Oxfam’s work on infrastructure development

Our work focuses on infrastructure that negatively impacts on people and the environment. We are working together with partner organisations to ensure that the voices of the voiceless are given a fair hearing in the face of infrastructure development.

We are monitoring infrastructure development globally

We work in partnership with other non-government organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs), and with people directly affected by infrastructure projects to prevent the harmful impacts of large-scale infrastructure projects.

Our goal is to influence the guidelines and standards that inform large-scale infrastructure projects so that they take people and environment into account. We also seek to provide alternatives in sustainable development and the use of renewable resources.

Campaigning on problem projects

We monitor and campaign on projects where communities are experiencing adverse impacts and help them in seeking redress. We also work with other non-government organisations to support communities negatively affected by infrastructure projects.

Lobbying for lasting change

We aim to create lasting changes in the way infrastructure projects are designed and implemented by recommending improvements to the practices and policies of infrastructure proponents.

Building networks

We work with and support an international network of civil society organisations monitoring infrastructure projects.

Our collaborative approach gives us a strategic advantage: organisations based in Asian and Pacific countries can connect directly with communities affected by development projects while international organisations can lobby donor governments and western companies to ensure projects are designed and implemented in a responsible manner.

We are working in the Mekong Region

The communities along the Mekong River are under threat by the construction of hydropower dams. We are working with a coalition of regional and local civil society organisations, local people from within the Mekong communities, and academics on the Save the Mekong campaign.

Learn more

Read about our work on the Greater Mekong Subregion Program.