulnerable.

Bakari, from Gambia, said: “After two days, they gave us the paper [the return order] and they put us out on the street without any explanation. There were seven of us, and we slept at the train station in Catania for three months.”

People left like this are at risk of trafficking and labor exploitation – and fear often prevents them from seeking help. According to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, this fear means that those responsible for exploiting migrants can act with impunity — with women left particularly vulnerable to abuse — while people who seek to assist undocumented migrants can face criminal charges.

“Migrants are increasingly being left in a legal limbo with nowhere to go and at risk of exploitation and abuse. It is a lose-lose for far too many people, who are deemed lucky because they survived the Mediterranean crossing unlike the 800 people who drowned in the Lampedusa tragedy last year. Put simply: the European Union has to do better than this as the death toll is rising,” said Koch.

Oxfam calls for the EU and the Italian government:

– To clarify immediately how the procedures used within the hotspots approach are in accordance with law at European and national level and how oversight is conducted, including recourse to appeals.

– Ensure that, in accordance with law, every person is informed about his/her rights, including the right to ask for international protection, in a form and language they can understand.

– Bring identification and registration procedures into line with full respect of human rights. Use of force to coerce compliance with identification and/or fingerprinting procedures must not be permitted.

– Guarantee that no one is pushed back or expelled without a specific examination of his/her individual situation by the proper authority, which cannot be a law enforcement officer.

– Put an end to de facto detentions. No one must be retained in reception centers for for the sole purpose of ensuring his/her identification. Guarantee access to independent organizations that can provide aid, including psychosocial support, and monitor the respect of human rights, on the ships used for search and rescue operations, at the disembarkation points, and inside the centers where identification takes place.

– Put in place specific protection procedures for vulnerable people, including unaccompanied minors, women travelling alone, pregnant women, traumatized or ill people, and people with disabilities.

"Countries with a strong economy, good services and developed infrastructure can immediately resettle refugees– if they choose to." said Julie Delahanty, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director.

“Canada has pledged 239% of our calculated contribution – that demonstrates strong and admirable leadership on Syrian refugee resettlement. We hope the Canadian Government can persuade other world leaders to do the same.”

Countries included in Oxfam’s analysis need to offer safe and legal routes to more Syrians fleeing the conflict, and increase their share of resettlement to fairer levels. France has only pledged to take four percent of its fair share, the Netherlands and the United States seven percent each, Denmark 15 percent and the United Kingdom 22 percent. Together, rich countries have resettled only 1.39 percent of the nearly five million Syrian refugees, a fraction of those who need to be urgently offered a safe haven.

Oxfam calls for the resettlement, or other forms of humanitarian admission in rich countries, of 10 percent of all registered refugees by the end of 2016, the equivalent of around 480,000 people. Collectively, rich nations have so far offered places to 129,966 people, only 27 percent of the minimum they should. And of those, only 67,000 have actually made it to their final destination.

In Lebanon, one in five inhabitants is a Syrian refugee. In Jordan, they constitute 10 percent of the population, and the fourth largest ‘city’ is a refugee camp.

"These countries have fragile economies and weak infrastructure. They can no longer shoulder this responsibility virtually alone. The Geneva meeting should result in urgent solutions, offering people safe and legal routes to a welcome in third countries," said Delahanty.

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Notes to Editors:

– The fair share analysis is available here 

– 67,108 Syrian refugees have been resettled since 2013 according to information drawn from publicly available sources including the UNHCR and checked with government sources where possible

– Previous fair shares are available here for 2014 and here for 2015.

Resettlement is an option whereby a third county (i.e. not the one the refugee has fled from, or the country of first asylum or habitual residence) offers refugee status in its territory to an individual. For example, this could mean a refugee from Syria living in Jordan being offered status, and related reception and integration support, in Canada.

Humanitarian admission programs are similar, but normally involve expedited processing, and may provide either permanent or temporary stay depending on the legislation or policy of the state offering this option.

Other forms of admission could include allowing Syrian refugees legal access to third countries by relaxing requirements for entry visas to work and study, not necessarily based upon their vulnerabilities.

Asylum is when civilians are facing persecution or other risks resulting from armed conflict or massive violations of human rights. They have a right to flee to safety across international borders and request asylum in another country. States have specific obligations towards asylum seekers under international law, particularly the obligation not to forcibly return them to harm.

Relocation refers to the transfer of asylum-seekers from one European Union (EU) Member State to another. It is an intra-EU process, in which Member States agree to process some of the caseload of States who are receiving a large number of asylum-seekers on their territory.

While some world powers have led by example when it comes to assisting Syrians, who are still being killed, displaced, and impoverished by the hundreds of thousands, most still fall far short  according to Oxfam’s new fair share analysis, published today. Just over half the money to fund the appeals designed to help people in Syria and surrounding countries was given in 2015.

The analysis calculates how much aid and resettlement places are given by countries according to the size of their economy. Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK continue to give generously while major donors Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the US have contributed a smaller percentage of their fair share. Australia, France and Russia have increased their direct involvement in the conflict but fail to fund the appeals as much as they should. Russia provided just 1% of its fair share to the appeals linked to the crisis in 2015.

Julie Delahanty, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director, said:  "The Government of Canada has been a generous donor, and by extending its $100M emergency relief fund to the end of February has demonstrated a continued commitment to supporting the humanitarian response in Syria and the region. But the needs are dire, and much more is needed as the conflict approaches its fifth year.

"Receiving less aid, and unable to sustain themselves without the right to work or valid residency permits, many refugees are being forced into debt to pay rent and buy food. They have no choice but to reduce the numbers of daily meals for themselves and their families, and remove their children from school to send them to work. Women and girls are at increased risk of violence, including sexual violence and rape, and forced and early marriage.

"We urge Canadians to extend their generosity to the millions struggling to survive inside Syria and neighboring countries, so that agencies like Oxfam can provide essential services, especially as displaced families battle the harsh winter months."

Oxfam’s calculations of commitments rich countries need to make on aid and resettlement are the bare minimum, and they are repeatedly falling far short. In comparison Syria’s small neighbours Lebanon and Jordan, which host nearly 2 million refugees, have spent the equivalent of 6,892% and 5,628% of their fair share in aid respectively.

"The London conference has to be a turning point for rich nations,” Delahanty said, as countries prepare to meet on February 4 in the British capital to pledge support for Syria and its neighbours.  

In addition to sustained aid for Syrians, Oxfam calls for the resettlement or other forms of humanitarian admission in rich countries of 10% of refugees registered in Syria’s neighbours by the end of 2016, the equivalent of around 460,000 people¹. These are Syrians who are at risk, vulnerable women and children, and people with disabilities and war wounds. Collectively, rich nations have so far offered places to 128,612 Syrians, only 28% of the minimum they should.

Canada’s pledge to resettle more than 36,000 refugees by the end of 2016 represents 238% of its fair share of Syrian resettlement. Germany and Norway have also consistently shown generosity in resettling refugees.     

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Notes to editors  

• NEW: Read: Social Society statement to Syria Donor Conference participants and the wider international community ahead of the London Conference.
• The full fair share analysis for funding and resettlement pledges received to date is available here. Previous fair shares are available here for 2015. A full explanation of how Oxfam calculates its fair share analysis is available online.
• Examples from Lebanon and Jordan depicting the impact of insufficient aid on refugees are available here.
• Since the first international Syria conference in 2013, Oxfam’s calculation of rich countries fair share of aid has shown that only a handful of names always come on top, such as:     
  • Germany: 156% in 2013, 111% in 2014, and 152% in 2015    
  • The Netherlands: 133% in 2013, 114% in 2014, and 246% in 2015    
  • Norway: 332% in 2013,  254% in 2014, 385% in 2015 
• Other countries have consistently not contributed nearly as much as they should:
  • Russia: 3% in 2013, 7% in 2014, and 1% in 2015.
  • France: 69% in 2013, 57% in 2014, and 45% in 2015.
  • Japan: 37% in 2013, 29% in 2014, and 24% in 2015
  • A third group has actually decreased funding significantly:
  • Saudi Arabia: 282% in 2013, 108% in 2014, and 28% in 2015.
  • Qatar: 309% in 2013, 358% in 2014, and 18% in 2015.
  • Australia: 98% in 2013, 28% in 2014, and 37% in 2015
• Resettlement is an option whereby a third county (i.e. not the one the refugee has fled from, or the country of first asylum or habitual residence) offers refugee status in its territory to an individual. For example, this could mean a refugee from Syria living in Jordan being offered status, and related reception and integration support, in the United States of America.
• Humanitarian admission programmes are similar, but normally involve expedited processing, and may provide either permanent or temporary stay depending on the legislation or policy of the state offering this option.
• Other forms of admission could include allowing Syrian refugees legal access to third countries by relaxing requirements for entry visas to work and study, not necessarily based upon their vulnerabilities.
• Asylum: Civilians facing persecution or other risks resulting from armed conflict or massive violations of human rights have a right to flee to safety across international borders and request asylum in another country. States have specific obligations towards asylum seekers under international law, particularly the obligation not to forcibly return them to harm.
• Relocation refers to the transfer of asylum-seekers from one European Union (EU) Member State to another. It is an intra-EU process, in which Member States agree to process some of the caseload of States who are receiving a large number of asylum-seekers on their territory.  

