Projects – Oxfam Canada https://www.oxfam.ca Ending global poverty begins with women’s rights Wed, 28 Feb 2024 21:06:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.oxfam.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cropped-oxfam_ico-32x32.png Projects – Oxfam Canada https://www.oxfam.ca 32 32 Geared for Success https://www.oxfam.ca/project/geared-for-success/ Fri, 07 Jul 2023 17:56:38 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=42170

Development Project

Geared for Success

Championing education for refugees, internally displaced, and host community children in South Sudan and Uganda

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Background media: Three young female students wearing facemasks and holding notebooks, look directly at the camera while standing outside their school.
Photo: Mustafa Osman/Oxfam

The Situation

Despite global and regional commitments to ensure all children have access to education, refugee and internally displaced children and youth, especially young women and adolescent girls, are being left behind.

Getting an education is challenging for children and youth living as refugees in Uganda and who are internally displaced in South Sudan. It's even harder to get one that fosters gender equality and diversity in the classroom, especially for young women and adolescent girls.

Girls who receive an education have more opportunities to reach their full potential. They live healthier lives, wait longer to start a family, usually have fewer children, and are more likely to ensure their children attend school.

But harmful social norms, practices and stereotypes prevent many refugee and internally displaced young women and adolescent girls from staying in school. In Uganda, 47 per cent of refugee girls enroll in primary school, while only 33 per cent attend secondary school. In South Sudan, there are seven girls for every ten boys in primary school; at secondary school, the figure worsens, with only five girls for every ten boys.

Adding to these hurdles is the gap between the educational needs of refugee and internally displaced populations and the financial and material capacity and resources provided by the governments hosting people experiencing forced displacement. Non-refugee children living in communities hosting refugee or internally displaced people also face educational struggles.

Organizations supporting refugees and internally displaced people are working on the frontline to provide essential educational services to fill this gap, but more assistance and resources are needed to expand their formidable efforts.

DETAILS

LOCATION
South Sudan, Uganda, Canada

DURATION
5 years (2022-2027)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Project at a Glance

286770
The total number of people that this project will impact.
6
The number of implementing partner organizations in South Sudan and Uganda.
176880
The number of young women and adolescent girls that this project will directly impact.

What are we doing?

SUPPORT

Strengthening the ability of community organizations to provide, expand, and champion gender equality and diversity in education for young people, especially girls and teenagers.

LEADERSHIP

Championing women's participation and leadership in organizations supporting refugees and internally displaced people through mentoring and training.

ENGAGEMENT

Engage Canadians and diaspora populations from South Sudan and Uganda to learn more about refugee and internally displaced children and youth and support their access to inclusive educational opportunities.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

Geared for Success will contribute to making education a reality for forcibly displaced children and youth in South Sudan and Uganda, especially young women and girls. Over five years, the project will provide technical and financial support to local organizations working with refugees and internally displaced people.

Since many forcibly displaced adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 29 don't get the same educational opportunities, Geared for Success especially supports equitable and inclusive learning to transform gender relations. The project addresses harmful social norms, practices and stereotypes to support young women and adolescent girls living as refugees and internally displaced people to take the lead in shaping their lives and their communities.

Geared for Success is implemented by an innovative partnership between Oxfam Canada and War Child Canada and six community organizations supporting refugees and internally displaced people in South Sudan and Uganda.

Our Project Partners

Canada
South Sudan
Uganda
South Sudan and Uganda

Make a difference in the future of refugee and displaced children and young people in South Sudan and Uganda by supporting their access to quality education.

Donate Now
Background media: A school building in Juba, South Sudan.
Photo: Mustafa Osman/Oxfam
]]> Women Leading Durable Solutions (WLDS)—Myanmar https://www.oxfam.ca/project/women-leading-durable-solutions-myanmar/ Mon, 19 Jun 2023 12:22:50 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=42003

Development Project

Women Leading Durable Solutions (WLDS)—Myanmar

Advancing equality by empowering women and girls to challenge damaging social norms and exclusion from decision-making spaces

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Background media: Close-up of a woman's hands weaving a web of thin white filaments from a green lotus stem.
Photo: Sam Spicer/Shutterstock

The Situation

The people of Myanmar have shown formidable strength and resilience in the face of decades of devastating natural disasters, protracted conflicts, and widespread poverty, with women and girls bearing the brunt of these crises.

Myanmar's people face different challenges. It's one of the countries most at risk from climate change, frequently experiencing devastating cyclones, floods, landslides, and droughts. Many are struggling with poverty due to a fragile economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic has added to the country's issues by putting a significant burden on the healthcare system. The number of people who require humanitarian assistance is expected to increase to over 17 million in 2023, up from 14 million in 2022. 

Women and girls are being hit especially hard by all these issues. They are more likely to experience poverty and violence, often because of factors such as their gender, ethnicity, or religion. In Rakhine State, on Myanmar's western coast, women and girls are frequently excluded from decision-making processes that affect their lives, making it challenging to take control of their bodies and futures. The Rohingya population in this state also faces obstacles, as they live in confined camps with limited access to basic services and employment opportunities.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Myanmar

DURATION
5 years (2022 – 2027)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS 
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Project at a Glance

More than
180600
The total number of people that this project will impact.
3
The number of implementing local partner organizations.
127860
The number of women and girls that this project will impact.

What are we doing?

LEADERSHIP

Championing women and girls, especially in Rakhine State, to become community leaders by supporting their participation in decision-making spaces.

CHANGE

Challenging stereotypes against women and girls through art and human rights education to break down patriarchal and discriminatory beliefs and practices in camps and communities hosting displaced people.

SUPPORT

Advancing gender equality by improving job skills, providing access to clean water and toilets, and developing support services for survivors of gender-based violence.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

Women Leading Durable Solutions empowers women and adolescent girls in all their diversity to make their own decisions and enjoy their human rights in Myanmar.

The project aims to improve support services for those affected by sexual and gender-based violence. It will collaborate with local women's rights organizations to support their advocacy for diverse women and marginalized groups to be included in decision-making spaces related to peace, recovery, and development issues.

Women Leading Durable Solutions approach is three-pronged. It brings together humanitarian assistance, long-term development, and peace and security to meet women's needs, mitigate their vulnerabilities, and address the underlying drivers of conflict. Through this approach, the project will contribute to the peaceful coexistence of communities in Rakhine State.

Contribute to the empowerment of women and girls in Myanmar.

