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82. Adoption Rate and Trends in Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Ethiopia
- Author:
- Zaide Hailu and Kinde Teshome
- Publication Date:
- 03-2022
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Since 2019 the Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture has offered extension advice on conservation agriculture (CA). However, agricultural policy focuses mainly on intensive tillage whereas CA calls for zero or minimum tillage. Policy seems to favour productivity over sustainability, with CA adoption remaining low. Supply-side constraints include lack of access to high-quality inputs, credit, and machinery. Demand-side constraints include risk aversion and competition for crop residues needed for mulching from requirements for fuel and feed. Women farmers like CA because it does not require draft animals. However, some women in male-headed households report a shift of labour responsibilities to women.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Labor Issues, Conservation, and Farming
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Ethiopia
83. Caring in a changing climate: Centering care work in climate action
- Author:
- Seema Arora-Johnson, Maeve Cohen, and Sherilyn MacGregor
- Publication Date:
- 02-2022
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The global care crisis is being exacerbated by the global climate emergency, with interlocking impacts that threaten lives and livelihoods in all parts of the world. These impacts are particularly severe among rural livelihoods in low-income countries. Climate change intensifies the work involved in caring for people, animals, plants, and places. It reduces the availability and quality of public services in marginalized communities and directly compounds the unfair distribution of unpaid care work that sustains gender inequality. Yet the intersections of climate change and care work have been overlooked in the development literature. Strategies for climate mitigation and adaptation have paid relatively little attention to how care work is affected by climate impacts, nor have they considered whether interventions improve or intensify the situation of carers. Instead, when designing “gender-sensitive” climate actions, the focus has been largely on women’s economic empowerment as opposed to alleviating or transforming existing distributions of care work. The aim of this report is to fill a knowledge gap by examining the points of interaction between climate change impacts and the amount, distribution, and conditions of unpaid care work. We focus on care workers rather than those who are cared for, while stressing the relational nature of care and acknowledging that carers too require care.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Development, Environment, and Migration
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
84. Analyzing European Union Institutions’ Flows for Total Official Support for Sustainable Development
- Author:
- Brian Tomlinson
- Publication Date:
- 02-2022
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This report analyses the first round of Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) data from European Union (EU) Institutions. The EU is a key stakeholder in the development of TOSSD, as Co-Chair of the International TOSSD Task Force, and in the promotion of this as an essential metric in the implementation of Agenda 2030. It is our hope that this paper’s detailed examination of the scope of what has been reported by the EU Institutions identifies trends and issues arising from the first reporting round for TOSSD, which can be addressed going forward. It is timely to acknowledge the level of transparency in the proceedings of the TOSSD Task Force, which has been open to comments and suggestions since its inception, and has recently seated CSO representatives as observers. This transparency has put into practical effect the notion that data validation can, to some extent, be entrusted to third parties provided that the relevant information is available to all interested stakeholders on a timely basis. Good norms, such as good reporting instructions, can help steer the development agenda in the right direction for the benefit of the communities of the Global South.
- Topic:
- Development, Regional Cooperation, European Union, and Sustainability
- Political Geography:
- Europe
85. Tackling Gender Inequality in the Cocoa Supply Chain: Are big chocolate companies delivering on their global commitments in Ghana?
- Author:
- Albert A. Ahrin
- Publication Date:
- 02-2022
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- In 2013, leading chocolate companies Mars, Mondelēz, and Nestlé made global commitments to reduce gender inequalities across their cocoa supply chain. This report follows up on these commitments and presents findings on the gender equality programs Mars, Mondelēz, and Nestlé – and their agribusiness suppliers – are implementing in the cocoa supply chain of Ghana, a key sourcing country. Specifically, the report examines the extent to which each of the companies has (1) conducted and published impact assessments on women in their cocoa supply chains in order to understand and show how this population is faring in Ghana; (2) developed a specific action plan to address issues raised by the assessments that could lead to improved conditions for women; (3) signed on to the United Nations’ Women’s Empowerment Principles, a set of seven principles for businesses offering guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace, and community; and (4) engaged with other powerful actors
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Inequality, Supply Chains, and Chocolate
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Ghana
86. The Inequality Crisis in East Africa: Fighting austerity and the pandemic
- Author:
- Anthony Kamande and Matthew Martin
- Publication Date:
- 02-2022
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed millions into poverty in East Africa, and worsened inequality. The economic crisis continues, due to the obscene global vaccine inequality, which means that only 4% of East African citizens had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, compared with 71% in high-income countries by mid-January2022. Many East African governments were already hamstrung by high debt and budget deficits before the pandemic, preventing them from responding with large recovery programmes. Other governments did increase spending, but five are now forecasting major budget cuts for 2022–26. These cuts will stop them combating the increases in poverty and inequality that have resulted from COVID-19. However, building back during and after the pandemic offers East African governments a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do what their citizens want: make their economic systems fairer by increasing taxes on wealthy and large corporations, boost public spending (especially on healthcare, education and social protection), and improving workers’ rights. With external support, including through comprehensive debt relief and more aid, they can reduce inequality drastically and eliminate extreme poverty by 2030.
