Oxfam
| Oxfam International | |
|---|---|
|
|
| founding | 1942 |
| Seat |
Oxford , Oxfordshire , UK
|
| main emphasis |
Development aid , disaster relief |
| Action space | Global |
| people |
 Winnie Byanyima(Executive Director) |
| Website | oxfam.org |
Oxfam [ ˈɒks.fæm ] ( ) is an international association of various aid and development organizations. According to its own statement, Oxfam works worldwide to ensure that people in poor countries can create sustainable and secure livelihoods, access to education , health care, drinking water and hygiene facilities as well as support in the event of crises and disasters. Another important goal is gender equality .
history
1942 was the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief ( " Oxford founded Committee for the relief of famine") in the UK to alleviate the consequences of the German occupation policy in Greece with the aim where the economic exploitation of the Great Famine had led.
The term OXFAM was the telegraphic abbreviation and did not become the official name of the organization until 1965. After the end of the war, the organization was committed to alleviating the need in Europe, including Germany - against the will of the British government at the time. Oxfam has been fighting poverty in former colonies and other poor countries since the late 1950s.
In the 1960s and 1970s, further offshoots emerged, including in Canada, the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and several European countries. In 1986 a group of committed citizens brought the British idea of Oxfam stores to Germany and opened the first store in Bonn . Initially, the proceeds supported Oxfam UK projects.
In 1995 Oxfam Germany e. V. and the commercial subsidiary Oxfam Deutschland Shops gGmbH (until December 2014: GmbH ) were founded. In 2003 Oxfam Germany became a full member of the international Oxfam network.
International association
In the international association that was founded in 1995, 18 Oxfam organizations with around 3,000 local partners in more than 90 countries are part of a global movement for a world without poverty.
The member organizations are located in Australia , Belgium , Germany , France , Hong Kong , India , Ireland , Italy , Japan , Canada , Mexico , New Zealand , the Netherlands , Spain , the United Kingdom and the United States .
| Member organization | Headquarters | Founded | Full member since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxfam America |
 Boston
|
1970 | 1995 |
| Oxfam Australia |
 Melbourne
|
1954 (as Food for Peace Campaign) | 1995 |
| Oxfam Canada |
 Ottawa
|
1966 | 1995 |
| Oxfam Germany |
 Berlin
|
1995 | 2003 |
| Oxfam France |
 Paris
|
1988 | 2006 |
| Oxfam Great Britain |
Oxford
|
1942 | 1995 |
| Oxfam Hong Kong |
 Hong Kong
|
1976 | 1995 |
| Oxfam India |
 New Delhi
|
2008 | 2011 |
| Intermón Oxfam |
 Barcelona
|
1956 (as Intermón) | 1997 |
| Oxfam Ireland |
 Dublin
|
1971 | 1998 |
| Oxfam Italia |
 Rome
|
1976 (as Ucodep) | 2012 |
| Oxfam Japan |
 Tokyo
|
2003 | 2012 |
| Oxfam Mexico |
 Mexico city
|
1996 | 2008 |
| Oxfam New Zealand |
 Auckland
|
1991 | 1995 |
| Oxfam Novib |
 The hague
|
1956 (as Novib) | 1995 |
| Oxfam-en-Belgique / Oxfam-in-België |
 Brussels
|
1964 | 1995 |
| Oxfam-Quebec |
Montreal
|
1973 | 1995 |
The work is coordinated by the Oxfam International Secretariat, based in Oxford, England, and lobby offices are also located in Washington, DC, New York City, Brussels and Geneva.
Work and controversy
Oxfam works in partnership with people in poor countries. The organization provides on-site support with sustainable development projects and emergency aid in crises. Actions and campaigns aim to change the conditions that create poverty.
Development cooperation
The organization basically cooperates with local partner organizations which, thanks to their good knowledge of the situation, develop sustainable projects in the areas of livelihood security, education, health and women's rights. The partner organizations receive financial and practical support, e.g. B. in project management.