For interviews with Oxfam staff in London, Beirut or Amman (in English, Arabic, and French) please contact:
Joelle Bassoul at jbassoul@oxfam.org.uk +961-71525218
Attila Kulcsar at attila.kulcsar@oxfaminternational.org +44-7887788870

For interview in Canada, contact:
Melanie Gallant at melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca 613-858-2658

¹This is roughly equivalent to the number of refugees which UNHCR has identified as particularly vulnerable and in need of resettlement.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria have seen another winter descend on the Middle East, for some this is their fifth away from home in increasingly difficult living conditions. Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, which hosts the majority of refugees in this small country, is already shrouded in white, while nights in Jordan’s camps are extremely cold with temperatures dropping to zero. Syrian and Palestinian refugees living in camps and improvised shelters are particularly vulnerable to these conditions.

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“It’s hard enough to be far from home and our family. I have been living in Zaatari with my husband and three children since 2013. Winter used to be my favourite time of the year until I got here. We can’t sleep most nights because water leaks in and makes everything wet. I am very worried for my children.  I think of going back to Syria every day,” said Asma Qasim, a refugee in Jordan’s sprawling camp which hosts about 80,000 people.

It is not unusual for Zaatari, set in Jordan’s Northern desert area, to witness snowfall, strong winds and freezing rain.  Oxfam is helping families to dig drainage channels around their households, to ensure they do not flood.

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Our teams are also going door to door, informing refugees of ways to keep safe and dry. In case of heavy rains, flooding or snow melt, our Zaatari team has a contingency plan that includes installing additional emergency water tanks, and helping refugees whose homes are damaged to reach communal shelters. We have also mapped flood prone areas to guide our teams when they reach out to the most vulnerable in the camp.

Outside the camp, we are helping about 1,000 vulnerable families (70% of them refugees, the others Jordanian) by providing relief items such as heaters, gas cylinders, warm blankets and cash to pay for gas refills.

In Lebanon, Oxfam is providing cash transfers through ATM cards to hundreds of Palestinian refugees from Syria. About 450 families will receive a total of 400 USD for the winter months in North Lebanon, which will enable them to buy much needed heating fuel, tools for improving their shelter, and other items, such as blankets, children’s clothing, and stoves. They could also spend this cash on rent, as they all pay to have a roof over their heads.

In both countries, refugees have seen their resources dwindle as the conflict in Syria drags on. With little or no access to work opportunities, they are forced to rely on humanitarian aid to survive.

Tanzania is hosting over 110,000 Burundians within two camps, Nyarugusu and Nduta, and more refugees are arriving in their hundreds every day. Many people are still living in overcrowded mass shelters months after their arrival, where wet floors and cramped conditions mean that the risk of respiratory infections and waterborne diseases is high. If arrival numbers spike in the coming weeks and the current lack of funding continues, a crisis which is already 64 percent underfunded in Tanzania[1], will only get worse.

Julie Delahanty, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada, said: “We are deeply concerned that worsening conditions in Burundi might push even more people to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. Overcrowded refugee camps in Tanzania are already struggling to meet people’s basic needs, and the situation could get much worse. Sexual violence and rape are particularly appalling characteristics of the crisis, with women and girls frequently attacked as they flee their homes and seek refuge.”

Delahanty added: “We have a chance to focus the world’s attention on the worsening situation, to put a stop to the violence and to help those who have fled to Tanzania and other neighbouring countries. Will we take it?”

“Governments should realise that refugees across the world – no matter where they flee – need sustained help.  More funds, released faster, are desperately needed so that agencies can prevent disease outbreaks and give people, especially children, a basic level of support including key protection services,” said Steve Thorne, Country Director for Save the Children.

The Tanzanian rainy season has already begun and has led to an increase in refugees contracting malaria and watery diarrhea, which will only get worse as areas flood and tents and toilets are damaged by the heavy rains. The situation could also lead to a cholera outbreak in the camps, especially as there are known outbreaks in Burundi as well as several nearby areas in Tanzania. Aid agencies are calling for donors to urgently increase funding for Burundian refugees so that aid agencies can better prepare for this growing humanitarian crisis.

Amleset Tewodros, Country Director for Help Age International, said: “Rains and damaged toilets bring the threat of disease – a huge risk given that people are living in such close quarters, and conditions for the frail and chronically ill are likely to get worse. Many NGOs are working hard to provide tents, food, water and sanitation, but we are all struggling with too few resources and worsening conditions.”

To ease the overcrowding, the government of Tanzania started relocating thousands of Burundians from Nyarugusu to Nduta camp in early October 2015. In addition, all new arrivals from Burundi are now placed in Nduta which serves as home to more than 22,000 refugees – a number which is rising every day. While Nduta could house up to 50,000 people, a sharp increase in numbers would put resources such as health services, tents, water supplies and toilets under strain, and leave Burundians who have found safety in Tanzania without proper housing, at risk of poor health and receiving limited education and protection services.

“Children in particular are at great risk and it’s key that we continue to provide support to vulnerable children including those unaccompanied and separated, by ensuring they are protected, have increased access to safe places and child protection material as well as providing them with emotional support,” said Jorgen Haldorsen, Country Director of Plan International Tanzania.

Aid agencies face difficult decisions about where to use their limited resources so that Burundians are well supported across all the camps, as well as ensuring there is adequate presence at border points to provide emergency services upon arrival. Some organisations have already had to start reducing their work in Nyarugusu in order to set up systems in Nduta and a third site, Mtendeli, which has yet to open.

Elijah Okeyo, Country Director for IRC in Tanzania, said: “While refugees in Europe are making headlines, the international community must also remember that the situation for Burundians in neighbouring countries is equally devastating.”

Ends

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

Melanie Gallant
Media Relations
613-240-3047
Melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca

Notes to editors:

Programme Information:

• Oxfam is supplying water and sanitation in both Nyarugusu and Nduta camps to over 78,000 people. We are supplying water, constructing toilets, bathing shelters and hand washing facilities, and educating people about the crucial importance of good hygiene in preventing disease.  Oxfam is supporting over 25,000 Burundian refugees in the DRC and over 45,000 people in Rwanda, countries which have also seen a large number of Burundian refugees arrive since the current crisis began in April 2015.

• Danish Refugee Council, as part of its emergency response, is responsible for Camp Management in Nduta camp and rehabilitating/constructing of schools and other camp services structures, and is engaged in protection activities. DRC will expand its emergency response in the same sectors in Mtendeli Camp to be opened soon.

• IRC working on a range of activities in Nyarugusu camp, including child protection, support to people with specific needs or disabilities, Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV), education and reproductive health. IRC has recently expanded its SGBV services in Nduta and Mtendeli camps and also runs three health posts at border entry points and transit centers.

• HelpAge International is supporting people with special needs including older people and people with disabilities in Nyarugusu and Nduta camps with age and disability appropriate items. HelpAge also offers rehabilitative services and refers people with special needs to relevant humanitarian services.  

• Save the Children aims to support 12,000 children and their families in Nyarugusu camp with emergency child protection and education services. Save the Children is working alongside national partner Babawatoto Centre for Children and Youth, and the activities focus on creative arts, sports and non-formal education programmes for children and youth.

• Plan International is working in Nyarugusu camp to provide child protection, sanitation and hygiene promotion, and early childhood care and development.  In Nduta and Mtendeli camps (when it opens) Plan International is responsible for child protection including psycho-social support through Child Friendly Spaces, identification and registration of unaccompanied and separated children, case management and referrals for children requiring specific support.  In total, Plan International is currently reaching 35,000 children and adults in Tanzania and is also responding to the Burundi refugee crisis in Rwanda.

   

According to UNHCR, Nyarugusu camp is currently hosting almost 160,000 refugees. Over 90,000 of these are Burundian refugees. There are also almost 64,000 Congolese refugees in the camp. There are currently over 3,400 registered unaccompanied or separated Burundian children in Nyarugusu Camp (42% girls).

Nduta camp opened on 7 October 2015. Out of around 20,000 refugees currently living there, 60% are children. There are already 491 registered unaccompanied or separated children (39% girls).

As part of the preparations for the influx, a third camp, Mtendeli, is planned to open by early December for additional refugees. 

[1] UNHCR Burundi Situation Funding Appeal Update, as of 17 November 2015

With no end to the conflict in sight and no prospect of safe return home, the new deal must provide more investment in Syria’s neighbours, which host more than four million refugees, and an end to restrictions that prevent refugees from working and in some cases living legally in these countries. At the same time, it must protect and strengthen their right to seek asylum.  

“For over four years now, refugees have lived without knowing where the next meal comes from,” said Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director, Julie Delahanty. “Women and men, including former teachers, healthcare workers, and tradespeople among others are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and buy food and clothing for their families. As long as this happens people will continue to make the desperate and perilous journey to Europe, putting themselves at grave risk of innumerable human rights violations including the sexual abuse of women and children”  

“Syria’s neighbors need more support and investment in order to cope with the refugee crisis within their borders. Canada has so far been generous, but when compared to countries like Lebanon – where a quarter of the population are refugees – we could do more. The new Government’s plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees is a good place to start,” Delahanty said.  

“We applaud recent commitments to resettle more refugees in Canada. However, more help is required to support the neighbouring countries hosting the overwhelming majority of Syrian refugees,” says Jacquelyn Wright, vice president of international programs for CARE Canada. “Many refugees have already used their savings and struggle to find work to support their families. Syria is a protracted crisis and there is a clear need for a long-term solution that supports both the refugees and host communities.”  

The agencies argue that a new, creative long-term approach is needed. With the right help from international donors, including Canada, Syria’s neighbouring governments should develop policies that allow refugees to better support themselves financially without the risk of arrest by authorities. This would also allow refugees to contribute to the economy of the communities hosting them.  