- Topic:
- Inequality, Pandemic, COVID-19, and Labor Rights
- Political Geography:
- Africa and East Africa
87. Carbon Pricing: A primer for Oxfam
- Author:
- James Morrissey
- Publication Date:
- 02-2022
- Content Type:
- Research Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Carbon pricing is not a new phenomenon. Backed by widespread consensus in the economic literature that it is the single most effective policy for addressing climate change, it has been the staple policy priority of many environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Yet carbon pricing has seen limited uptake. Efforts to price carbon have failed in a multitude of contexts. Where they have passed, in most cases, prices have been set too low or covered too little of the economy to effectively address the challenge posed by climate change. As a result, climate advocates have come to question carbon pricing as a primary policy approach. In this context, this paper is not intended to provide novel insights into carbon pricing, nor is it intended to motivate for or against an immediate campaign priority at Oxfam. Rather, this review of carbon pricing is intended to provide a technical background on the topic, considering the concerns that are of greatest salience to Oxfam. The specific aims of the paper are to support Oxfam staff in their deliberation on whether, when, and how to engage on carbon pricing initiatives, as questions around this policy approach shift over the next 20 years. It is anticipated that such reflection would also be useful to a number of organizations whose concerns are similar to Oxfam’s.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Environment, NGOs, and Carbon Emissions
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
88. Women, Voice and Power: How transformative feminist leadership is challenging inequalities and the root causes of extreme vulnerability
- Author:
- Emily Brown
- Publication Date:
- 10-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The evidence can no longer be ignored: when women and feminist activists are able to use their collective power to challenge inequalities, they are having a transformational impact. From women’s rights organizations and movements breaking down harmful social norms, to political leaders advancing highly progressive policies, there is a growing body of evidence from feminist organizing across the world that when decisions are made more equally and inclusively, and are rooted in locally-owned, intersectional feminist movements and political agendas, they have immediate and long-term human development benefits for all.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Women, Leadership, Feminism, and Civil Rights
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
89. Centring Gender and Power in Evaluation and Research: Sharing experiences from Oxfam GB’s quantitative impact evaluations
- Author:
- Sarah Barakat, Alexia Pretari, and Jaynie Vonk
- Publication Date:
- 07-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Bringing a feminist intent to research, monitoring and evaluation practices leads to defining these as tools to contribute to transforming the lives of women, girls and non-binary people, and to bringing about social justice. This has meant putting gender and power at the centre of our practice, which has in turn shaped the technical choices made specifically in quantitative impact evaluations. This paper focuses on describing how these technical choices, as well as ethical considerations, are changed by this feminist intent. The paper also presents the lessons learned and questions raised along the way, which may be useful for MEAL and research practitioners, as well as programme managers. How can we bring intersectionality to the fore? What does it mean to go beyond the gender binary? How can this work be transformative?
- Topic:
- Women, Feminism, LGBT+, and Gender
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
90. Funding the ERP: Analysis of funding for the implementation of the Education Response Plan (ERP) for refugees and host communities
- Author:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Publication Date:
- 12-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This paper is an analytical review of the financial performance of the Education Response Plan for refugees by the end of June 2020. This analysis gives an in-depth review of the education financing for Government of Uganda supported schools in refugee settlements in Lamwo District Local Government. The total contribution of the Government of Uganda to the actual ERP spend was USD 11.86 million (9.38%). The multilateral donors contributed most to the ERP between year 0 and year 1, with a total contribution of USD 38.69 million (31%). This paper was written by The Centre for Budget and Tax Policy.
