Growing food in a changing climate
In August, Shirley Laban (Oxfam) and Mala Silas (CARE International in Vanuatu), visited Australia to share their stories on how local communities are meeting the challenges of climate change.
BLOGS
End violence against women in Papua New Guinea
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), violence against women is part of everyday life. A shocking 50% of women have experienced abuse. At just 10 years old, Ruth lost her mother. She had no choice but to live with her uncle and aunt where she experienced regular beatings. Mama Rasta was accused of sorcery by her […]
Gaza ceasefire welcome – but now it’s time to end the cycle of violence once and for all
After 50 days of intense violence, a new ceasefire in Gaza has been agreed between Israel and Hamas. It’s a welcome and much needed respite for civilians on all sides, following a conflict that has come at a terrible human cost. More than 1,500 civilians in Gaza, and six in Israel, have been killed and […]
Gaza Crisis: Open letter to Julie Bishop
On 20 August 2014, twelve of Australia’s biggest international humanitarian and development agencies wrote to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, calling on the Australian Government to urgently push for a permanent ceasefire in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza.
Famine looming over the people of South Sudan
Elizabeth and her five children live in a shared tent with 20 other people. Her husband was shot and killed, and her families' home has since been burned down. Now, Elizabeth is worried about what will become of her and her children.
The Gaza blockade – a personal story
Richard Stanforth is Oxfam GB’s Regional Policy Adviser in the Middle East. Here, he shares his personal experience of what life has been like in Gaza under the blockade. I first visited Gaza in spring 2006 when I had just become a policy officer for Oxfam covering Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. I arrived […]
Six year olds in Gaza live through their third war
Salama Shamali is just six years old, yet he has already lived through three wars. I met him just days ago at a school run by a local church, where he and his family sought refuge after their home was bombed. “I am not happy,” he told me. “My house is destroyed. The missiles destroyed […]
Early warnings need early action in Somalia
In July 2011, Somalia claimed the first famine of the 21st century. Although there were clear warning signs many months in advance, the international community did not begin to respond at scale until the situation had already reached crisis point. Just three years later, Somalia is once again on the brink of relapsing into a serious food crisis.
Oxfam staff in Gaza flee their homes
The crisis in Gaza has affected everyone living there -- including our own Oxfam colleagues, working in incredibly difficult and dangerous circumstances to deliver safe water and food to thousands of families in need. Many of our staff and partners have themselves been forced to flee their homes with their families. They fear for their family's safety and their children's future.
The destruction of Gaza, a first-hand account
Arwa Mhanna travelled around Gaza City in during a brief window of calm. She shares her experiences: "The ceasefire lasted only 12 hours, and as I write the violence has returned. On Monday, Al Shifa hospital -- where I met so many brave people -- was hit, with many casualties being reported. I don't know if the people I met are alive or dead."