Unable to afford rent or food, and relying on dwindling aid, refugees are pushed into a spiral of poverty and debt.  Some 70 per cent of refugees in Lebanon lack the documents needed to stay in the country legally, and many refugees in Jordan outside of camps are struggling to access medical and education services because they lack updated documents.  

“We risk losing a whole generation of young Syrians – the same generation that will have to rebuild Syria once the conflict is finally over. With adults and youth unable to earn a living, families are struggling to provide food and shelter. Hundreds of thousands of children are missing years of education as the school systems in neighbouring countries are bursting at the seams and need much greater support,” said Patricia Erb, CEO Save the Children.  

“As refugee families continue to flow across borders – including into Canada – we need to offer a future of hope, safety and dignity. Traditional aid is not enough – we must work together and prioritize support for host countries to provide jobs, housing and social services in the long-term,” said Michael Messenger, president, World Vision Canada.  

Even with the right investment and policies, the scale of the crisis means that the most vulnerable refugees will need asylum outside of the region. Rich countries should provide a safe resettlement option for at least 10 per cent of refugees who are most in need, but so far they have only pledged to accept less than three per cent and waiting time is far too long.

Signatories:     

Care
Danish Refugee Council
International Rescue Committee     
Norwegian Refugee Council     
Oxfam     
Save the Children     
World Vision International 

Notes to editors:

• Download the full report: Right to a Future.  
• Lebanon is hosting more than one million refugees, 30% of its population, including almost 500,000 school-age children. Since January 2015 it has effectively closed its border to new refugees. Those who wish to obtain legal residency have to sign a pledge that they will not work, or find a Lebanese citizen to sponsor them. Hundreds of thousands are facing a choice between giving up their ability to work, or living without valid residency with all the risks that entails.  
• In Jordan, more than 83% of its more than 630,000 Syrian refugees live outside of camps, in towns and cities. Some 48% of Syrian refugees in host communities have not left the camps through the bail out system and face challenges remaining registered, accessing services and humanitarian assistance and registering birth, deaths and marriages. 99% of refugees who manage to find work have to do so in the informal sector, usually for extremely low wages.  
• In Turkey, which is hosting some 2 million Syrian refugees, some towns have seen their populations double. Refugees can get services where they arrive but unless for family reunification or medical reasons are often unable to move to urban areas where jobs are available. Around 600,000 Syrian refugees remain unregistered and cannot officially use most public services. Most are unable to work legally and end up in the informal economy, often in exploitative conditions.  In the Kurdish Region of Iraq, refugees in camps can get residency permits allowing them to work and access services – although these are difficult to get for refugees outside camps. Refugees in camps elsewhere in Iraq are unable to work.  
• In Egypt, there are almost 130,000 registered Syrian refugees but the government estimates there are almost double that number in the country. Only a tiny fraction has been able to obtain work permits due to the lengthy and costly process and quotas limiting the number of non-Egyptians in employment.

For interviews contact:

Melanie Gallant, Oxfam Canada | 613-240-3047 | Melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca
Katharine Harris, Save the Children | 416 221 5501 x 295 | Kharris@savethechildren.ca
Darcy Knoll, CARE Canada | 613.790.2134 | Darcy.knoll@care.ca
Britt Hamilton, World Vision | 416-419-1321 | britt_hamilton@worldvision.ca

“Canada is a prosperous country, with a strong tradition of welcoming asylum seekers. In its report Fair Share: Solidarity with Syrians, Oxfam found that Canada had been generous compared to some other nations. But compared to countries like Lebanon – struggling to cope with an influx of over 1 million refugees – it’s clear that Canada can do much more. The new Government’s plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees is an improvement over previous pledges, and a good place to start.”  

“Massive numbers of people have fled violence and conflict in Syria and Iraq. Countless women and girls are at risk of violence and abuse, including sexual assault and forced child marriage. Mothers are worried for their families as a hard winter approaches, and many refugees are making the perilous journey to Europe in a desperate bid for a life with dignity.”  

“We welcome the news that Canada wishes to proceed swiftly with its plan, and urge the new Government to do so responsibly – ensuring that adequate support mechanisms are in place and including Canadian Civil society in discussions and planning. What’s important here is not for Canada to set a specific date, but to be as generous as possible and ensure that all reasonable efforts are made to speed up processes,” said Witteveen.  

Globally, the Syria crisis humanitarian response is only half funded. Through its advocacy work – in particular fair share reports – Oxfam has repeatedly called on all donor countries to increase humanitarian aid to the region, to work towards the resettlement of a larger number of Syrian refugees and to support diplomatic efforts that lead to peace.

##

Media Contact:
Melanie Gallant
melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca
Tel: (613) 240-3047

Today I am thankful for having shared a cup of coffee with Syrian women refugees in Sawere, a small town in Lebanon’s Bekaa valley.

The small refugee settlement where I met these courageous women is nestled between the fertile mountains of Eastern Lebanon, not far from one of the countries world famous wineries. It only has 13 households, and most of the refugee families are from the Syrian City of Homs who were forced to flee to safety.

Fatima* is six months pregnant, but very thin. She was shaking somewhat as she passed around a flower-patterned tray with small cups of Turkish coffee. It should be a happy time for the young expectant mother in her early twenties, but she is ill prepared to welcome her little one into such a precarious situation.

“I am scared in this condition,” she told me. “I need to make a relationship with a taxi driver or neighbour so I can go to the hospital when the baby wants to come. This is not easy because our settlement is very isolated, and the situation is difficult with the community and authorities. There are only three months to go, I have no clothes for my baby.”

Fatima’s story broke the ice and soon everyone wanted to join in the conversation. Nahla*, a lady to my left, jumped in and added that other children in the camp were barefoot, and were missing out on an education. “No shoes, no school,” she said.

No shoes? “What will they do when the snow and cold come?” I asked. Silence gave way to shrugs and I-don’t-knows.

Globally, the humanitarian response to the Syrian crisis is only half funded and aid organizations are struggling to deliver programs. In fact, many Syrian refugees have seen their food support cut by 50% this year because of a lack of funding – a severe blow to families in Sawere and other refugee settlements in the area, who were already unable to make ends meet. They are extremely worried about facing the oncoming winter with little food, no heating oil and inadequate living conditions.

“Last winter was horrible,” said Fatima. “It was a very hard winter in Lebanon, but worst of all for us, in the refugee settlements. We got some support from Oxfam and are very thankful. But it is not enough. We don’t want to burn our rubber sandals again in order to keep warm. What kind of life is that?”

One out of four people living in Lebanon right now is a refugee, and the small country is struggling to cope under such strain.  As the violence in Syria shows no signs of abating, the humanitarian situation is only getting worse – for those trapped inside the country, for those living as refugees in neighbouring countries such as Lebanon and Jordan, and for those making the often perilous journey across the Mediterranean in search of a better future.

For the most part the women in Sawere just want to go back home, to return to Syria. Some of them are attempting to go back home, even though it is very dangerous.

I felt thankful at that moment, despite bullets and bombs raining down just across the mountains. Just a group of women sitting together with a cup of coffee in compassionate camaraderie, despite our differences in the face of an uncertain future. We even managed to get a couple of laughs in.

These women had little although their needs are great, yet they offered me what they could and shared what they had. That is the spirit of thanksgiving.

Oxfam has reached nearly half a million refugees in Jordan and Lebanon with clean drinking water, cash and relief supplies, such as blankets, stoves and vouchers for hygiene supplies.  Melanie Gallant is Oxfam Canada’s Media Relations Officer. She is currently in Lebanon.

*names have been changed for security reasons

The report coincides with Oxfam’s decision to start a new humanitarian program in Serbia – aimed at around $1.5 million – to help some of the thousands fleeing to safety, including many Syrians, who will soon face a Balkans winter with few resources to cope. Oxfam works in the top nine countries of origin for refugees around the world as well as countries like Lebanon and Jordan which border Syria.  

Solidarity with Syrians

Oxfam says the international community’s efforts to stop the violence and solve the crisis look cursory and insincere, especially with the war now intensifying. In addition, aid flows are woefully inadequate for Syrians to live in dignity and safety, and many countries are simply paying lip-service to their commitments to give safe haven for those who have managed to flee. Only 17,000 Syrians have been so far resettled in a third country due to lack of political will to honor the pledges already made.  

Ann Witteveen, Oxfam Canada’s Humanitarian Manager said:  “The Government of Canada has been  a very generous donor over the past years, and the recent creation of the $100M Syria emergency relief fund shows a continued commitment to supporting the humanitarian response in Syria and the region. We hope the government will move quickly to allocate these funds so that agencies like Oxfam can provide essential services, especially with winter just around the corner.."    

“Globally the Syria crisis is only half funded, and countless people trapped inside Syria or living as refugees in neighboring countries are suffering because of food shortages and the escalating price of food, overcrowding, inadequate shelter and insecurity. Women and girls are especially at risk of violence, including sexual violence and early and forced marriage.”  

As the barrel bombs, massacres, air strikes and mortars continue inside Syria, aid is drying up and living conditions in neighboring countries are toughening. Refugees now account for 25% of Lebanon’s population and 10% of Jordan’s population.   Melanie Gallant, Oxfam Canada’s media relations officer on the ground in Lebanon, said: “It is clear from visiting Syrian refugee camps in Northern Lebanon that families are unable to make ends meet. People are living in poverty and they are extremely worried about surviving the impending winter. They have lost family members, their homes and livelihoods – and seeing no end the conflict – they are beginning to lose hope."    

The violence in Syria is actually intensifying, fuelled by a divided international community and the transfer of arms and ammunitions to warring parties. Faced with this grim situation, many Syrians are literally jumping in the water to seek a better future.  