- Topic:
- Education, Refugees, Public Spending, and Schools
- Political Geography:
- Uganda and Africa
91. Negotiating Consent: Lessons in defending the right to decide
- Author:
- Scott A. Sellwood
- Publication Date:
- 12-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Indigenous peoples have long asserted and defended their rights and customary land tenures against the unlawful enclosure of their territories. Yet, despite normative recognition of the right to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC)—and public commitments by major multinational companies, international financial institutions, and global banks to apply the standard of consent—power imbalances continue to undermine the quality of agreements being reached. Negotiating Consent distills lessons from Oxfam’s work defending community consent in Peru. Drawing on research published by Oxfam partners in Peru—Cooperacción, Organización Nacional de Mujeres Indígenas (ONAMIAP) and Pueblos Indígenas Amazónicas Unidas en Defensa de Sus Territorios (PUINAMUDT), which have published research examining the politics and practices of the implementation of this law—it seeks to contribute to collective thinking around ways to improve the implementation of FPIC processes, processes that are manifestly political. With land inequality worsening, land grabbing continuing unabated, and basic environmental and social protections being rolled back, upholding the standard of consent is more important than ever. It is time companies, investors, and others look beyond paper commitments and take the steps necessary to ensure quality agreements are reached with Indigenous peoples and are maintained across the life of projects.
- Topic:
- Security, Land Rights, Indigenous, and Land
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
92. More Local is Possible: Recommendations for enhancing local humanitarian leadership and refugee participation in the Gambella refugee response
- Author:
- Freddie Carver, Elizabeth Deng, and Yotam Gidron
- Publication Date:
- 12-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The Gambella region of western Ethiopia hosts over 300,000 South Sudanese refugees in seven camps. The refugee response is dominated by UN agencies and international NGOs and staffed mostly by Ethiopians from outside of Gambella, creating a gap between humanitarian actors and the people they seek to assist. In order to realize commitments to localization and refugee participation made in the Charter for Change, the Grand Bargain and the Global Compact for Refugees, it is critical for refugees and local populations to be more involved in shaping and leading the delivery of aid. This could be achieved through increasing the role played by Gambella-based NGOs, engaging with faith-based actors, facilitating diaspora initiatives and supporting the development of refugee-led organizations.
- Topic:
- Refugees, Leadership, Humanitarian Intervention, and Local
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Ethiopia
93. A People’s Vaccine For Refugees: Ensuring access to COVID-19 vaccines for refugees and other displaced people
- Author:
- Charlotte Greener
- Publication Date:
- 11-2021
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- As we continue to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital that no one is excluded from vaccine coverage. This briefing note addresses some of the challenges faced by displaced people – including refugees, asylum seekers, IDPs, stateless people, and others in displacement contexts – in accessing COVID-19 vaccinations. It identifies a range of administrative and logistical barriers, the issue of lack of information and vaccine hesitancy, and gender-specific barriers to access for these populations. The briefing note provides recommendations to governments, UN agencies, and other actors to help address these challenges and ensure vaccine access for all displaced people.
- Topic:
- Refugees, Displacement, Humanitarian Intervention, Pandemic, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
94. The Ignored Pandemic: The Dual Crises of Gender-Based Violence and COVID-19
- Author:
- Rowan Harvey
- Publication Date:
- 11-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Gender Based Violence (GBV) is a global pandemic existing in all social groups across the globe, yet it has largely been ignored in the COVID-19 response and recovery plans. It is evident that the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified GBV, including domestic violence and intimate partner violence amongst other forms of violations, but the investments in GBV prevention and response are dramatically inadequate, with just 0.0002% of the overall COVID-19 response funding opportunities going into it. Barriers to achieving gender justice, such as harmful social norms, continue to exist, but progress made since the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign show that there are solutions, and feminist activism has been a driving force for progress on eliminating gender-based violence.
