Reconciliation is about unity and respect between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians. It's also about respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and valuing justice and equity for all Australians.
With the escalation of conflict in Yemen now in its second month, the country is now in the midst of an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe. Water supply systems have been heavily damaged, food prices are spiralling out of control, and more than 300,000 people have been displaced. Oxfam program officer Bassim describes how the crisis has changed his life.
Bangladesh is well known for the appalling conditions under which many of its garment sector employees have to work. Both in terms of the physical conditions, but also the wages they’re paid, which are among the lowest in the region. But despite the many Australian companies that have met, or exceeded, the Australian community’s demands to improve workers’ conditions, there are still some holding out.
Davis has lived in Mukuru -- a giant urban settlement, or slum -- since the year 2000. The lack of proper sanitation and infrastructure in the urban slums of Nairobi cause vicious outbreaks of disease. But Davis has seen children’s lives saved with something called a Fresh Life toilet.
In 2012, Rhett Burraston was selected to participate in the ChangeCourse program -- a program run by Oxfam that provides opportunities for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to proactively effect change within their communities. Today, Rhett runs an after-school sports program in his hometown of Airds, which works with Aboriginal kids over the long-term, ensuring they are happy, healthy and have goals for the future. Most recently he was awarded the NSW/ACT Young Achiever of the Year.
On her way to school, Yusra negotiates the toxic human waste that lines the streets. The sanitation crisis in her home -- the Mukuru slum in Kenya -- means residents are forced to use pit latrines and plastic bags as their toilet. The threat of disease lingers every where, but the implications of poor sanitation for young women and girls are particularly complex.
In 2012, Oxfam Australia commenced a project with Dr Phoebe Wynn Pope and the Australian Civil-Military Centre to deepen understanding of how different actors – military and civilian, political and humanitarian – understand the concept of the Protection of Civilians (POC) in armed conflict. Access the report online.
Our fears have been confirmed. The Government has made the worst cuts to aid in our nation’s history, showing that the poorest people of the world mean very little to this Government. They have set out a path for Australia – the second wealthiest country per capita in the world – to give our lowest […]
Just two months ago Vanuatu took a direct hit from Cyclone Pam — one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded in the South Pacific. You have seen the images, read the stories, and are no doubt following Vanuatu’s determined efforts to rebuild and recover. But there is another story waiting to be told.
From droughts in Australia to cyclones in Vanuatu, we’re all feeling the effects of climate change. But droughts, floods, storms, and other extreme weather affect some of us more than others. Discover what others are doing to battle the effects and how you can help.