Gallant added: “Canada’s announcement that it will ease the resettlement process is welcome , and it must deliver on that promise as soon as possible. But being such a rich and prosperous country it could  also do much more. The Syria crisis is a watershed moment for Canada to save lives and show leadership on a crucial global humanitarian crisis.”    

Oxfam’s new Serbia program  

Oxfam will be distributing materials to help those who have reached Serbia to cope with the coming winter. It will focus in Šid, near the border with Croatia, Dimitrovgrad near the border with Bulgaria and in Preševo/Miratovac, near the Macedonia border. Oxfam will provide toilets, showers and water points and is looking to raise €1m for this program.  

Riccardo Sansone, Oxfam’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Serbia, said: “People are arriving here exhausted, hungry and thirsty and often in need of urgent medical attention. They are traumatized and have often been abused by the smugglers and human trafficking networks. Water and sanitation facilities are insufficient along the whole migration routes because Serbia was not expecting such numbers."  

Serbia has called for international assistance as refugees already face the prospect of a bitterly cold winter.  “Families with small children are sleeping in the open air in parks, bus and train stations and in the bush at crossing points. They are highly exposed to the risk of robbery, sexual violence and other abuses,” Sansone said.    

##

PRESS CONTACTS:
Melanie Gallant
Oxfam Canada
Media Relations Officer, Currently in Beirut
+961-70661110
Melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca

Ann Witteveen
Oxfam Canada
Humanitarian Manager, Ottawa
613.862.1607
Ann.witteveen@oxfam.ca

Notes to editors

• Read full report here: Solidarity with Syrians
• Oxfam’s report looks at two key indicators to help guide the level of commitment that each wealthy country should make in order to fairly alleviate the suffering of those affected by the Syria crisis:
  1. The level of funding each country makes available for the humanitarian response, relative to the size of their economy (based on gross national income);
  2. The number of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries that each state has pledged to provide sanctuary through offers of resettlement or other forms of humanitarian protection, again based on the size of the pledging state’s economy. This does not include the numbers of people who have claimed and been granted asylum, as states have specific international legal obligations related to individuals who arrive on their territory seeking asylum.
• Resettlement is an option whereby a third county (i.e. not the one the refugee has fled from, or the country of first asylum or habitual residence) offers refugee status in its territory to an individual. For example, this could mean a refugee from Syria living in Jordan being offered status, and related reception and integration support, in the United States of America.
• Relocation refers to the transfer of asylum-seekers from one European Union (EU) Member State to another. It is an intra-EU process, in which Member States agree to process some of the caseload of States who are receiving a large number of asylum-seekers on their territory

Ann Witteveen, Humanitarian Manager for Oxfam Canada, said: “The tragic photo of drowned three-year-old Syrian boy Alan Kurdi has reminded us all that the situation in Syria continues to worsen, and that more must be done to help. The Syria Emergency Relief Fund will double the power of donations from generous Canadians, and help humanitarian agencies like Oxfam go further in providing life-saving support to those trapped inside Syria’s war zones, and to the millions of refugees hosted in neighbouring countries, many in desperate need of shelter, healthcare, food and water.”

“This is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world,” added Witteveen. “More than 200,000 people have lost their lives, over six million people have fled their homes and over four million refugees are living in neighbouring countries including Lebanon and Jordan.”

“Life in the refugee camps, is not easy. It is a life of poverty, with inadequate water and sanitation services, limited healthcare and education, and few opportunities. Women and children are particularly at risk of violence, including forced child marriage and rape.”

On the ground since the beginning of the crisis, Oxfam has already reached over 1.5 million people impacted by the crisis. The international aid agency is providing affected people inside Syria with clean water and emergency sanitation services, and providing refugees in Lebanon and Jordan with clean drinking water, emergency toilets, and cash and relief supplies such as blankets, stoves and vouchers for essential supplies.

Speaking to the situation in Canada, Witteveen said: “Canada is being generous in providing much needed aid to people within Syria and those displaced to neighbouring countries. However, as the number of refugees continues to grow and conflict spreads to other countries in the region, our Government must step-up diplomatic efforts to help find a peaceful solution to this horrific humanitarian crisis and accelerate the resettlement of Syrian refugees to Canada.”

For interviews with spokespeople in Canada, and on the ground in Jordan and Lebanon:
Melanie Gallant
Media Relations Officer
Tel: 613-240-3047
melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca 

Notes to editors: 

• Oxfam Canada is accepting donations for the Syrian refugee crisis online at //www.oxfam.ca/syriacrisis, and toll free at 1-800-466-9326.
• The Government of Canada will match every eligible dollar donated by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities in response to the impact of the conflict in Syria, up to $100 million, effective immediately until December 31, 2015. For more information on the Syria Emergency Relief fund is available at https://www.international.gc.ca/development-developpement/humanitarian_response-situations_crises/fund_syria-syrie_fonds.aspx?lang=eng
• Oxfam is a recognized leader in humanitarian response, renowned for its ability to quickly and efficiently provide clean water and sanitation facilities, and ensuring that those affected have access to food, basic necessities, shelter, education, health and hygiene.
• Oxfam places special emphasis on ensuring women and girl’s needs are taken into account when setting up these essential services, and has adopted 16 minimum standards designed to increase women’s participation, dignity and empowerment to prevent violence against women in emergencies.

The searing images of three-year-old Alan Kurdi have moved through cyberspace and galvanized reaction around the world. People everywhere are shocked and saddened in witnessing the tragedy of a little boy who will never live the long, healthy, happy life he deserved.

For Canadians, there are layers and hard questions that go further than our basic human response of sorrow. That’s because Alan Kurdi’s family could and should have been in Canada by now. Beginning a new life far away from the destruction and horror of Syria’s savage implosion.

But instead of a new life in Canada, the Kurdi family has found the fate that has needlessly befallen too many thousands of desperate people; lost and too often forgotten. While some European countries are now opening their arms and their borders with grace and generosity, so much more needs be done. Including right here in Canada.

A meaningful solution would result in the rapid resettlement of refugees in Canada. To date, the numbers of those successfully resettled in Canada are shockingly low, especially in the context of the gravity and magnitude of the crisis. Canada has only admitted approximately 1,500 Syrian refugees to date after promising to allow 11,300 in the final pre-election Parliamentary session.

A meaningful solution would ensure that the more than four million refugees living in neighbouring countries can access humanitarian aid: the UN World Food Program recently cut their food rations in Lebanon from $19 to $13.50 per family for one month.   

A meaningful solution would be to help the more than seven million people displaced from their homes inside Syria who so far haven’t been able to escape and now live in the midst of war and depravity.

The Canadian government has provided significant aid through the UN and others. But, a meaningful solution requires all of us to see our common humanity in this tragedy so that we may act in solidarity with the people of Syria. As we see the same basic human rights and needs in Syrian families, who are no different than our own families, we then must do whatever we can to help; whether that’s supporting an organization like Oxfam, assisting or volunteering with a local resettlement organization or simply asking our leaders to lead with grace, power and generosity.

And, of course, a meaningful solution requires the immediate end to the ongoing brutality that forces people to flee their homes. Oxfam has been campaigning and advocating for a political solution since the beginning of the conflict while at the same time providing food, water and shelter to over one million. We continue to press for an immediate cease-fire and call for all parties to the conflict to cease arms transfers and guarantee humanitarian access to the devastated region.

• are impacted differently from men and boys by conflict and violence in society,
• have voices and perspectives that are often marginalized in both formal and informal settings,
• are the target of violence that issues from conflict, and constitute the majority of those that are displaced or extremely vulnerable.

Solutions aren’t easy but they aren’t impossible either.  As many of the discussions outlined in this report suggest, changes at all levels of society are required, which demand an approach dealing with the cultural and structural roots of inequality and conflict. Civic education, the provision of services, public spaces for discussion, and the championing of male allies to support men and women’s efforts in building a fair and sustainable peace are all crucial elements of any peace process. Women’s peace efforts rely on supporting communities as much as supporting women’s rights.
 
There is lots more in the report but this short poem from a Somaliland women expressing her frustration at the ongoing conflict between related clans sums it all up for me:
 
Of the men I gave birth to
Of the clans I am caught between
Of my brothers who have shared my mother’s milk
Of my father who gave me my lineage
If they pick up arms against one another
It is as if they have burned me as well.
 
(p. 10 Dudi Ahmed, Somali woman from Allah-Amin)

Written by Ann Witteveen, Manager, Humanitarian Unit, Oxfam Canada

Andy Baker, who heads Oxfam's Syria crisis response, said: “Today, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees living outside of camps in Jordan will see the food assistance they receive from the World Food Programme drastically reduced. In Lebanon, the steady decrease in aid has led to vouchers being sliced in half for all refugees. This is an unprecedented and dangerous development, due foremost to lack of international funding, and the protracted nature of the crisis. Two of the smallest countries in the Middle East will now be hosting more than 1.5 million Syrians with little to no subsistence support. Many refugees have already started resorting to extreme measures to feed their families, by sending children to work, taking debt which they will not be able to repay, or cutting back on meals.

“Donors need to come forward with funds urgently to ensure Syrians are able to meet their basic needs. There are a number of means through which this can be achieved. We should not wait for a situation, which is already dire, to worsen. Syrians also need to be enabled to provide for their families themselves, by accessing the job market in Lebanon and Jordan, where labour laws are stringent. By allowing refugees to seek livelihood solutions, these two countries would help avert a human tragedy, and, in the longer term, boost their own economies while improving refugees' chances of supporting themselves in the future."