Donate Now
Background media: Aerial view of a fishing village with water canals weaving through houses on stilts against a mountainous backdrop.
Photo: Yves Alarie/Unsplash
]]> Time to Care https://www.oxfam.ca/project/time-to-care/ Tue, 13 Jun 2023 19:02:05 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=42169

Development Project

Time to Care

Strengthening paid and unpaid care work in Kenya to advance gender equality

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Background media: A Black mother carrying her baby on her back hangs clothes to dry outside her house.
Photo: Alexa Sedge/Oxfam

The Situation

Women and girls in Kenya are expected to prioritize care work over paid work, education, and other opportunities, limiting their autonomy and opportunities to succeed and trapping them in poverty.

Women and girls in Kenya often have more care responsibilities than men at work and home. As women are typically expected to be the primary caregivers, looking after a child takes up around 20 per cent of their time.

This inequality is due primarily to traditional ideas about men's and women's roles, suggesting that women's work, whether paid or unpaid, is less critical and requires less skill than men's. These ideas contribute to the disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work on women, limiting their ability to participate in decision-making processes and negotiate a more equitable distribution of unpaid care and domestic work within households.

When they enter the labour market, women are often relegated to more vulnerable occupations, including employment in the informal economy, particularly domestic work.

Kenya has approximately two million domestic workers, with women constituting about 80 per cent of this workforce.

Domestic and paid care work continues to be undervalued and invisible, with many women, girls, migrants, and vulnerable people experiencing discrimination. Although Kenya has made significant progress regarding expanding labour rights through legislative and statutory regulations, rights and regulations for domestic and paid care workers are yet to be fully enforced.

For Kenya to achieve inclusive and sustainable development, it needs to invest in advancing gender equality and recognizing and valuing women's contributions to the country's economy and society.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Kenya

DURATION
6 years (2023-2029)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Issues at a Glance

What are some of the care challenges women and girls face in Kenya?

5 hours
The number of hours women in Kenya spend on care activities while men spend just 1 hour a day.
71%
The rate of women collecting water is twice that of men at 29%. The COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have made things even harder for women and girls, as they now spend more time on care activities. They travel longer distances, work harder, and take on more responsibilities.
+3/4
Women contribute to over three-quarters of unpaid care and comprise two-thirds of the paid care workforce.

What are we doing?

EDUCATE

Strengthening the skills and knowledge of paid care workers to claim and defend their rights to decent work and working with the employers of domestic workers to raise their awareness of these rights.

CHANGE

Increasing awareness and promoting positive social norms and behaviours that recognize the importance of paid and unpaid care work and help reduce and equally share the burden of care work across Kenyan society.

ADVOCATE

Raising the presence and voice of care workers in important policy discussions and decisions by strengthening Kenyan organizations that support women's and workers' rights to become better advocates of care work.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

Time to Care brings a rights-based, feminist, and intersectional approach to strengthening local groups and organizations' existing leadership, programming, advocacy work, and collective action. The project will support these groups to advance gender equality for women and girls by improving Kenya's paid and unpaid care work conditions.

Time to Care will work on the following:

  • Increase the adoption of gender-equitable social norms around paid and unpaid care work.
  • Strengthen the skills and knowledge of paid care workers to advocate for and claim their rights.
  • Increase the implementation of gender-transformative legislation, policies, and practices supporting paid and unpaid care work in Kenya.

Our project partners

Kenya
Strategic partners

Support the rights of women and girls in Kenya today.

Donate Now
Background media: Two Black women standing against a brown wall hold their babies in their arms.
Photo: Elena Heatherwick/Oxfam
]]> Stand Up for SRHR https://www.oxfam.ca/project/stand-up-for-srhr/ Fri, 09 Jun 2023 14:00:07 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=42111

Development Project

Stand Up for SRHR

For the enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights in Mozambique, Uganda, and Canada

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Background media: A group of male and female healthcare workers pose for a photo and are looking directly at you.
Photo: Alex Wilson/Oxfam

The Situation

Despite great strides in reducing maternal and child mortality, in some countries, like Uganda and Mozambique, obstacles still prevent women, girls, and people with different sexual orientations and gender identities from enjoying their sexual and reproductive rights fully.

Issues like unequal gender and social norms, traditional beliefs, and social stigmas about sexuality can negatively impact the health and well-being of women, girls, and other diverse groups. These challenges make it harder for people to use contraception and other family planning resources, potentially leading to high teenage pregnancy rates.

In both countries, many young women give birth before they reach adulthood. In Mozambique, 142 out of every 1000 women aged 15 to 19 have given birth—it's one of the highest rates in the world. In Uganda, 33 per cent of women give birth before they turn 18, and the prevalence of girls getting married before they become adults is more than 40 per cent.

Mozambique is one of the eight African countries where abortion has been legalized without restrictions in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and in cases of rape, incest, and fetal anomaly. However, unsafe abortion persists. It's one of the country's leading causes of maternal death.

In Canada, the challenges facing young people around sexual education and reproductive health services may not be the same as in Uganda and Mozambique, but they are still significant. The availability of these services varies depending on where a person lives, and for some, accessing abortion and contraceptive care can be challenging. Unfortunately, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is not uniform across the country and doesn't always meet international standards.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Mozambique, Uganda, Canada

DURATION
7 years (2021–2028)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Issues at a Glance

33%
The percentage of women in Uganda who give birth before turning 18.
Over
25%
The percentage of youth in Canada who do not wish to be pregnant that reported not using contraception during every act of intercourse — some never use it at all.
6th
Globally, Mozambique has the sixth highest rate of adolescent girls who give birth (142/1000 adolescents aged 15 to 19).

What are we doing?

STRENGTHENING SYSTEMS

Training healthcare providers to deliver inclusive, youth-friendly, rights-based, and accountable healthcare to improve access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.

BREAKING BARRIERS

Engaging diverse groups of women and girls, men and boys, to address discriminatory social norms, gender violence, early pregnancy, child marriage, and the sexual and reproductive health and service needs of LGBTIQ+ populations to overcome the barriers preventing people from enjoying their rights.

ADVOCACY

Supporting civil society organizations in Uganda, Mozambique, and Canada to work together, advocate for change, and share information while promoting Canadian youth involvement in global sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

Stand Up for SRHR harnesses the power of its partnerships to support local and grassroots organizations in Mozambique and Uganda. Together, we'll boost awareness and knowledge of sexual and reproductive rights and available health services.

We're supporting local women's rights and youth-led organizations to strengthen advocacy for equitable, accountable, evidence-based policies, laws and services related to SRHR. Our engagement with women and girls and men and boys in Mozambique and Uganda will build more positive attitudes toward SRHR and women's rights.

We want to ensure everyone in the communities where the project unfolds has access to high-quality, inclusive, and accountable sexual and reproductive healthcare that meets their needs. This includes services related to family planning, abortion, sexual health testing, prenatal care, and support for victims of sexual and gender-based violence.

