Oxfam is a global organisation that works to alleviate poverty, reduce inequality, and address injustice. They work across 90 countries, working through a network of partnerships (such as the partnership with Fairtrade) to provide emergency assistance, support development projects and advocate for policy changes to help benefit disadvantaged communities.
Oxfam believes all lives are equal, that no one should live in poverty and that the systems that lead to inequality should be challenged. They seek to eliminate poverty by working to change minds, systems and lives.
Fairtrade helps Oxfam achieve this mission by ensuring producers receive fair prices and improved living conditions.
Oxfam’s core areas of focus include: Economic Justice, Gender Justice, First People’s Justice, Climate Justice and Humanitarian Action.
In 2022-2023, Oxfam Australia contributed $35.6 million towards alleviating poverty and inequality, and supported more than 2.7 million people across 32 countries.
When people’s lives are turned upside down by conflict or disasters, Oxfam responds with life-saving aid including food, water, sanitation, health and hygiene facilities, and livelihood training.
Some examples of significant contributions to humanitarian efforts in 22-23 include:
- $3.5 million for COVID-19 prevention, response and recovery in the Pacific and Laos.
- $1.2 million for disaster preparedness in the Pacific and Timor-Leste.
- $350,000 for the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh.
Thanks to the generous donations Australians made through emergency appeals, Oxfam were also able to contribute $950,000 towards the following humanitarian emergencies:
- East Africa hunger crisis • Pakistan floods • South Sudan, Tigray and Yemen conflicts • Ukraine conflict.
‘Untied’ or ‘Unrestricted’ funds refer to contributions made to Oxfam that do not have any specific restrictions or conditions on how they must be used. This then gives flexibility to Oxfam to allocate them to the areas of greatest need, based on its expertise and priorities. Dynamic and agile projects can then be supported.
The Bean Alliance Group and Fair. Coffee is placed to Untied Funds. Some examples of projects that untied funds have helped support include:
- Research into unpaid care work in Timor Leste to help design programs that transform lives of women and work towards economic and gender justice.
- Designing monitoring and evaluation of programs to be undertaken by staff.
- Overheads such as staff costs, computers, electricity, etc. so that programs are able to run efficiently and deliver the most impact possible.
- Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from remote areas to meet with and voice their concerns and issues directly with political leaders.
- Work to help First Nations fishing communities on the South Coast of New South Wales take their stories to the Parliamentary Commission and work towards getting recognition of their traditional fishing rights.
- Funds to rebuild the Oxfam office in Timor Leste, which was destroyed by floods, into a centre benefiting Oxfam staff and all civil society partner organisations, and build the capacity for research, influencing, and evidence-based programs and create a resource centre for partners.
- Pilot project to test low-cost, portable, solar-powered, small-scale water desalination units.
The difference Oxfam and Fairtrade make really is life changing for so many. Learn more about the ways in which you can support Oxfam here.
You can also support Fairtrade with Fair. Coffee - SHOP NOW