Media Contact:

Melanie Gallant
Media Relations
Phone:  (613) 240-3047

Andy Baker, who leads Oxfam’s response to the Syria crisis, said:

“A ‘fate worse than death’ is how some of the four million Syrian refugees now registered in countries neighbouring Syria describe what it’s like to watch the towns and cities in which they left everything behind crumble under mortar attacks and barrel bombs, waiting endlessly for help that does not come while the humanitarian assistance on which they've relied is cut back.

“Before our eyes, the number of refugees fleeing the brutal conflict has ballooned. Most travelled only with the clothes on their backs. Countless further millions are effectively trapped inside a warzone as countries neighbouring Syria have restricted their borders to more people trying to flee, under the extreme strain of the crisis. The world has responded with inadequate aid, limited offers of resettlement for the most vulnerable refugees and a shamefully half-hearted attempt to drive warring parties to the negotiating table. If we are to prevent millions more Syrians becoming displaced from their homes and restore the lost faith in humanity of an entire generation – this must change now.

“At the very least, governments must step-up contributions to the $8.4 billion relief effort and invest in the health and education services of the countries hosting four million refugees. Anything less is tantamount to abandoning Syrians – and the often extremely poor communities that host refugees – to their fate.”

Contact:
Joelle Bassoul, in Beirut | jbassoul@oxfam.org.uk | +961-71525218

Daniel Gorevan | Policy Lead – Syria Crisis | Oxfam Jordan | +962 (0) 790219681 Lebanon: +961 (0) 70099901 | Skype: daniel gorevan

Children hide behind water tanks while clothes dry outside flimsy tents in the Mediterranean sunshine. We have arrived at a refugee settlement in the Lebanese Bekaa valley. Here, it’s the little things that matter: an oil lamp proudly brandished by a 65-year-old Syrian woman who has welcomed us in her tent. A TV placed in the corner of an otherwise empty “home”. A jerrican of water and some corrugated iron for makeshift toilets shared by the 40 families living here.

In a thin fabric fortune fortress, elders recall the day they left Syria. Not far behind the nearby mountains of the Bekaa, Syria is now left to the imagination or else seen through pictures of destruction held on precious mobile phones, people’s last connection to a lost land. Only what is recalled as the glorious past brings some sentiment of joy and sorrow to their faces.  

It was a hot day early June when colleagues and I visited communities where Oxfam has been programming for the past few years. The refugees we met were struggling to cope with loss, grief and the daunting feeling of not belonging. Yet, despite facing insurmountable challenges, most Syrian refugees are still living day by day, making it work because they have to, carrying on despite the relentless news of further death and annihilation in their home country.

Those of us living outside the region do not see the scale and the impact of human suffering generated by the crisis. Our Oxfam colleagues working in Lebanon, inside Syria and in Jordan hear of such stories every day. While every aspect of daily life is difficult, including the challenge to find work,  the lack of education for children , and the strain on local populations living alongside refugees, all have been trying to cope with this reality. What it means for sharing resources, living alongside each other is not easy in the current context. Communities, Oxfam and partners are working towards fostering a further sense of solidarity, while populations are facing serious strains on infrastructure, public services, such as water and sanitation, as well as access to health care and work.

Truth is that no one ever thinks they will be called a refugee. But behind each faceless number is a life. To date, 1.2 million Syrians are living in Lebanon. Almost 4 million have fled Syria, while 7.6 million are displaced inside the country. Countless lives suspended in a timeless await.

In Ghazzeh, a small town 90 minutes East of Beirut where refugees outnumber local residents, we visited a “cash for work” programme funded by the Italian Cooperation, and run in collaboration with the local municipality. A dozen people , both Lebanese and Syrian refugees, work daily in the Gazzeh Solid Waste Management facility, sifting through up to 8 tonnes of waste. Despite the smell of waste, people are smiling at the thought of being busy, feeling part of a team, and most of all earning money to support their families.

This past week, Oxfam and partners in Lebanon, Jordan, Italy, Quebec and Wales held a variety of events to mark World Refugee Day, bringing Jordanians, Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians under one roof in a fun, friendly atmosphere, which also marks the approach of Ramadan. With these events, we hope to continue reminding governments of their responsibility to do their fairshare for Syrians, who are experiencing the worst refugee crisis since World War II, by allocating funds to the humanitarian response to allow more cash for work activities such as those described in the Bekaa Valley and supporting long-term development funding for neighbouring countries as well as welcome vulnerable refugees through resettlement programmes that are commensurate with the scale of the crisis.

Note to Editors:

Video footage available here:  
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-shKz94195lZjBJU0JHLXgzU3c/view

Media Contact:
Melanie Gallant
Media Relations
(613) 240-3047
melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca

“While some donors have been generous in Kuwait, the total aid pledged is less than half the amount needed this year to help people in desperate humanitarian need."

"Unless more donor countries massively step up in the wake of the conference, the increasing numbers of people fleeing their homes and struggling to survive will be less and less likely to receive assistance. What does the international community expect millions of Syrians to survive on? The collective response risks leaving the nearly 4 million refugees and those trapped in Syria to their fate while neighboring countries face unbearable strain."

"Countries leading the way in pledging their fair share of financial contributions – such as Kuwait, Denmark and Germany – must pressure others who are falling far short. With the impact of cuts to assistance already being felt by Syrians, it’s essential that promises are quickly turned into aid. Rich countries should also offer to resettle their fair share of the most vulnerable 5% of the refugee population by the end of the year."

"Fully funding the aid response is the bare minimum the international community should do for the Syrian people, and even on this measure they are falling far short. Unless we see real progress towards an end to the conflict, governments will have to return to pledge year after year and, worse, more Syrians will suffer – not a prospect anyone wants to see.”

Notes to editors:

Oxfam's Syria crisis 'fair share' analysis for 2015 (numbers are pre-Kuwait pledging conference): Report

Contact information:

For interviews with Oxfam staff in Kuwait, Beirut or Amman (in English, Arabic, and French) contact Joelle Bassoul: jbassoul@oxfam.org.uk

Contact:

For interviews with Ann Witteveen, contact Melanie Gallant: melanie.gallant@oxfam.ca

For interviews with Oxfam staff in Kuwait, Beirut or Amman (in English, Arabic, and French) contact Joelle Bassoul:  jbassoul@oxfam.org.uk

Notes to editors:

Download the report:  Syria Crisis Fair Share Analysis 2015
 
Oxfam has developed two key indicators to help guide the level of commitment that each wealthy country should make in order to fairly alleviate the suffering of those affected by the Syria crisis:

1. The level of funding each country makes available for the humanitarian response, relative to the size of their economy (based on gross national income);

2. The number of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries that each state has pledged to provide sanctuary through offers of resettlement or other forms of humanitarian protection, again based on the size of the pledging state’s economy. This does not include the numbers of people who have claimed and been granted asylum, as states have specific international legal obligations related to individuals who arrive on their territory seeking asylum.
 
 

Satellite images show that 83% of Syria’s lights have gone out over the last four years – plunging streets, homes, schools and hospitals into darkness, and gradually extinguishing hope.

And yet in the face of this darkness ordinary Syrians are committing unseen acts of heroism every day. Inspired by their courage, we must stand #WithSyria and do all we can to help end the suffering and Turn the Lights Back On.

Sign the petition: Call on World Leaders to Turn the Lights Back on for Syria

Call on World Leaders

We ask you to call on world leaders to:

• Boost the humanitarian response: Fully fund the aid response and ensure refugees seeking safety find asylum, including through increased resettlement for the most vulnerable
• Stop attacks on civilians: Send an unequivocal message to parties to the conflict that attacks on civilians and blocks to aid will not be tolerated; and
• Prioritize a political solution with human rights at the heart: A halt to the suffering can only be achieved if negotiations – whether local or international – include safeguards to ensure respect for international humanitarian and human rights law  

Sign the petition: Call on World Leaders to Turn the Lights Back on for Syria

Lights going out

• 83% of lights out across Syria since March 2011
• 97% lights out in Aleppo
• 35% of lights out in the Governorate of Damascus
• Over 200,000 people killed since 2011
• 10 million people have fled their homes
• 3 million school-aged Syrian children no longer in school

 Sign the petition: Call on World Leaders to Turn the Lights Back on for Syria

Learn More

Building hope out of shattered lives:

• Noor's story
• Mariam's story

Syria: A stain on the conscience of the world

News Release: Aid agencies give UN Security Council a 'failing grade' on Syria

Report: Failing Syria: Assessing the Impact of UN Security Resolutions

Approximately 12.2 million people are in need in Syria. Oxfam has reached over 1.5 million people affected by the Syria crisis, across Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Women and children have been particularly affected by the violence.

Over 30 international organizations are calling on governments meeting in Geneva tomorrow to commit to offer sanctuary to at least 5 per cent of the most vulnerable refugees from Syria currently in neighbouring countries – 180,000 people – by the end of 2015.

The governments convened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will be making pledges to resettle or provide other forms of humanitarian admission to Syrian refugees. Up to 3.59 million people are projected to have fled the conflict into countries neighbouring Syria by the end of this year. To date the international community has pledged to resettle less than 2 per cent of this number over an unclear timeframe.

Syria’s neighbouring countries have shown incredible generosity over the last three and a half years, but the strain of the crisis is weighing heavily on infrastructure and public services. Turkey and Lebanon each host more than 1 million registered refugees. One in every four residents in Lebanon is a refugee from Syria. Jordan hosts more than 618,000 and Iraq hosts 225,000 (on top of millions of internally displaced Iraqis). With diminishing resources, refugees and host communities are paying the price, as well as those still trying to flee the conflict in Syria as neighbouring countries restrict and effectively close their borders.