Stand Up is also working to raise the profile of sexual and reproductive health and rights across Canada. We'll support youth-led sexual health and rights advocacy, mobilization, and educational campaigns.

Our project partners

Canada
Mozambique
Uganda
International Oversight Partners

Stand up for the empowerment of women and girls by supporting better sexual and reproductive health and services.

Give Now
Background media: A midwife and a doctor sit in a table in a reproductive health and services clinic in Kampala.
Photo: Alex Wilson/Oxfam
]]> WE-Talk https://www.oxfam.ca/project/we-talk/ Wed, 18 Jan 2023 10:00:55 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=41958

Development Project

WE-Talk

To reduce and prevent gender-based violence against women, girls, boys and other disadvantaged groups

Donate Now
Background media: Two young Black women wearing yellow shirts and sunglasses smile directly at the camera while they stand outside surrounded by trees.
Photo: Native Freelancers

The Situation

Women and girls in Jamaica experience some of the highest rates of intimate partner violence across Caribbean countries.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is one of the most prevalent human rights violations that disproportionately impacts women, girls, and people from other disadvantaged populations worldwide. In Jamaica, women and girls experience some of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the Caribbean.

The country has made important strides to protect the rights of women and girls. Yet, entrenched notions, attitudes, and practices of gender stereotypes and stigmas continue to underpin sexual, physical and other forms of violence against women, girls, and other disadvantaged populations.

About 44 per cent of Jamaicans consider intimate partner violence a private matter that does not require the involvement of authorities. One in every four women in the country has experienced some form of violence in their lifetime.

Social norms and policies grounded in unequal gender and power relations must be addressed to change discriminating attitudes and behaviours and advance gender equality so everyone is valued equally and can reach their full potential.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Jamaica

DURATION
5 years (2022-2027)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Project at a Glance

Close to
315000
The total number of people that this project will impact.
35
The number of local partners that will benefit from this project.
Nearly
169000
The number of women and girls that this project will impact.

What are we doing?

CHANGE

Supporting the change of harmful gender attitudes and beliefs to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

ENGAGEMENT

Engaging men and boys as active participants to prevent and end gender-based violence in their families, communities, and society.

ADVOCACY

Strengthening local organizations to advocate for changes in policies and practices that underpin gender-based violence.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

WE-Talk brings a rights-based, feminist, and intersectional approach to support the existing leadership, programming, advocacy work, and collective action of local groups and organizations.

WE-Talk will ensure these groups are in a solid position to advance gender equality by preventing gender-based violence and increasing the ability of Jamaican women, girls, and people from disadvantaged groups to enjoy their human rights.

Our project partners

Support the women and youth of Jamaica to lead lives free of violence.

Donate Now
Background media: A group of young women and men wearing blue jeans and black t-shirts pose for a group photo outside with an orange wall as backdrop.
Photo: WMW Jamaica
]]> Inclusive Child Care For All https://www.oxfam.ca/project/inclusive-child-care-for-all/ Thu, 28 Jul 2022 19:23:25 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=41278

Advocacy Project

Inclusive Child Care For All

The Inclusive Childcare for All project supports increased engagement in policy conversations from diverse communities and helps grow Canada's child care movement into a diverse and feminist network.

Donate Now

The Situation

Canada's care economy has been pushed to its limit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Decades of underspending have left essential care sectors, including child care, in disarray. Caregivers are overwhelmed, and more people than ever require quality care. The repeated lockdowns had a profound impact on families, disproportionately burdening women with heavy unpaid household care responsibilities. Even before the pandemic, 42 per cent of working-age women globally reported being unable to do paid work because of their unpaid care and domestic work responsibilities—in stark contrast to only 6 per cent of men.

 

Investing in affordable, accessible, high-quality and inclusive child care is crucial for a just pandemic recovery.

 

In 2021, following persistent advocacy by the child care movement, the Federal Government committed $30 billion to build a Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care system (ELCC). Provinces and territories now have agreements to transfer federal funding, with goals set to reduce child care fees to $10 a day, increase the availability of public and not-for-profit child care, and grow a qualified ELCC workforce. 

 

Large gaps in data analyzing the particular challenges faced by racialized women in accessing child care both before and during COVID, along with the intricacies of how policies impact individuals differently, create a high risk of the most marginalized women being overlooked in this new child care system.

 

The Inclusive Child Care for All project aims to bring the voices of underrepresented women and gender-diverse people to the forefront of policy discussions. By supporting the growth of the child care movement as a diverse and feminist network, the project will help advance policy solutions that address barriers to equitable access to early learning and care. 

DETAILS

LOCATION
Canada

DURATION
2 years (2022-2024)

OUR PARTNERS
-Child Care Resource and Research Unit
-Child Care Now

OUR SUPPORTERS
We appreciate the support of Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) Canada and the generous Canadian public.

Women and Gender Equality Canada's Signature

Issues At A Glance

2X
Women spend twice as much time on care work than men in Canada.
Monthly
$1600
It's the average cost of child care in Ontario — the highest in the country.
Average hourly wage
$16.05
Early childhood educators are severely underpaid and still earn the lowest wages in the country.
1/2
Just over half of immigrant and non-permanent resident parents report using child care, compared to 69% of Canadian-born parents.

What are we doing?

Policy Ideas

We will build policy proposals to address barriers to inclusive access to licensed child care programs.

Intersectional Research

We will publish research that identifies and unpacks the barriers to equitable and inclusive access to child care.

Community Advocacy

We will support communities and child care champions to move the needle on the policy changes needed in early learning systems.

Donate Now

What have we achieved?

Community Advocacy

We support communities and child care champions to move the needle on the policy changes needed in early learning and child care. In May 2023, we organized the Inclusive Child Care Summit, which brought together over 90 parents, advocates, educators, and equity-seeking organizations. The summit promoted underrepresented women's engagement in advocacy networks. To learn more about the summit and its findings, you can read the Inclusive Child Care for All Summit Report. (FR version)

We have also launched the Where’s Child Care Campaign to mobilize and engage new advocates for early learning and child care.

Intersectional research

We publish research that unpacks the barriers to equitable and inclusive access to child care. The "Child Care for Whom?" paper identifies the challenges underrepresented groups of women experience in accessing early learning and child care, and proposes a framework for equitable access. It recommends a roadmap for building a universal child care system in Canada.

Policy ideas

We propose policies to address barriers to inclusive access to licensed child care programs and make them accessible to advocates. The Early Learning and Child Care for All Toolkit is available to support seasoned and new advocates in promoting policy solutions for inclusive access to child care.

