Syrian refugees and Palestine refugees from Syria have fled their homes in search of safety. But Oxfam’s 2017 research revealed that most people interviewed do not consider that they have found complete safety and protection in Lebanon. Refugees’ views on what constitutes ‘safety’ are individual and subjective. This paper argues that the international community and host governments should not make decisions for refugees about what or where is ‘safe’, but instead should support refugees to find safety in the present, and determine their futures for themselves.
Topic:
Migration, Refugees, Displacement, and Humanitarian Crisis
Political Geography:
Middle East, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria
Oxfam analysis finds that governments and donors are failing to provide women farmers with relevant and adequate support for farming and adapting to climate change. Oxfam conducted research on government and donor investments in Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania. It found that funding in these countries is significantly lower than commitments that have been made, and there is little evidence of resources and technical assistance reaching women farmers. Resources are being diverted to priorities other than smallholder farmers, and for the most part governments lack the capacity to deliver funding to them. This paper presents the findings along with recommendations for governments.
Topic:
Agriculture, Climate Change, Gender Issues, Women, and Farming
Political Geography:
Pakistan, Africa, Middle East, Philippines, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Ghana
It is essential that opportunities for job growth are supported both for refugees in Jordan and the vulnerable communities hosting them. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can be a key driver of job growth. Promoting MSMEs could also help to address gender inequality and protection issues for refugees in Jordan.
This joint agency paper was written by the LEADERS Consortium of NGOs, which aims to contribute to the economic self-reliance, resilience and stability of Syrian refugees and vulnerable host communities in Jordan. It presents research conducted among women and men small business owners in central and northern Jordan on the challenges they face. It makes recommendations on how the Government of Jordan, businesses, the financial sector and NGOs can support women, refugees and Jordanian host communities to start and grow small businesses.
Topic:
Gender Issues, Refugee Issues, Inequality, Economic Growth, and Empowerment
The current high levels of food insecurity in Yemen and the threat of famine are the results of more than two-and-a-half years of war, and have added to the already high levels existing pre-war. The economic crisis and loss of livelihoods has left people without the means to purchase what is available in the market. The situation has been made dramatically worse by the closure of key entry points for commercial imports, which is also affecting the availability of fuel and clean water. This is a deadly combination, especially for the most vulnerable in society, including women and children.
This briefing calls for action by all actors in the conflict and by the international community to protect the civilian population from the effects of the war and to alleviate the food crisis. It calls for renewed momentum towards a peace deal which is inclusive of women, civil society, youth and minorities, and which begins with an immediate, nationwide ceasefire.
Topic:
Gender Issues, War, Children, Food Security, and Humanitarian Crisis
Daniel Gorevan, Martin Hartberg, and Dominic Bowen
Publication Date:
03-2015
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Oxfam Publishing
Abstract:
The unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2139 (UNSCR 2139) at the end of February 2014 brought with it much needed hope for people in Syria and across the Middle East. In the resolution, the UN Security Council (UNSC) – the body responsible for international peace and security – called for an urgent increase in access to humanitarian aid in Syria and demanded that all parties immediately cease attacks against civilians, end arbitrary detention, kidnapping and torture, and lift sieges of populated areas.