Oxfam also works with international companies and their foundations in its development projects. Such co-operations between aid organizations, which occur frequently, are controversial; Critics criticize the risk of conflicts of interest. Through the cooperation, aid organizations hope, among other things, to improve the use of logistics and to influence the business conduct of companies. However, companies try to gain credibility with these collaborations, which counts as advertising for them. Oxfam points to the continued independence of the organization and continues to criticize corporations. Critics fear, however, that companies will gain influence in NGOs such as Oxfam and UN bodies through the cooperation and that the NGOs will orient themselves more commercially through the cooperation.
Emergency aid and disaster preparedness
In international emergency aid, the organization specializes in providing people in crisis situations with drinking water and hygiene items, as well as setting up latrines and washing facilities. Food, cookware and clothing are also provided. The organization is also involved in the areas of reconstruction, disaster risk reduction, and conflict and crisis management.
Actions and campaigns
With campaigns and alliances, the organization wants to create public awareness of the causes of poverty and urge politics and business to act in a way that is appropriate to development. To this end, the organization is committed to issues such as food security, agricultural policy, climate change, arms trade, health and education. National and international alliances exist, for example, for development policy campaigns such as Tax Against Poverty or the Global Education Campaign .
In 2012, Oxfam achieved Germany's work against food speculation as part of the international meal! (English: GROW ) a lot of media coverage. The focus of criticism was the insurance group Allianz, which denied the connection between its stock market activities and rising food prices in poor countries. Numerous other banks and insurance companies, on the other hand, withdrew from food speculation.
The organization occasionally holds demonstrations under the motto We're sick of it! together with other organizations. At the beginning of January each year, an event with tens of thousands of people takes place.
The organization is a member of the Tax Justice Network .
Report on wealth inequality
Every year the organization publishes a report on social inequality in the world. The report also compares the fortunes of the world's richest people, concentrated at the top of the Forbes list , with the fortunes of the poorer half of the world's population. 2016 was z. For example, it is estimated that the 62 richest people own as much as the poorer half of the population. The business journalist Felix Salmon, to which Ezra Klein , among others, agreed, has expressed criticism of the approach to this comparison . According to Salmon, the wealth figures in the report for viewing the rich are significant and amazing, but the figures in the report say too little about the poor to compare wealth. Because, according to Salmon, by comparing the added wealth figures in the report, no sufficient statement can be made about poverty in the world. B. indebted people are not necessarily poorer than people without wealth. The business journalist Vauhini Vara, like Oxfam, saw the criticism of the asset comparison as justified, but pointed out that Oxfam's conclusion about the great inequality was independently correct. After all, even after deducting the debts of poorer people, the value of wealth inequality in the world is almost the same.
Political demands
The organization is committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals , which the international community decided in 2000. In order to achieve these goals, which also include a reduction in global extreme poverty by half by 2015, the organization demands, among other things:
- More and better development aid
- Fair world trade rules, an agricultural turnaround , end of agricultural dumping
- Solutions to political crises and conflicts
- General basic education and health care
- Action against climate change and support for poor countries to adapt to climate change
- For the introduction of a financial transaction tax (see Tax Against Poverty )
- Curbing Food Speculation
Sexual exploitation by employees
In Haiti , Oxfam employees held parties with prostitutes in previously rented homes during a post- earthquake mission . An internal investigation revealed a "culture of impunity" among Oxfam employees. According to the organization, however, allegations that underage prostitutes were also employed are "not proven". Oxfam issued an internal policy that strongly advised against the use of prostitution services, but rejected a ban on the grounds that it would restrict the civil rights of employees. After the scandal became known, Oxfam was charged with covering up the events. Four employees were dismissed as a result of the incidents, and according to the press report, two other employees were previously given notice. They then found similar work with other non-governmental organizations. Some of those affected have even had good references from Oxfam.
In Chad , too , suspected prostitutes were repeatedly invited to the Oxfam team's home in 2006. There have been cases of rape and attempted rape in South Sudan.
Former British Development Aid Secretary Priti Patel and Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse described the events at Oxfam as the “tip of the iceberg”. According to Moïse, other organizations are also affected, but information is being covered up internally.
After the vice-chairman resigned, the allegations broadened to include allegations that there had been sexual assaults on underage volunteers in England. The lack of a check of the volunteers for a possible criminal history and the lack of clarification of incidents in which employees overseas should have exchanged help for sex were criticized.