]]> Food and Sustainable Livelihoods https://www.oxfam.ca/project/food-and-sustainable-livelihoods/ Fri, 05 Nov 2021 15:48:06 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=40229

Food and Sustainable Livelihoods

Hunger is not inevitable. It is an issue of justice.

Donate Now

The Situation

The world produces more food today than at any time in history. Yet one in eight people go to bed hungry every night. In developing countries, the hungry are often farmers and mostly women.

Small-scale farmers often lack basic necessities such as access to fertile land, water, credit, knowledge, and extension services. Climate change and increasingly erratic weather patterns are compounding these problems, disrupting agriculture and food supplies, and making small-scale farming in many regions harder and more precarious.

Women, who grow much of the world's food, face some of the biggest hurdles of all.

Women do not receive the same support as men farmers do. They have less access to land, loans and machinery. Many women work the land or are employed in informal, casual work, so when things go wrong, they are the first to lose their jobs and go without when household budgets shrink.

Malnutrition, disease, chronic rural poverty, and stunted economic development result when small farmers cannot earn decent livelihoods.

Our development projects to fight poverty rely on two important approaches: providing emergency food assistance and establishing sustainable ways for people to earn a living.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Where needed most

DURATION
Varies between 1-4 years

OUR SUPPORTERS
The Government of Canada and generous Canadian donors.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Why do we focus on food and livelihoods?

75%
The percentage of people living in poverty. They reside in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
43%
The percentage of women who make up agricultural labour in developing countries.
2 X
Women farmers face a double burden: growing their families' food and doing unpaid household chores and care work.

What are we doing?

DISTRIBUTE

Distribution of seeds, de-stocking or re-stocking of livestock, provision of animal care, to help support agricultural production.

STIMULATE

Distribute cash or vouchers to stimulate the local economy, support access to long-term loan programs as well as business skills training.

CAMPAIGN

Campaign against global trade rules that keep people trapped in poverty.

Donate Now

Farm to Table

Learn more about tomato tree project in Rwanda, featuring Flonira.

Play button

They used to have a garden where we planted sorghum and maize, but last year, army worms destroyed the crops. Now, we don't have crops, we don't have food, and my sons are struggling to find money. The goods in the market are so expensive and my sons can no longer afford them. These days, we rely mostly on wild grasses and weeds. We boil them and we eat them. It makes us sick, it gave us diarrhea and dysentery before, but what else can we do? We need to survive.

Ayichi, late 50s, South SudanRelies on her two sons to support her

Support people create sustainable livelihoods through the power of agriculture and food production.

Give Now
]]> Disaster Risk Reduction https://www.oxfam.ca/project/disaster-risk-reduction/ Fri, 05 Nov 2021 15:45:54 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=40226

Disaster Risk Reduction

Oxfam works with communities on disaster risk reduction, helping to anticipate and prepare for the most common kinds of events, and prevent or mitigate the worst impacts.

Donate Now

The Situation

Every year, more than 35 million people have to abandon their homes as a result of war, crime, political unrest and natural disaster. Many lose everything they own. And it's the world's poorest communities who are hit hardest.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) aims to reduce the damage caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts and cyclones through an ethic of prevention.

We work with communities to improve disaster preparedness, reduce vulnerability and build peoples' resilience to shocks, stresses and uncertainty.

Hazards do not need to become disasters. By helping communities to better understand the risks they face and building their capacity to adapt to, cope with, withstand and recover from hazards and climate change, we can help them to not only survive, but thrive.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Where needed most

DURATION
Varies

Disaster Risk Reduction at a Glance

Growing global inequality, increasing hazard exposure, rapid urbanisation and overconsumption of energy and natural capital now threaten to dive risk to dangerous and unpredictable levels (UN, 2015).

35 M
people have to abandon their homes as a result of war, crime, political unrest and natural disaster every year.
$250 M+
Average economic losses from disasters each year.
42 M
lives were lost in disasters each year between 1980 and 2012

What are we doing?

Managing risk and uncertainty
Adapting to the predicted impacts of climate change
Influencing decision makers to promote DRR through their policies, planning and funding
Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience is much more than helping people cope or bounce back after a disaster: it is about empowering women, men, girls and boys to reduce their vulnerability and risk before the disaster strikes and have access to the necessary skills, knowledge and information to continually adapt to ongoing change, stress and disruption.

Underpinning all of Oxfam's resilience work is a strong belief that everyone has a basic right to life and security, and to a sustainable livelihood. This means addressing root causes of risk, vulnerability and disadvantage because the causes of inequality (such as poverty, gender discrimination and unequal power) make poor and marginalised people disproportionately vulnerable to shocks and stresses.

It also means ensuring the agency of people in all aspects of our work - in other words, ensuring that people are in charge of their own lives, and participating in decisions that affect their lives.

You can support Oxfam's work to reduce risk during disasters by donating to our Emergency Response Fund.

Donate Now
]]> Water, Sanitation and Hygiene https://www.oxfam.ca/project/water-sanitation-and-hygiene/ Fri, 05 Nov 2021 15:33:19 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=40221

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Access to clean water is a right, not a privilege

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The Situation

It's easy to forget what a miracle water is. We drink it, we wash our hands and cook our food in it. Water is a key component of our life.

Yet access to clean water and safe sanitation - flushing toilets, or other forms of sewage treatment - is one of the biggest health issues around the world.

As part of our humanitarian response work, Oxfam is widely recognized as a leading organization helping people meet their needs for clean water, safe sanitation and hygiene advice (collectively known as WASH). For more than 15 years, Oxfam has been a leading member of the inter-agency WASH cluster, where we remain an influential leader and world authority on water in emergencies.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene underpin many of our poverty-fighting development projects.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Where needed most

DURATION
Varies between 1-3 years

OUR SUPPORTERS
We are grateful for the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Why water and sanitation?

20L
Women and girls in poor countries walk on average six kms a day, carrying 20 litres of water that must satisfy the drinking, cooking and washing needs of the family.
4000
or more children die each day from diarrhea caused by dirty water.
10M+
Millions of girls do not attend school because there aren't suitable sanitation facilities.

What are we doing?

Start the Flow

From personal water collection to large scale boreholes, we get the water flowing fast

Innovate

Innovations like biodegradable peepoo bags, tigerworm toilets, urine diverter toilets ensure sanitary conditions and dignity.

Inform

Provide health and hygiene advice to ensure water and sanitation facilities are used properly to help prevent spread of disease.

Donate Now

Water is Life

WASH work with refugees from the DRC in Zambia, featuring Jessica Mwale from partner Action Africa Help.

