Policy Papers

Without space to speak out, organize, and take action, progress on inclusive development is severely constrained. Citizens, civil society actors and their allies must formulate a strong and consolidated global response to defend our common space for engagement, debate and action.

While all parties fighting refuse to compromise, Yemen's civilians are paying the price. As the Hudaydah offensive moves closer to the sea port and city, world leaders have a choice to put their full backing behind peace to bring an end to this crisis, or oversee a potential humanitarian catastrophe.

Thousands of Somali families were displaced to urban centres by the 2017 drought. Research by a group of NGOs indicates that they do not intend to return home anytime soon. It also shows how precarious and limited are the livelihood opportunities for displaced people in Somalia.

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is a certification initiative which aims to promote responsible aquaculture. Oxfam regards ASC as an initiative to transform the sector, but there is a need for urgent improvements on social aspects such as fair contracts for farmers, decent labor rights in the industry, and effective and transparent stakeholder consultation.

This report assesses recent progress in realizing workers' rights in seafood supply chains originating in Southeast Asia and provides new evidence of ongoing workers' rights challenges in US and European supermarket shrimp supply chains beginning in Indonesia and Thailand.

This report launches Oxfam’s new campaign to expose the root causes behind human suffering in food supply chains and to mobilize the power of people around the world to help end it, starting with a focus on the role of supermarkets.

On 13 June 2018, The Saudi- and UAE-led coalition launched an attack on Hodeida, Yemen’s lifeline port. One week on, the Coalition has ignored all warnings and combined forces have pressed ahead to take Hodeida airport. The advance must now stop and efforts be refocused on peace. Taking the battle to a densely-populated city will have a much higher humanitarian toll.

This current draft of the 2019 World Development Report has interesting ideas, but also contains some dangerous proposals and assumptions which Oxfam believes might compromise the World Bank’s mission of eradicating poverty and achieving shared prosperity.

The Saudi - and UAE - led Coalition’s assault on Hodeida – Yemen’s lifeline port – threatens hundreds of thousands of civilians in that city, and around 20 million more who rely on its imports of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies. The strategy to prevent this assault through quiet diplomacy has failed. For the sake of millions of Yemenis, the time for a more effective strategy is now.

In Ventimiglia, near the border between Italy and France, refugees and other migrants are living rough, without access to the most basic services. The French police meet children with abuse, and send them back to Italy in violation of French and EU law. Stranded, hundreds of people are unable seek even basic support.

People displaced by conflict (IDPs) in Myanmar’s Kachin State want to return to their land, yet it is being appropriated unfairly. Action is required to resolve the lack of clarity over IDP land rights and to ensure equitable remedy is available where land has been unfairly acquired.

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, yet at the same time it has demonstrated climate leadership. This briefing note examines how appropriate lending by international financial institutions can help Bangladesh to blaze a new sustainable development pathway.

On 17 May 2018, heads of state at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia will discuss cooperation in several areas, amongst them migration and security. A coalition of NGOs including Oxfam call on EU and Balkan leaders to address a number of concerns, such as humane border management, the protection of civil society, and the right to seek asylum. 

This joint briefing from Oxfam, Christian Aid, Action Aid and the CBI reflects a growing convergence between businesses and tax advocacy groups on the use of tax incentives in the Global South.  It argues that tax incentives can be a useful tool in promoting decent jobs and growth.  But it also contends that too often tax incentives are used in inefficient and ineffective ways, and in the worst cases are entirely redundant.  

Climate finance efforts by developed countries are at a critical juncture. There are only two years before the deadline by which developed countries have committed to jointly mobilize $100bn per year to support climate action in developing countries. This briefing paper offers an assessment of progress towards this goal.

In most countries, subsoil oil, gas and mining resources are the property of citizens and are managed on their behalf by governments. Oxfam believes that citizens have a right to know the full terms under which oil, gas and mineral resources are developed and sold, to enable them to assess whether the public benefits claimed are likely to become reality.

Inequality between the richest and the rest in Malawi continues to rise, with poverty remaining extreme and endemic. This report presents a vision, roadmap and policy recommendations for a more inclusive, equitable and prosperous Malawi. It shows that inequality is not inevitable but the result of policy choices made by those with power.

Reducing the impacts of disasters on poor people is absolutely vital. Climate/disaster risk financing could play a useful role if it is part of an approach that includes risk reduction, if it strengthens social protection, and if it has real participation from civil society.

The European External Investment Plan (EIP) is the EU’s new plan to boost development, growth and jobs in Africa. This paper analyses the agricultural investment window of the EIP. Oxfam and other NGOs highlight concerns and include recommendations to make sure the plan supports small-scale farmers. 

Lebanon currently hosts the largest number of refugees per capita in the world. This paper urges donors and policy makers to ensure that new financing to Lebanon is rights-based, accountable to local populations, reflects local priorities and benefits the most vulnerable.