Due to inadequate handling of the events in Haiti, the UK government announced that it would cut financial support for Oxfam for 2018. On June 14, 2018, the Haitian government permanently banned Oxfam from any further activity in Haiti.
financing
According to the annual report, the umbrella organization Oxfam International had total revenues of almost 1.1 billion euros in 2016. Around 440 million euros of this was booked as “institutional” income. A large part of this money comes from the public purse. In 2016 , the EU financed Oxfam with a total of 68 million euros. The aid organization received 64 million euros from the United Nations and around 200 million euros from national governments. The UK paid Oxfam about £ 32 million in 2017 but cut support in 2018.
In 2016, Oxfam Germany received 15 million euros in public funding from the federal government , the Federal Environment Agency and the Society for International Cooperation . This income has more than tripled compared to the previous year and makes up almost two thirds of the total income of the German section.
On February 12, 2018, the European Commission immediately requested clarification about the sex scandal (see above ). The EU provided the British Oxfam with 1.7 million euros from the European Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) for the operation in Haiti , said a Commission spokeswoman. It is being examined to what extent Brussels aid money could have also been used to finance Oxfam employees in Haiti. The Commission expects recipients of European funding to adhere to ethical and professional standards; if necessary, the Commission is ready to stop payments.
The organization is partly financed by private donations. In some countries, a. UK and Germany, the Oxfam stores. Donations are also being won in several countries through gifts from Oxfam Unwrapped (Germany: OxfamUnverpackt) and the Oxfam Trailwalker 100 km run. The German association bears the DZI donation seal for transparent, economical and statutory use of funds.
Oxfam stores
The first Oxfam store opened in Oxford in 1947. Since then, over 1200 stores have opened in nine countries. There are currently 54 Oxfam stores in Germany, in which more than 3,400 volunteer employees sell donated used goods in order to use the proceeds to finance the organization.
Mixshops offer clothes, books, housewares , toys, home textiles, curios and fancy items; Bookshops Books, audio books, records, CDs and DVDs. The fashion shops carry clothes and accessories. Only goods in good condition are accepted in all shops.
OxfamUnpackaged
OxfamUnverpackt (English: Oxfam Unwrapped ) offers the possibility to donate to third parties (initially for the benefit of Oxfam). For example online and in Oxfam stores B. goats, classrooms or latrines are offered. They can be given away or sent in the form of printed cards with a magnet, as an e-card, without a card or as a PDF file for self-printing.
Each of the gifts can be used as a donation in one of five areas - promoting education, securing livelihoods, strengthening health, making people heard and alleviating need. A real goat is not bought for every donated goat, but the money goes to where it is needed most within the relevant area. This also helps Oxfam to keep administrative costs down.
In 2010 OxfamUnverpackt received the German Fundraising Association's award for the best German fundraising innovation.
Oxfam trail walker
The Oxfam Trailwalker is a charity run in which teams of four people jog or hike 100 kilometers and have to reach their destination together within 30 hours. Each team collects donations for the organization before the start. The idea for the Oxfam Trailwalker came up in 1981 in Hong Kong. Today the charity run takes place in twelve countries on four continents: Australia, Belgium, Germany, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Canada, New Zealand and Spain (as of 2012).
Prominent supporters
Numerous international stars are committed to the organization. Global Ambassadors include Helena Christensen , Angélique Kidjo , Helen Mirren , Djimon Hounsou and Annie Lennox . German Oxfam ambassadors are Coldplay , Editors , Jan Delay , the actress Heike Makatsch , who u. a. 2005 was photographed for the Make Trade Fair campaign and starred in two videos for the Tax Against Poverty campaign , and Die Toten Hosen , whose tours have been accompanied by Oxfam Germany in recent years.
When Scarlett Johansson, who had also been associated with the organization, entered into an advertising contract with SodaStream in 2014 , which at the time was operating a plant in the Israeli-occupied West Bank , the organization criticized it for supporting Oxfam Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions . Thereupon Johansson ended her collaboration with Oxfam after eight years due to "fundamental differences of opinion".
After reports of the sexual exploitation of women in crisis areas by Oxfam employees became known, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu and actress Minnie Driver stepped down as Oxfam ambassadors in February 2018.