Play button

The water is retreating deeper and deeper [when wells are dug]. We live by water, our cattle live by water. Without water we are no more. If we can sustain our lives, it is because Oxfam gave us water. My greatest fear is if the trucks stop bringing water. What will happen to us?

Habodo,
an Ethiopian farmer, used to have 200 goats and 10 camels - they were her means of income. Now most of Habodo's animals have died due to a lack of water and pasture.

YOU can help women and girls get the water they need for life.

Donate Now
]]> Women’s Voice and Leadership – Pakistan https://www.oxfam.ca/project/womens-voice-and-leadership-pakistan/ Wed, 10 Jun 2020 20:03:48 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=35969

Development Project

Women’s Voice and Leadership – Pakistan

Strengthening the leadership of local women's rights organizations in Pakistan to increase women and girls' enjoyment of human rights

Donate Now

The Situation

In Pakistan, women and girls are among the most vulnerable to having their human rights violated. Those who are part of other marginalized groups face further discrimination.

Although Pakistan's constitution calls for equality, rights, and protection for all, human rights violations remain a major concern.

The women's rights movement in the country has reached a critical point, with organizations and movements facing shrinking spaces to organize. Many organizations lack the resources, capacity, and autonomy to drive change agendas. Moreover, there is a pressing need for more platforms that encourage collaboration and collective action for women's rights organizations.

The Women's Voice and Leadership Program is a worldwide initiative by Global Affairs Canada to support local and regional women's organizations and movements seeking to empower women and girls, advance the protection of women's and girls' rights and achieve gender equality.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Pakistan

DURATION
5 years (2019-2024)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.
See its progress

Issues at a Glance

What realities do women and girls face in Pakistan?

142th
Gender parity in Pakistan is the fifth lowest in the world, ranking 142th out of the 146 countries ranked by the Global Gender Gap Index 2023.
21%
The percentage of girls who marry before they turn 18.
161st
The UN's 2022 Human Development Index ranks Pakistan 161 out of 191 countries.

What are we doing?

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Providing core funding, capacity strengthening and further developing women’s leadership.

PROGRAMMING

Supporting women's rights organizations to develop and implement initiatives and campaigns that protect and advance women's rights.

NETWORK STRENGTHENING

Bolstering women's rights alliances and networks to advance a feminist agenda.

Donate Now

What have we achieved so far?

Oxfam works alongside women’s rights organizations to strengthen the leadership of women and women's rights organizations in Pakistan, to increase the relevance of women’s rights programming and advocacy work and to strengthen women’s rights networks and alliances. Together, these efforts are addressing human rights violations against women and girls and advance gender equality in Pakistan.

Using a strategic combination of funding and capacity strengthening, Oxfam supports women’s rights organizations to be better managed and more self-sustaining. This ensures they can deliver programming that better meets the needs of women and girls.

The project is also improving the ability of women’s rights organizations and activists to work together more effectively toward gender-transformative policies.

Our project partners

Our Alliances

Support women and girls in Pakistan to advance their human rights.

Donate Now
]]> Women’s Voice and Leadership – Guatemala https://www.oxfam.ca/project/womens-voice-and-leadership-guatemala/ Tue, 09 Jun 2020 21:11:01 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=35543

Development Project

Women’s Voice and Leadership – Guatemala

Strengthening the leadership of grassroots Indigenous women's organizations to advance the rights of Indigenous women and girls in Guatemala

Donate Now

The Situation

Indigenous women suffer extremely high levels of violence and widespread human rights violations in Guatemala. Despite how widespread these issues are, the marginalization of Indigenous women is mostly invisible to the rest of Guatemalan society.

Four out of five Indigenous women live in poverty. They are three times more likely to live in extreme poverty than non-Indigenous women. The life expectancy for Indigenous women is 13 years less than non-Indigenous women's, and maternal mortality for Indigenous women is twice as high in Guatemala as for non-Indigenous women. This elevated maternal mortality is linked to higher malnutrition, lack of prenatal care and access to health services.

Collective action can be a powerful part of shifting deep inequalities and advancing women's rights. However, the structural racism that Indigenous women and their families face translates into huge roadblocks to their progressive organizing work.

Poverty, violence, discrimination and limited formal education make it much more difficult for Indigenous women's organizations and community groups to do strategic planning, fundraise and monitor the progress of their programs and campaigns. On top of this, available funding is often short-term, unreliable, insufficient and geared towards specific projects rather than the necessary work of strengthening organizational capacity, leadership and collective organizing.

The Women's Voice and Leadership Program is a worldwide initiative by Global Affairs Canada to support local and regional women’s organizations and movements seeking to empower women and girls, advance the protection of women's and girls' rights and achieve gender equality.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Guatemala

DURATION
4 years, 9 months (2019-2024)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Issues at a Glance

What are some of the challenges Indigenous women face in Guatemala?

4 of 5
Four out of five Indigenous women live in poverty and are three times more likely to live in extreme poverty.
13
Life expectancy for Indigenous women is 13 years lower than for non-Indigenous women.
2X
Maternal mortality is twice as high for Indigenous women than for non-Indigenous women.

What are we doing?

FUNDING

Short-term and multi-year funding to support the equality-seeking programs and advocacy work of Indigenous women's rights organizations in Guatemala.

SUPPORT

Direct support to build on the existing leadership, programming and advocacy work being done by the Tz'ununija' network and its member organizations.

NETWORK BUILDING

Critical network and alliance building, both nationally and internationally, focused on advancing the human rights of Indigenous women in Guatemala.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

Women's Voice and Leadership — Guatemala will provide key strategic support to the only national Indigenous women’s movement in Guatemala, the Tz'ununija' Indigenous Women's Movement, working with member organizations in Totonicapán, Chimaltenango, Baja Verapaz and Alta Verapaz.

By strengthening existing leadership, programming, advocacy work and collective action, Oxfam will ensure the Indigenous women's rights movement will be in a strong position to advance gender equality and increase the ability of Indigenous women and girls to enjoy their human rights.

Help to end discrimination against Indigenous women in Guatemala.

Donate Now
]]> Camino Verde https://www.oxfam.ca/project/camino-verde/ Tue, 09 Jun 2020 20:28:24 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=35908

Development Project

Camino Verde

Advancing the economic empowerment of Indigenous women and youth in Guatemala

Donate Now

The Situation

Alta Verapaz, in north central Guatemala, has some of the worst poverty and inequality in Latin America – and it is increasing for Indigenous women and youth.

Alta Verapaz is the poorest region of Guatemala, with 83 per cent of the population living in poverty and 54 per cent living in extreme poverty. Most of this region is rural and is home to a predominantly Indigenous society. Youth between 15 and 29 represent just over a quarter of the population; two-thirds of the youth are Indigenous.