- Topic:
- Gender Based Violence, Violence, Pandemic, COVID-19, and Gender
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
95. Detention as the Default: How Greece, with the support of the EU, is generalizing administrative detention of migrants
- Author:
- Vasilis Papastergiou
- Publication Date:
- 11-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Putting migrants and asylum seekers into detention for administrative reasons is a common practice in Greece, despite this policy contravening human rights. Greek authorities are using detention and the new EU-funded closed compounds as a way to discourage people from seeking asylum in Europe. Detention, as outlined in Greek law, should only be used as a final resort and only then in specific instances. Detention carries with it not only a financial cost, but also a considerable moral cost. Detention without just cause violates basic human rights, such as freedom of movement, the right to health and the right to family life. Alternatives to detention exist and must be prioritized.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, Humanitarian Crisis, Detention, and Migrants
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Greece
96. Food for Thought: Investing in a sustainable food system
- Author:
- Marta Piazza
- Publication Date:
- 09-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The focus on profit maximization at the expense of workers, farmers, and women have helped companies reap huge profit margins in the short-term, but as COVID-19 has revealed, it has come at the cost of rights violations. Such costs are no longer considered an acceptable business risk. As human rights gains prominence in investor-company engagement, this briefing note provides information to investors about the risks of ignoring human rights impacts, evidence about the rights violations that persist in the food sector despite company action and charts a way for investors to build a resilient food system given their outsized influence.
- Topic:
- Economics, Business, Profit, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
97. Precarity and the Pandemic: A survey of wage issues and Covid-19 impacts amongst migrant seafood workers in Thailand
- Author:
- Josh Stride
- Publication Date:
- 07-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This report presents findings from an extensive survey of migrant workers in the Thai seafood industry conducted by the CSO Coalition. The report focuses on the issue of low wages, the gender pay gap and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on these issues and the workers who experience them. It also aims to develop a national discussion around the issues of a living wage and a decent living for the hardworking migrant workers who generate wealth and produce food for wealthy companies and consumers around the world.
- Topic:
- Labor Issues, Labor Policies, Pandemic, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Thailand
98. Transforming the Systems that Contribute to Fragility and Humanitarian Crises: Programming across the triple nexus
- Author:
- Vittorio Infante
- Publication Date:
- 07-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Conflicts and shocks linked to climate change are more frequent and intense, leading to poverty and inequality, exacerbating these phenomena and people’s vulnerability. In this context, humanitarian relief, development programmes and peacebuilding are not serial processes; they are all needed at the same time to tackle the systemic inequalities that trap people in poverty and expose them to risk. The triple nexus, or programming across humanitarian-development-peace pillars, thus means creating synergies and common goals across short-term emergency response programmes and longer-term social change processes in development, as well as enhancing opportunities for peace so that individuals can enjoy the full spectrum of human rights. This briefing paper aims to identify the tensions and dilemmas that Oxfam faces when programming across the nexus and sets out new policy to address these dilemmas, building upon Oxfam’s 2019 discussion paper on the triple nexus.
- Topic:
- Development, Inequality, Humanitarian Intervention, Conflict, and Peace
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
99. Not in This Together: How supermarkets became pandemic winners while women workers are losing out
- Author:
- Anouk Franck and Art Prapha
- Publication Date:
- 06-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Inequality is worsening and exploitation of women is endemic across the global economy. While inequality of power and value was already deeply unfair before the pandemic, it has now reached shocking proportions. COVID-19 has cost global workers $3.7 trillion in lost income, and women and young workers have been hardest hit, as they are often found in the most insecure and lowest-paid jobs. Few places reveal this trend more clearly than supermarket supply chains. In stark contrast to the escalating human misery brought by the pandemic, the supermarket sector has largely been the standout winner of the crisis. Senior executives, the largest institutional investors, and mostly wealthy shareholders of global supermarkets continue to be rewarded with business-as-usual high compensation and dividends. In fact, during the pandemic, publicly listed supermarkets distributed 98% of net profits to their shareholders via dividends and share buybacks. Meanwhile, workers and producers, especially women, across the globe – the people we call ‘essential’ or ‘frontline’ workers – have seen their incomes stagnate or even fall, while their rights continue to be violated.
- Topic:
- Inequality, Pandemic, COVID-19, Labor Rights, and Gender
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
100. An African Response to COVID-19: From principled first response to just recovery
- Author:
- Ray Deepayan Basu
- Publication Date:
- 04-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- In November 2020 Oxfam and SOAS facilitated an online high-level event to bring together African and international policy and public-health professionals to discuss their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, and offer insights into strategies and policies they have enacted in their respective contexts. Speakers tackled a wide range of issues, including government strategies and policies implemented, public health messaging and community engagement, varying threads of intersectionality and an honest discussion about gaps and additional support. This ‘outcomes’ paper draws out the key themes, trends and recommendations emerging from the discussions to inform a people-not-profit-centric Covid response.
- Topic:
- Public Health, Pandemic, Community, and COVID-19
- Political Geography:
- Africa