“The situation for the most vulnerable refugees from Syria is becoming increasingly desperate. Some – including sick children, who without treatment, could die – are simply unable to survive in the region. Providing humanitarian aid alone is no longer an option: it’s time for wealthy governments to step up and extend a lifeline to 5 per cent of the refugee population by the end of 2015,” said Justin Forsyth, CEO of Save the Children.

 “This is one of the worst refugee crises since World War II, displacing millions of civilians, mostly women and children,” said Mark Goldring, Executive Director of Oxfam GB. “We’re counting on governments in Geneva to move quickly to demonstrate the kind of international solidarity that is desperately needed to transform the lives of the most vulnerable refugees.”
 
While 5 per cent is only a small fraction of the total number of refugees, it would mean the hope of a better future and safety for at least 180,000 people by the end of next year, including survivors of torture, those with significant medical needs, children and women at risk – as identified by the UN refugee agency. Accepting the most vulnerable cases for resettlement or humanitarian admission also relieves Syria’s neighbouring countries from the short term costs of treating, supporting or protecting them.

“With the collapse in the international solidarity, Syria’s neighbours are now increasing their border restrictions. Desperate Syrian civilians are unable to escape the war. Wealthy countries need to scale up their resettlement pledges and at the same time increase the support to the region so that borders are kept open,” said Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland. “Just because we happen to share no border with Syria, this does not free any of us from responsibility”.

The coalition of NGOs are also calling on states that have not traditionally participated in refugee resettlement, such as countries in the Gulf and Latin America, to join other states by pledging resettlement and humanitarian admission places. Beyond this, governments can also do much more through innovative ways to help refugees from Syria in 2015, such as through making available work permits and university places, while offering them full protections in line with the 1951 Refugee Convention.

For more information contact:
Katia Gianneschi
Media Relations
katia.gianneschi@oxfam.ca

Notes to editors
Download the full brief adopted by the 30 humanitarian and human rights organisations listed below:
//www.oxfam.ca/our-work/publications/resettlement-refugees-syria

ABAAD (Lebanon)
ACTED
ACTIONAID
ACTION CONTRE LA FAIM
AMEL (Lebanon)
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION EUROPÉENNE POUR LA DÉFENSE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME
BRITISH REFUGEE COUNCIL
CARE INTERNATIONAL
CARITAS
CENTRE FOR REFUGEE SOLIDARITY
CHILDRENPLUS
DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL
EURO MEDITERRANEAN HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK
EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON REFUGEES AND EXILES
FRONTIERS RUWAD ASSOCIATION (Lebanon)
HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION (Turkey)
THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
ISLAMIC RELIEF
JREDS (Jordan)
LEBANESE CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
LIGUE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME
MEDECINS DU MONDE
MEDAIR
MUSLIM AID
NORWEGIAN REFUGEE COUNCIL
OXFAM
PREMIER URGENCE- AIDE MEDICALE INTERNATIONALE
SAVE THE CHILDREN
SAWA FOR DEVELOPMENT AND AID (Lebanon)
SYRIA INGO REGIONAL FORUM
UN PONTE PER  

Bright peeled paint covers humidity stains on the walls. An old bed has been pushed into a corner. Thin mattresses are strewn on the floor. Clothes hang on a lonely peg. It’s not even mid-day, and the air is already heavy and hot.

Ibrahim, 43, his wife Afaf, 37 and their 14 year-old son Abd have been living in one of the classrooms in a disused kindergarten in the UN-run Palestinian refugee camp of Burj Barajneh, in the suburb of Beirut, since they arrived from Syria nearly two years ago.

Ibrahim hails from a long line of displaced Palestinians. His family is from Nablus. Some of his uncles settled in Europe, while his parents found refuge in Syria decades ago. “I was born in Yarmouk. This is where home is,” says the plump man, his curly hair covering his sweaty forehead.

Though Yarmouk is described as a Palestinian camp on the outskirts of Damascus, it has evolved over the years into a city with built-up houses and shops. Through the conflict in Syria, many of its streets have now been turned into rubble. Large numbers of families have fled while others survive on scant humanitarian aid.

‘I will rebuild it stone by stone with my own hands’

“I was king in my house. Now I barely survive here in Lebanon with no source of income, and no hope,” adds Ibrahim. Palestinian refugees from Syria face severe restrictions in neighbouring countries. In Lebanon, they can’t legally work, have limited access to healthcare outside the existing Palestinian camps, and rely on aid to survive. ‘To add to my misery, my wife’s purse was stolen during our escape to Lebanon and I lost all my identification papers’, he explains.

Out of despair, the family sent an asylum request to the Australian government. “We were told that there was no embassy here. So we just mailed our forms through the post for 8,000 Lebanese Pounds (USD $5),” explains Afaf. Ever since, she waits and wonders why “Australia has not sent for us yet.” Afaf is not even sure that the papers made it to Australia.

“If things don’t change soon, I will send Abd by boat to his aunt in Denmark!” says Ibrahim angrily. The teenager chooses to ignore his father’s desperate weariness, and continues to play video games on his phone, while his mother’s worried gaze shifts from father to son.

Ibrahim knows that he can’t afford the smugglers fees and that his wife will never let her only child out of her sight. He casts his eyes, throws a glance at the plate of olives set up for breakfast on the floor, and says: “When it’s safe I will go back to Yarmouk, and if my house has been destroyed, I will rebuild it stone by stone with my own hands.”

“To reach the Jordanian border, we walked for more than an hour at night. I was holding my 2-months old son tightly, my heart pounding with fear. When I got to the crossing, I couldn’t find my husband and four daughters. Then gunfire erupted behind me. I thought I lost them. Those were the most terrifying minutes of my life.”

Ghossoun, 38, a school teacher, remembers her family’s escape from Syria, sitting on a mattress in Jordan, where they took refuge a year and a half ago. Five of her children, aged 12 to 2, huddle around her. Ritaj, her four-month-old daughter, was born in Amman.

Her husband Samer, 39, an agronomy specialist, recalls how the security situation deteriorated in Daraa, in South-West Syria. “At first, shelling happened mainly in the morning. Then suddenly, without a warning, it would start any time of day or night.”

The couple had saved for 10 years to build their dream home in their village. They lived in it for 4 months before a bomb flattened it. “I still have a 500,000 Syrian Pounds (USD$3,300) debt on the house,” sighs Samer, his thick moustache quivering. They moved in with his parents.

“At first, I hoped that we would go back. I would call my sister every day to ask her to water my garden. It was planted with kale, corn, and green beans, which we had not had the chance to taste,” recalls Ghossoun, while stirring the strong Arabic coffee on her second-hand stove.

Jordanian labor laws make it nearly impossible for Syrian refugees to get work permits

One day in early 2013, the shelling became unbearable. “We fled under a heavy downpour of rain,” says Samer, caressing his daughter’s tresses. The 5-year-old girl, in a bright checkered shirt, listens silently, her big brown eyes reflecting painful memories.

As they moved from village to village to reach Jordan, without attracting the soldiers’ attention, they dropped their belongings along the way. The family reached Amman with their identification cards, some children’s clothes and the baby seat.

They have rented a run-down two room flat for 150 Jordanian Dinars a month ($210), and survive on day jobs that Samer is able to find from time to time, in addition to receiving humanitarian aid. Jordanian labor laws make it nearly impossible for Syrian refugees to get work permits. As a result, Syrians face major difficulties finding reliable income, which means that many have depleted family savings and are relying on aid.

Ghossoun’s brother made a tough call. He paid a smuggler 3,000 JOD (more than $4,000) to make a harrowing trip to Sweden. First he flew to Algiers then went to Libya. From there he crossed the Mediterranean on a small boat to Italy, and arrived in Sweden.

“Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t take that dangerous journey. Where would get the money from?” says the woman, cradling Ritaj. “We live day by day,” concludes her husband.

Oxfam is calling on the UN to impose an arms embargo on all warring parties in Syria and is urging governments of rich countries to provide their fair share of aid, and offer a haven to greater numbers of refugees fleeing violence.

The report, A Fairer Deal for Syrians, details how the $7.7 billion humanitarian appeals are less than half funded, while a continued supply of arms is fuelling widespread violations and undermining peace efforts. Rich countries are offering a safe haven to a paltry number of refugees from Syria while neighbouring countries are struggling to support more than 3 million people who have fled the conflict.

“Canada has so far been generous in providing aid to people within Syria and those displaced to neighbouring countries,” said Robert Fox, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. “However, as the number of refugees continues to grow and conflict spreads to other countries in region, our Government must urgently step-up diplomatic efforts to bring an end to this terrible humanitarian crisis.”

Russia, a major arms exporter to Syria, has committed only one percent of its fair share of aid. France and the USA have provided just 33 percent and 60 percent of their fair share respectively and are continuing to supply arms, undermining efforts to stop the conflict. Many Gulf countries are giving more than their fair share but need to do more to stop arms flowing. Other generous donors include the UK and Denmark.

Andy Baker, head of Oxfam’s Syria crisis response, said: “This is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, and the international community’s response is falling far short on every front. In Syria, a steady flow of Kalashnikovs, bombs and missiles is fuelling terrible violations, while aid only trickles through to those who so desperately need it.

“Neighbouring countries are hosting millions of refugees, many in desperate need of shelter, healthcare, food and water.