Women's participation in the Alta Verapaz economy is minimal: of the 37 per cent of the economically active population, only seven per cent are women. Access to employment is more difficult because 82 per cent of men believe their spouses must ask for permission to participate in activities outside the home, including work. Unemployed women have been shown to suffer much higher rates of violence compared to women who are employed. The rate of domestic violence and femicide in Alta Verapaz is one of the highest in the country.

The government of Guatemala introduced a national policy to support women's economic development, with a special focus on Indigenous women. However, it is not being implemented in Alta Verapaz. Women and youth – particularly those from Indigenous communities – remain disadvantaged due to a lack of training and education.

Economic opportunities for rural Indigenous youth are limited, often leading to migration for work or involvement in criminal activities. Young Indigenous women have fewer opportunities than men and lack access to essential services. Many women feel that their only chance for a future is through marriage.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Guatemala

DURATION
5 years (2019-2024)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Issues at a Glance

In Guatemala, Indigenous women and youth face exclusion and marginalization.

80%
Poverty affects more than half of the country's population; 80% of those living in poverty are Indigenous people.
58%
Nationally, only 58% of Indigenous women are literate, compared to 77% of non-Indigenous women.
20%
The percentage of women in Alta Verapaz with access to farming land. Most people in the region rely on agriculture to make a living.

What are we doing?

AWARENESS

Increasing awareness and promoting positive attitudes and behaviours towards economic empowerment and human rights to uplift Indigenous women and youth.

EMPOWERMENT

Empowering Indigenous women and youth to launch socially and environmentally responsible small businesses while increasing access to ethical markets.

ADVOCACY

Working with women's rights organizations and other groups to influence policies and programs that support Indigenous women's economic empowerment and human rights.

Donate Now

What are we doing?

Oxfam is contributing to the creation of a functioning green economy for small-scale enterprises in Alta Verapaz. We're supporting the development of sustainable business practices for small-scale enterprises headed by Indigenous women and youth. By helping these enterprises to grow and prosper, we're increasing social, economic and political engagement across a wide range of sectors on the rights, participation and leadership of Indigenous women and youth. As a core part of the program, we're conducting training for community leaders and community members on women's rights and, specifically, the right of all women to live a life free of violence.

Our project partners

Support the rights and incomes of Indigenous women and youth in Guatemala.

Donate Now
]]> Securing Rights https://www.oxfam.ca/project/securing-rights/ Thu, 28 May 2020 16:01:34 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=35888

Development Project

Securing Rights

Promoting empowerment and advocacy to secure labour rights for women domestic workers in Bangladesh

Donate Now

The Situation

Acute poverty, dowry, divorce, climate change and family debts or loans drive women and girls in Bangladesh to urban areas to seek work and a better life.

Women who migrate to Dhaka, the country's capital, often become regular domestic workers or part-time help. Most do not have mutually agreed-on working hours with their employers, and their overtime is not tracked or accounted for in their pay. They do not have the right to Bangladesh's minimum wage or decent working conditions.

Out of Bangladesh's 10.5 million domestic workers, a staggering 90 per cent are women. They represent 17 per cent of the country's total labour force.

While the labour rights of many other workers in Bangladesh are safeguarded, domestic workers have been systematically excluded from key labour protections that would guarantee the ability of girls and women to work with dignity and be free from violence in the workplace.

As one of Bangladesh's most marginalized and disadvantaged groups, domestic workers are vulnerable. They experience various forms of violence and insecurity throughout their lives.

It is difficult to challenge this violence and discrimination. Domestic workers typically do not have the education or support they need to advocate for reasonable and fair treatment in the workplace. There is also an overwhelming lack of information on negotiating for better working conditions.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Bangladesh

DURATION
6 years (2019-2025)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.

Issues at a Glance

These numbers illustrate the dire and difficult situation facing domestic workers in Bangladesh:

90%
There are 10.5 million domestic workers in Bangladesh and 90% of them are women.
$12
On average, domestic workers earn about US$12 per month.
185
Out of every 400 child domestic workers, 185 are under the age of 12.

What are we doing?

EDUCATION

Providing women domestic workers with the skills and information they need to find help where and when they need it.

EMPOWERMENT

Increasing confidence and empowerment to support women domestic workers in finding and keeping decent work.

ADVOCACY

Supporting women's rights organizations to advance the legal rights of domestic workers and ensure fair implementation of laws and policies.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

Oxfam and our partners in Bangladesh aim to empower and organize women domestic workers so that they can claim and defend their rights. We also seek to influence policy makers and other influential actors to start protecting the rights of women domestic workers and recognize domestic work as a formal occupation.

Our project partners

Support women domestic workers today as they fight for their rights in Bangladesh.

Donate Now
]]> Her Future, Her Choice (HFHC) https://www.oxfam.ca/project/her-future-her-choice/ Thu, 12 Dec 2019 16:07:07 +0000 https://www.oxfam.ca/?post_type=project&p=35094

Development Project

Her Future, Her Choice (HFHC)

Strengthening young women's sexual and reproductive health and rights

Donate Now

The Situation

Adolescent birth rates in some areas of sub-Saharan Africa are among the highest in the world.

Despite significant advances in preventing maternal and child mortality, the adolescent birth rate in sub-Saharan Africa is more than double the global average. The high pregnancy rate in adolescent girls is exacerbated by a lack of education and family planning resources and a low demand for and use of contraceptives. Women also often lack decision-making power in matters related to reproductive health.

The health and well-being of women and adolescent girls are affected by gender inequality, social norms, traditional practices and taboos regarding sexuality. Sexual and reproductive health and rights interventions are significantly needed in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.

Canada also faces significant challenges around reproductive health services and sexual education. The availability of these services varies depending on where a person lives, and some people experience obstacles in accessing abortion and contraceptive care. Comprehensive sexuality education is not uniform across the country and does not always meet international standards.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Canada

DURATION
6 years (2019-2025)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.
SEE ITS PROGRESS

Watch Gilda's Story

Watch as young activists from Mozambique take the mic to raise awareness about sexual health.

Play button

Issues at a Glance

118
In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent birth rates are among the highest in the world, averaging 118 births per 1000 girls.
2 to 4 x
HIV prevalence is two to four times higher among adolescent girls than boys in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia.
1 in 5
One in five young women in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia lack access to necessary family planning services.

What are we doing?

EDUCATION

Training public health workers and working with girls, women and men to change negative attitudes about sexual and reproductive health and rights.

STRENGTHENING SERVICES

Supporting quality, youth-friendly services, better referrals and access to sexual and reproductive health services and information in schools.

ADVOCACY

Collaborating with organizations in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia to become stronger and more effective in their advocacy work.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

Her Future, Her Choice responds to a direct need for information, services and social change. Together with local organizations, we are putting sexual and reproductive health decision-making back in the hands of young women and adolescent girls.

We are working to ensure young women have access to the vital health information and services they deserve, while training public health workers, changing negative attitudes on sexual and reproductive health and advocating for women’s bodily autonomy and rights.

We're also raising the profile of sexual and reproductive health and rights across Canada. We support youth-led sexual health and rights advocacy, mobilization, and educational campaigns.

When women and girls have meaningful decision-making power over their lives and their bodies, they thrive.

The ultimate outcome of Her Future, Her Choice is improved sexual and reproductive health and rights for adolescent girls and young women in Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Canada.

Our project partners

International Partner
Canada
Ethiopia
  • Women Support Associaton (WSA)
Malawi
Mozambique
Zambia

Contribute to the health and rights of young women in sub-Saharan Africa today.

Donate Now
]]> Sexual Health and Empowerment (SHE) https://www.oxfam.ca/project/sexual-health-and-empowerment Thu, 04 Oct 2018 13:52:47 +0000 https://oxfamcanprod.wpengine.com/?post_type=project&p=30590

Development Project

Sexual Health and Empowerment (SHE)

She can take control of her body and her future

Donate Now

The Situation

Deep-rooted social norms make it difficult for women and girls to take charge of their sexual health in the Philippines.

Factors like gender inequality and violence, child, early and forced marriage, and sex trafficking limit women's control over their sexual health and other important life choices. Accessing sexual health services is also challenging for many young adults as they are required to obtain parental consent, compounded by the lack of comprehensive sex education in schools.

Teen pregnancy is a critical issue in the country. Many women have little choice regarding how many children they want and how often they want to have them. In 2012, the Philippines passed a law ensuring universal access to contraception, sex education, and maternal care. However, the law is not effectively implemented, and many girls and women still face obstacles in accessing the healthcare and services they need.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Philippines

DURATION
7 years (2018-2025)

Lire la description du programme en français (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.
SEE ITS PROGRESS

Issues at a Glance

57
births per 1000 deliveries for girls aged 15-19 place the Philippines as the country with the third highest rate of teenage pregnancies in South Asia.
54%
of all pregnancies in the Philippines are unintended.
90%
of unintended pregnancies occur among women who either use ineffective contraception methods or don't use any method.

What are we doing?

EDUCATION

Training public health workers and working with men and women to change negative attitudes on sexual and reproductive health and rights

BREAKING BARRIERS

Addressing barriers, such as gender inequality and a lack of resources, that prevent women from exercising their rights.

ADVOCACY

Supporting local organizations to advocate for change.

Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

SHE will address barriers that prevent women from exercising their right to sexual health care, advocate for the country's law mandating universal access be respected, and support local organizations to reach women and girls who wouldn't otherwise be able to access vital information and services.

The project aims to achieve this by strengthening local access to vital information and services, so women and girls can take control of their bodies and futures. It will also support public education in communities and training of health care workers to shift attitudes, increase knowledge, and improve access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.

SHE will also build skills and knowledge in women's rights organizations to conduct research and advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights, including the prevention of gender-based violence.

Our project partners

The Philippines 
International partner organization 

You can put decision making power back in women's hands.

Learn more
]]> Power Up https://www.oxfam.ca/project/power-up-indonesia/ Wed, 03 Oct 2018 17:49:44 +0000 https://oxfamcanprod.wpengine.com/?post_type=project&p=30535

Development Project

Power Up

Women shaping their future with greater access to information through technology

Donate Now

The Situation

Despite strong laws in Indonesia allowing citizens to oversee village development budget planning and obtain information from the government, the lived reality is different for women. 

Women today remain largely excluded from meaningful participation in West Nusa Tenggara, the Indonesian province where the Power Up was based.

There is good reason to ensure that women are included in budget planning. The impact is always profound when women are provided with opportunities to participate in budget development.

A greater understanding of local government procedures means women community members are increasingly speaking up in development planning meetings, demanding campaign promises from their representatives and questioning programs that do not meet their needs, such as maternal and newborn health issues.

The province of West Nusa Tenggara has the highest infant mortality rate in Southeast Asia: 57 out of 1,000 infants die before their first birthday — nearly twice the number as in neighbouring Bali.

Power Up was an important project in our work in women's transformative leadership.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Indonesia

Duration:
3 years (2017-2020)

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.
SEE ITS IMPACT

Project at a Glance

3
Local partners involved in developing and implementing the project
11000
Women had their say in decisions that affect their lives
52
Villages were better able to communicate their needs to local leaders and health officials

USING TECHNOLOGY

When women are at the table, their health, their rights and their interests are better represented.

Power Up used technology innovations to:

  1. Improve the detection and resulting actions in high-risk pregnancy situations
  2. Improve local services by implementing accessible, measurable and actionable surveys on service satisfaction levels
  3. Leverage newly-created e-learning modules on the village budgeting process that emphasize the ways in which women can strengthen their voices and influences budgets towards better outcomes for themselves and their families.

As part of Power Up, women engaged with local women’s groups that operate at the village level and women’s caucuses at the provincial level. Local partners hope that this increased participation in local planning and decision-making by women will empower future generations of women and girls in West Nusa Tenggara.

LEARN MORE ABOUT POWER UP

Power Up (2017-2020) was a project in Oxfam Canada's work on women’s transformative leadership. In collaboration with three local partners, the project aimed to empower women and girls in Indonesia to take part in local democratic processes and exercise their rights. Before Power Up, women were largely excluded from any meaningful participation in West Nusa Tenggara, the Indonesian province where the Power Up project took place.

READ MORE

What did we do?

PARTICIPATION

Encouraged women to participate in village development and budget processes

INNOVATION

Used  technology to enable women to hold their governments accountable

RESPONSIVENESS

Supported public institutions to use technology to better respond to women's needs

What did we achieve?

We helped women and girls engage in democratic processes and exercise their human rights, improved digital literacy skills, and worked with women's groups to access village planning processes in order to improve health services.

Your support will help women hold their governments accountable.

Donate Now
]]> PROSAM https://www.oxfam.ca/project/prosam/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 12:26:26 +0000 https://oxfamcanprod.wpengine.com/?post_type=project&p=30528

Development Project

PROSAM

Put more food on the table and more money in women's pockets in Cuba.


Donate Now

The Situation

Cuba imports more than half of its food.

To improve the availability of nutritious and affordable food, the country must grow more of its food. Yet it is difficult to increase food production for reasons including decision-making that is too centralized, inadequate tools and resources, and climate change.