“Yet there has been no embargo on arms and ammunition and few states have stepped up to offer protection to even a small number of refugees. The international community needs to wake up to its responsibilities towards the victims of this conflict.”

Oxfam is calling for five percent of the projected refugee population to be resettled or offered humanitarian admission to rich countries by the end of 2015. Each rich country should take their fair share of the total based on the size of their economy.

Speaking to the situation in Canada, Fox added: “We call on the Canadian government to accelerate the resettlement of Syrian refugees to Canada. Clearly we can’t take three million, but we can do more than we have currently pledged – and we could do it a lot faster.”

Germany and Australia are the only wealthy countries to have offered to relocate their fair share of refugees so far; almost all the other rich countries are falling short.

Three and a half years on, the generosity of neighbouring countries such as Lebanon and Jordan is at breaking point, and refugees and poor communities are paying the price.

Baker said: “The international community’s inadequate approach to the Syrian conflict is failing the millions of people who have fled torture, massacres and barrel bombs and those facing a terrifying future inside Syria. They have been abandoned by the international community and are living in desperate conditions in a daily battle to survive.”

The report also encourages authorities in the region to ensure that those fleeing violence can reach safety and, given the long term nature of the crisis, find opportunities to work and support their families.

Notes to editors

1. For interviews with Oxfam staff in Beirut or Amman (in English, Arabic, and French) contact Joelle Bassoul at jbassoul@oxfam.org.uk
2. Photos and testimonies are also available.
3. Download the full report here
4. Oxfam has developed three key indicators to help guide the level of commitment that each wealthy country should make in order to fairly alleviate the suffering of those affected by the Syria crisis:

• The level of funding each country makes available for the humanitarian response, relative to the size of their economy (based on gross national income);
• The number of Syrian refugees each country has helped to find safety through offers of resettlement or other forms of humanitarian protection, again based on the size of the economy. This does not include numbers granted asylum in either neighbouring countries or elsewhere, as states have specific obligations related to individuals who arrive on their territory seeking asylum.
• Each country’s commitment to taking practical action to end violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by halting transfers of arms and ammunition. Halting arms transfers would also be one way, in addition to reconvening talks aimed at ending the crisis, which collapsed in Geneva this year, that members of the international can revive the stalled peace process.

5. Countries beyond Syria’s neighbours have to date committed to offer safe haven to 37,629 of the estimated 3 million Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR through resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes.
6. The UN has launched its largest ever humanitarian appeal for Syria. Other agencies such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have their own appeals, as do the governments of Jordan and Lebanon. An aggregate of all of these appeals puts the total need at $7.7bn – according to Oxfam’s research, these have been 43.6 percent funded by donors.

– 30 –

For more information:

Melanie Gallant
Media Relations Officer
Oxfam Canada
media@oxfam.ca
 

A few days after the high-profile summit on ending sexual violence in conflict hosted by the UK government and Angelina Jolie in London, a group of Syrian women met in Amman, Jordan. There were no celebrities at this meeting, and no cameras. In fact, if there had been cameras many of the women would not have been able to participate. 

This was a meeting of the Syrian Women’s Initiative for Peace and Democracy (SWIPD) – a network of women’s civil society organizations – to develop plans to influence a political solution to the ongoing crisis that continues to ravage Syria and send shockwaves through the wider region.

Three long years into the conflict, the atmosphere in Amman was frank and unsentimental. One participant remarked: ‘The international community has been looking on while we got to where we are now – between two fires, between two hells.’ 

Women's role essential

The coalition has 49 members and was formed in the run-up to the long-awaited Geneva II peace negotiations, which began in January this year and collapsed after several weeks of talks between parties to the conflict.

Some of the network members are well established organizations with international links, others are small groups responding to a situation on the ground that simply cannot be ignored.

In the months before Geneva II, these women civil society leaders from inside and outside Syria put together a shared vision and recommendations for how to ensure that peace building and recovery processes involve the active participation of women, and that they address gender issues and the priorities of women’s civil society groups.

We know from conflicts around the world that higher participation of women raises the likelihood of success of peace building processes, but in the end women’s organizations were denied a seat at the table in Geneva. 

Civil society working together

In Amman, the focus was firmly on planning the way forward. An action plan was drawn up to set the future direction of the initiative. The Syrian Women’s Initiative for Peace and Democracy’s main focus is to advocate for the resumption of peace negotiations, but they are convinced that peace has to be built on the international, regional and local levels at the same time.

This means that in parallel to the high-level political discussions between governments, the UN and other international actors; national civil society as well as community based organizations and individuals all have to be involved and working together for peace to be sustainable in the long term.

The coalition argues that in this work, women’s roles as bearers of the civil peace and security message must be enhanced. ‘Sometimes Western countries just want to see us as mothers and wives and sisters. But we won’t be stereotyped. We have a right to sit at the negotiating table and decide the future of our country. That is our real role, and it must be taken seriously.’ 

International support essential

In order for such diverse actors to be able to collaborate for peace, trust has to be built so that Syrians of different affiliations can work together:

‘We need to start a peace process that is based on shared interests and concerns of the people across the board. The Syrian people are tired, they want a peaceful solution. The extremists are 5 percent of people on each side – we need to target the 90 percent in the middle.’

But it is not only the women’s organizations who have to coordinate their efforts. The same goes for the international community, and coalition members were clear on what they want. One participant explained:

‘We need the international community to apply pressure so that peace talks are resumed. And we need support in conveying our voice in the peace process. We want the international community to help us build a more democratic State, the State that we dream of.’ 

Faith in Syria's women

As the meeting in Amman closed on the last day and everyone stood up to leave, one of the participants took the microphone: 

‘Before we go, I want to tell you a story. A year ago, a group of armed fighters entered my village. They were very violent. The men couldn’t go outside because they would have been shot or abducted. In the end, it was the women who surrounded the fighters and drove them out of the village. I would like to say to the international community: Have faith in Syrian women. We can do anything.’

Jenny Enarsson is Oxfam International Gender Advisor, Syria Crisis Response

In order to better understand the ways in which Syrian refugees in Jordan experience the international humanitarian response we commissioned a research project  on refugee perceptions. We aimed to not only improve our own service delivery and communication with refugees but also to ensure that the voices of those affected by the crisis help to shape the humanitarian response now and in the future.

Jordan has become home to nearly 600,000 registered refugees fleeing the brutal conflict in Syria and the strain on Jordan’s infrastructure and public services is showing.

While media reports often relay crowded images from Za’atari camp, 80 percent of the refugees who have crossed the border are living in host communities outside refugee camps. Syrian refugees living around cities and villages are not legally permitted to work and are, therefore, reliant on humanitarian assistance.

International help needed

Numerous governmental and UN agencies, as well as international and local NGOs are providing humanitarian relief in an attempt to alleviate the suffering of refugees and strengthen the resilience of host communities in Jordan. However, in a stark reminder of the daily challenges that refugees face, 50 percent of the study’s respondents in both Za’atari refugee camp and in urban-based host communities, as well as informal tented settlements, reported difficulties in accessing basic services.

In Za’atari, a striking 74 percent of the study’s respondents identified distance as a barrier to accessing services. This may sound strange when thinking about refugees concentrated into one area, but recent estimates now place Za’atari as Jordan’s fourth largest city with between 80,000 and 120,000 residents.

Another 25 percent of respondents said that lack of knowledge or information of the services prevented them from receiving aid. In the host communities too, distance and lack of knowledge of services are cited as factors for the lack of access to quality medical, educational and nutritional services.

Recommendations to strenghten service provision

The study indicated that a vast number of respondents relied on word of mouth for information on services, making beneficiaries vulnerable to rumors, manipulation of information, and general gaps in communication. This is especially difficult in host communities where refugees are spread out across different areas.

In both the camps and the host communities, it was evident that refugees did not feel there was clear communication about the kinds of services available to them.

Our report lists a number of recommendations to the Government of Jordan, donors, UN agencies and NGOs operating in the country, on how to strengthen services provision. For example, the UN and NGO actors must develop better ways to receive and incorporate feedback from beneficiaries and be attentive to gender-based mobility restrictions by conducting more home visits, recruiting more female field staff and targeting women when disseminating information about services.

Improving how Oxfam helps people

Oxfam is actively working to incorporate these recommendations into our current programming. To improve communities’ knowledge of the range of services in different sectors, we are distributing leaflets with information on other service providers, specifically targeting Syrian refugee peer groups and volunteers.

Legal entitlements were another area where respondents to the survey indicated they lacked information. We are now working with local partner ARDD to hold awareness sessions on legal rights of refugees in Jordan. In addition, we are working to improve hotline services, adding an extra line and more staff to respond to beneficiaries, and setting up call and information centers in project areas to receive complaints and feedback.

While the crisis shows no signs of abating, it is essential that refugees are aware of their rights and the services available to them in Jordan if they are to live in dignity. The daily lives of Syrians have changed dramatically. How do humanitarian actors ensure that their basic needs are met and human rights respected, while at the same time tackling the misconceptions of our work among some community members?

We will use the study to answer this and many other questions in order to improve our services and the work we do on a local and international level. We hope it also helps others to understand – even to a small degree – about what it means to be displaced, far from home and dependent on others.

This article was written by Alexandra Saieh, Oxfam’s policy officer for our Syria crisis response in Jordan, as a reflection for #WorldRefugeeDay, on our recent research on the perceptions of displaced Syrians living in Jordan.
Refugee Perceptions Study: Za’atari Camp and Host Communities in Jordan

From refugees in Sahrawi camp in Algeria, to Justin Bieber, people literally all over the world stood #WithSyria. It was just fantastic to be able to describe this to some of the kids who gathered with balloons and candles in Za’atari camp last week here in Jordan (photo below, via Muath Freij/Oxfam).