Women need to be at the table to participate and lead Cuba's agricultural future. PROSAM trains women in areas such as soil and water conservation, food handling and processing, and gender. This gives women the tools to work in agriculture while also increasing the supply of healthy, fresh food in their communities.

PROSAM is an important project in our work towards women's economic justice.

DETAILS

Location:
Cuba

Duration:
5 years, 2015-2020

Thanks to our Supporters: 
This project is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public

Government of Canada Logo

Project at a Glance

3

Three partners involved in creating and implementing the project.

5

Five focus municipalities: Artemisa, Bejucal, Guanabacoa, Güines and Madruga.

50%

Half of food in Cuba is imported, making availability and affordability of food a pressing problem.

What are we doing?

Livelihoods

Provide women-centred training, tools and support so they can become leaders in agriculture.

Nutrition

Increase the diversity and quality of products available in local markets.

Coordination

With the Soils Institute of Cuba, support the Cuban government’s commitment to decentralization and sustainable agriculture, and its gender strategy.


Donate Now

What do we hope to achieve?

PROSAM will improve the diversity and quality of food available in local markets, help municipal actors better define and manage food production plans, and ensure that women are leaders in agriculture in their communities.

Working gender into agriculture

In each of the five focus municipalities, gender committees ensure that women have access to all the project training and that the project is implemented in a gender-sensitive way.

YOU can give women the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty.


Donate Now

]]> Creating Spaces https://www.oxfam.ca/project/creating-spaces/ Tue, 02 Oct 2018 12:05:00 +0000 https://oxfamcanprod.wpengine.com/?post_type=project&p=30525

Development Project

Creating Spaces

To take action on violence against women and girls

Donate Now
Creating Spaces ended in 2021.
It was an important project in our work to end violence against women and girls, and child and early forced marriage.

The Situation

Violence in all its forms deeply harms women, families, communities and economies. Countries in South and East Asia have some of the highest rates of violence against women in the world.

While many countries have established policies and programs to end violence, deeply entrenched values, attitudes and practices slow progress towards violence-free communities.

Gender stereotypes still contribute to violence against women and girls. Domestic violence and marital rape, child, early and forced marriage, and trafficking for sexual exploitation and forced labour threaten the health and freedom of women and girls, and are a violation of their rights.

It takes a village to end violence.

Oxfam works with local organizations, people of all genders, political leaders, law enforcement and institutions to make violence unacceptable.

DETAILS

LOCATION
Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines

DURATION
5 years (2016-2021)

Read the program description in French (PDF).

OUR SUPPORTERS
This project was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, provided through Global Affairs Canada, and the generous Canadian public.

New logo from government of Canada that reads, in partnership with Canada.
SEE ITS IMPACT

Project at a Glance

25
Local partner organizations participated in this project, including women's rights organizations.
245000
Women, men, girls and boys were reached in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines and Nepal.
37%
Percentage of women in South and East Asia that will be victims of violence at some point in their lives

What spaces were created?

Space for Support

We improved access to social services, medical assistance, counselling, job training, and legal aid so women can take control of their lives.

Space for Justice

We worked with legal professionals and community leaders to uphold the rights of women and girls, and we educated women to better understand — and fight for — their right to a life free of violence.

Space for Change

We helped people and institutions learn and adapt approaches to changing attitudes and ending violence against women and girls.

Donate Now

What did we achieve?

This project worked to directly address violence against women and girls and reduce the prevalence of child, early and forced marriage in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines and Nepal.

We prevented violence by changing local norms and laws, responded to violence by providing women and girl survivors with support, and improved understanding of violence by strengthening collective efforts and learning across the region.

See its Impact

You can help end violence against women and girls around the world.

Donate Now
]]> Restoring Coastal Livelihoods https://www.oxfam.ca/project/restoring-coastal-livelihoods/ Mon, 01 Oct 2018 18:12:18 +0000 https://oxfamcanprod.wpengine.com/?post_type=project&p=30512

Development Project

Restoring Coastal Livelihoods

so women can launch small businesses and participate in their communities with pride.

Donate Now

The Situation

Restoring Coastal Livelihoods was a five-year (2010-2015) project designed to improve economic security and women’s rights in 60 villages on the west coast of South Sulawesi province, Indonesia. It strengthened the ecological and economic resilience of these communities by restoring degraded mangrove forests, farming saline soil, stimulating the growth of small enterprise and helping women secure a voice in local development.

Villages like Pitusunggu, only 600 metres from the ocean, are vulnerable to salt water seeping into their soil and fresh water. And when people established shrimp ponds in the village, requiring them to pump ground water to provide freshwater for the shrimp, soil salinity increased dramatically. As a result, many people were forced to abandon rice cultivation. Women that relied on the rice crop were no longer able to grow food for their families.

Through the Restoring Coastal Livelihoods project, hundreds of people, mostly women, attended coastal farmer field schools to learn how to raise crops and establish new, sustainable livelihoods to support themselves and their families.

DETAILS

Location:
Indonesia

Duration:
2010-2015

Thanks to our Supporters: 
This project was undertaken with the financial support of Oxfam Great Britain, the Canadian International Development Agency, and the generous Canadian public.

Government of Canada Logo

I learnt a better way to prepare land for rice using organic fertilizers, and that spacing the seedlings reduced competition, making them grow better. I also got to know that there are seeds that can be grown in salty land and was really keen to try them.

Halmia
after attending a coastal farmer field school established by the Mangrove Action Project, an Oxfam partner

Project at a Glance

60
Villages on the west coast of South Sulawesi, Indonesia suffered from depleted mangrove forests and reduced livelihoods.
2
Local partners involved in developing and implementing the project.
1000
People, mostly women, learned how to manage land and raise crops, how to participate in development planning meetings, and how to perform business skills like bookkeeping.

What did we do?

Advocacy

Urged authorities to provide women direct access to basic needs like fresh water, electricity and distribution channels to market their products.

Restoration

Restored more than 190 hectares of degraded mangrove forests and identified another 120 hectares for future restoration.

Livelihoods

Trained more than 1,000 people, mostly women, at 44 coastal field schools on topics including organic farming, saline-tolerant rice paddy cultivation, and how to participate in village development meetings.

The Restoring Coastal Livelihoods project ended in 2015. With your support, we can develop more programs to end the injustice of poverty for more women and girls.

Learn More
Donate Now

What did we achieve?

We restored mangrove forests, trained villagers to launch sustainable farming enterprises, helped women participate in village development meetings, and involved local communities, organizations and governments in improving the ecological and economic health of the region.

Help women escape poverty and build prosperity.

Donate Now
]]>