Oxfam is there

Oxfam supporters and staff played a remarkable role alongside our many partners in ensuring widespread public mobilisation for this global campaign.

A huge and heartfelt thank you and well done to everyone in Tbilisi, Darfur, Nairobi, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg,East London (South Africa), Hong Kong, Beijing, Melbourne, Auckland, New York, London, Sahrawi, Brussels with the team, Washington DC, Berlin, Tokyo, Oxford, Ottawa, Amsterdam, Arezzo, Rome, Madrid, Paris with the team, Mexico, Jordan and many others for taking part in this global moment (click to enlarge the mosaic below).

#WithSyria Digital

We saw an amazing 115,000 tweets using the hashtag, from over 111 countries, reaching some 235 million people!

In addition to trending in the US and most of Western Europe, #WithSyria also trended in the Middle East – in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and for the first time in Syria – as well as in Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya and South Africa.

The campaign has been supported by several high profile figures and celebs such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Desmond Tutu, Melinda Gates, Michelle Dockery, Justin Bieber, Madeleine Albright. Other high-profile voices include a number of actors such as Simon Pegg who posted a link to the video and was retweeted by Nick Frost, Hugh Grant who tweeted Banksy’s image, and Idris Elba who tweeted a link to the fantastic campaign video.

Political reach

A wide range of diplomats and politicians tweeted their support to the campaign. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s support for the campaign was echoed around the world, including by Prime Minister Cameron and Foreign Minister Hague of the UK, Foreign Minister Fabius of France, Foreign Minister Steinmeier of Germany, Prime Minister Di Rupo of Belgium, US National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Prime Minister Bettel of Luxembourg, and President Zeman of the Czech Republic.

Canada’s Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lloyd Axworthy also showed his support for a prompt resolution of the conflict. Former Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Børge Brende retweeted Jan Egeland’s tweet announcing Brende’s clear stand #WithSyria and the European Commission tweeted 3 times.

In Turkey, the official Turkish Public Diplomacy account of the Turkish Prime Minister also tweeted its support to the campaign, with a link to pictures of a #WithSyria vigil with red balloons in Istanbul. In the Middle East, Saudi media personality (host of ‘Kalam Nawaem’ on MBC) also tweeted her support many times.

Support also came in from Javier Solana, Ana Palacio (who re-tweeted a picture of herself with former Finnish President and 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari standing with red balloons), John Holmes, Alistair Burt, Bahia Hariri and Amre Moussa. The UK International Development Minister Justin Greening pledged to do “everything she can” and we hear the Prime Minister of Belgium is on his way…

Please retweet their tweets and thank them as much as you can for their support.

How will this have impact?

We’ve shown world leaders that people all over the world care about the fate of Syrians. Now we have to get them to act. The global display will give a significant boost to ongoing advocacy from international organisations in partnership with Syrian civil society as we work to push for an end to the bloodshed, access to desperately-needed aid for affected people and a political solution to the conflict with the full participation of all segments of Syrian society.

Let’s continue to stand #WithSyria and try to make this the beginning of the end.

Camilla Jelbart Mosse is Oxfam Syria Campaign Manager.

This blog originally appeared at blogs.oxfam.org

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Families living through this ordeal need something more urgently than aid: they need safety. The Government of Sudan and opposition leaders must immediately halt the violence. Oxfam also calls on UNAMID, the joint United Nations and African Union mission in Darfur, to prioritize its mandate to protect civilians and to work with humanitarian actors and others to find ways to protect the men, women, and children of Darfur.

“More than a million people are still living in the camps of Darfur,” says El Fateh Osman, Oxfam’s country director in Sudan. “The fact that some Darfuri refugees have lived in camps for over a decade is just unfathomable. The only thing that will ensure that they will be able to return to their homes and help restore their communities is guarantees for their safety and security.”

More broadly, the upsurge in violence reflects the urgent need for a peace agreement that encompasses all regions and addresses the root causes of the conflicts in Sudan.

Oxfam has been working in Sudan for over 30 years. Working directly and through Sudanese partner organizations, Oxfam is providing more than 420,000 people with aid that includes clean water, sanitation facilities, fuel-efficient stoves, agricultural support like seeds, tools, and extension services, and assistance to help single mothers and other disadvantaged groups  create small businesses to support their families.

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For more information: 

Scott Patterson
Media Relations
media@oxfam.ca

In partnership with UNRWA, our team brought together Syrian and Jordanian children studying and playing together in one of Jordan’s host communities, Baqaa, on the outskirts of Amman, in order to mark the third anniversary.

The devastating impact of the conflict weighs heavily on parents. Hamdo, who comes from a town near Damascus but now lives in a small flat in Baaqa, Jordan, said: “I left Syria because of the children. They were suffering both physically and mentally – whenever they heard planes and trucks they were terrified and they would scream.

When they arrived in Jordan they were still scared of loud noises – they thought they heard gunfire. My little daughter who is now six remembers our home; she cries all the time and even though we left when she was four she still remembers her toys and the children she used to play with.”

Hamdo worries what future his children have ahead of them.

“I dream of peace”

Every child has hopes and dreams. A group of 70 Syrian and Jordanian children who came together at a school in Baqaa pasted illustrations of theirs onto red balloons that were released in the sky – to mark the beginning of a week of vigils taking place around the world in solidarity with people affected by the Syria crisis. With boundless energy they chased the balloons around the playground together.

“I dream of peace”, twelve-year-old Yasmin wrote onto her balloon. She arrived in Jordan a year and a half ago from the Syrian city of Daraa and hopes to go back to Syria to one day study to become a doctor.

The children and their teachers talked about the support and generosity that Jordanian families have shown to the refugees. Ismail, a 10-year-old Jordanian child, said: “I hope that my [Syrian] friends’ country will go back to the way it used to be. We always like to help our Syrian neighbours. The other day we gave them a cupboard, and my dad helped them roll out the carpet, we also gave them some clothes to wear.”

But everyone is getting tired of waiting. It is time for world leaders to put the children of Syria first and ensure that they have a future to return to. Governments must push the parties to the conflict to end the bloodshed, ensure all those in need of life-saving aid can access it and commit to inclusive peace talks.

As people come together on Thursday 13th March to hold vigils around the world, from London to Hong Kong, and Darfur to Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, the hopes of Syrian children will be shared by millions of others.

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Joel Bassuk is Oxfam International Digital Comunications Manager.
A version of this blog originally appeared at blogs.oxfam.org

The carefully-negotiated resolution represents a welcome display of international unity – so sorely lacking in response to the Syria crisis – but the true test remains whether this commitment will translate into real changes on the ground. The clock is now ticking. Ban Ki Moon will report back to member states on progress made within the country in 30 days, with the Council expressing its “intent to take further steps in the case of non-compliance with this resolution.”

As the crisis nears its fourth year and the ripple effects of instability continue to be felt around the wider region, the eyes of the world will be firmly trained on those fighting in the conflict and all who influence them. The fragile humanitarian pause recently negotiated in Homs that eventually allowed limited aid convoys into the old city and some of the trapped civilians to flee was welcome, but with nearly half of the pre-war population of Syria now requiring urgent humanitarian assistance, change on a massive scale is needed.

Of course aid alone cannot bring an end to the crisis. Talking to refugees in Jordan with whom Oxfam is working, there is shared sense of desperation that a political solution must be found. Nada, who fled from Homs with her husband and two sons, said “the international community should cooperate with each other to find a solution. Here in Jordan it is a thousand times better, but the blood and killing back in Syria continues. The people left in Syria will be finished and all of them will die unless something is done. I want the peace talks to end this crisis”.

It is just a week since UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi closed the second round of Syria peace talks in Geneva with a heart-felt apology to the people of Syria that little progress had been made. The fact that both sides came together at all must be seen as a positive sign after three years of relentless conflict, but the bottom line is that talking isn’t enough – only a negotiated solution which brings an end to the bloodshed can be sufficient.

Amal, a Syrian refugee who is volunteering her time to help other refugees in Jordan, said: “I will never lose hope for a new Syria whatever happens. My message for my fellow Syrians is never to lose hope, to believe that a new Syria is coming and we should work for it. And my message for the international community is to take into consideration the souls and the suffering of the Syrians in the shadow of the crisis, especially children.”

It is for the sake of people like Nada and Amal that governments must not give up on the Geneva process. Building on the momentum from a unanimous Security Council resolution, all parties with influence should be pressing the Government of Syria and opposition representatives to resume as soon as possible – and crucially to allow a more central role in the next round of talks for women and civil society representatives. A sustainable peace will only be achieved if their voices are heard.

Camilla Jelbart Mosse is Oxfam Regional Humanitarian Response Manager.

"Oxfam Canada welcomes Prime Minister Harper's pledge of additional support for Syrians fleeing the violence that rages on in their country. On top of the aid committed yesterday to support communities hosting refugees in Jordan, it sets a good example to other countries to up their commitments in the face of this growing crisis.
 
"We also urge the Canadian government to press for a political solution to this deadly conflict. We urgently need a halt to the violence and assured access to humanitarian aid.
 
"We are deeply concerned that civil society organisations and women have, so far, been sidelined and excluded from the negotiating table. If a sustainable political solution is to be found, that must change.
 
"As well, we urge the Canadian government and international community to do everything possible to halt arms and ammunition transfers into Syria."

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More information:

Melanie Gallant
Media Relations Officer
Public Engagement
Oxfam Canada
Melanie.Gallant@oxfam.ca