Web links
- Oxfam Official Website (English, French, Spanish)
Individual evidence
- ↑ oxfam.org
- ^ The End Of Total War. In: New Internationalist. February 1992, accessed January 12, 2017 .
- ^ History of Oxfam. Retrieved June 3, 2013 .
- ↑ Announcement in the commercial register of the Berlin-Charlottenburg district court. Retrieved October 26, 2015 .
- ↑ www.oxfam.de .
- ↑ Countries and regions. June 16, 2015, accessed September 23, 2016 .
- ↑ Who is Oxfam? at www.oxfam.org .
- ^ Oxfam International Offices. Retrieved April 26, 2013 .
- ↑ Corporate donations to NGOs - the credibility that may be sold . In: Deutschlandfunk . ( deutschlandfunk.de [accessed on May 5, 2017]).
- ↑ Campaign website We're sick of it!
- ^ Tax Justice Network Germany, blog , list of members on the right
- ↑ New Oxfam report says half of global wealth held by the 1%. In: The Guardian. 19th January 2015.
- ↑ Oxfam report shows: Social inequality is increasing dramatically worldwide. In: Oxfam Germany. Retrieved March 17, 2016 .
- ↑ "... when you're talking about poor people, aggregating wealth is a silly and ultimately pointless exercise" Felix Salmon in Fusion, January 19, 2015; Ezra Klein takes up Vox Salmon's net worth argument. The comparison was also criticized in German media, for example in the Handelsblatt Why the Oxfam study is misleading. January 16, 2017.
- ^ Statement by Oxfam employee Nick Galasso: Guess what critics? Oxfam is right about the top 1%. January 26, 2015; (German)
- ^ Critics of Oxfam's Poverty Statistics Are Missing the Point. In: New Yorker. January 28, 2015.
- ↑ Oxfam, We're sick of agribusiness!
- ↑ Oxfam did not ban staff from using prostitutes as it would infringe their 'civil liberties' telegraph.co.uk, accessed February 20, 2018
- ↑ Oxfam employees seem to have paid prostitutes in Haiti
- ↑ Oxfam for reports of sex parties under pressure. In: time online. February 11, 2018.
- ↑ Oxfam Haiti sex scandal a 'global problem' within aid industry, former UN worker says abc.net.au, accessed February 20, 2018
- ↑ Taking advantage of the needy in Haiti. Oxfam employees celebrated sex parties in the disaster area , t-online.de, accessed February 16, 2018.
- ↑ Great Britain cuts Oxfam's money - not only because of Haiti diepresse.com, accessed on February 19, 2018
- ↑ EU threatens Oxfam to delete funds kurier.at, accessed on February 20, 2018
- ↑ 'We fear what's next': Oxfam reels from prostitution scandal theguardian.com, accessed February 19, 2018
- ↑ Oxfam sex scandal is 'tip of the iceberg', Haitian president claims , telegraph.co.uk, accessed February 20, 2018
- ↑ a b Hayley Dixon, Christopher Hope, Harry Yorke: Oxfam scandal deepens with allegations of 'sex for aid' and abuse in charity shops. In: The Telegraph. February 12, 2018.
- ↑ Orgies in the disaster area: Oxfam deputy boss resigns due to sex scandal. In: The world . February 13, 2018.
- ^ A b Steven Swinford and Steve Bird: "Oxfam to stop bidding for foreign aid in wake of Haiti sex scandal amid criticism of charity's leadership" Telegraph of February 16, 2018
- ↑ Haiti prohibe las actividades de Oxfam tras los escándalos sexuales . In: El País , June 14, 2018, accessed June 18, 2018.
- ↑ Oxfam Annual Report 2016/17 (PDF) , accessed February 13, 2018.
- ↑ a b c mas./now./theu./smo. ( Authors: Manfred Schäfers, Michael Stabenow, Marcus Theurer, Max Smolka): Oxfam financing is on the brink after the sex scandal. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Economic section. February 13, 2018 ( plus.faz.net , accessed February 13, 2018)
- ↑ dzi.de
- ↑ Oxfam International Annual Report 2012 (PDF; 5.2 MB) Retrieved April 26, 2013 .
- ↑ Oxfam Germany - In brief. Retrieved November 20, 2015 .
- ↑ Oxfam Unpacked - All Presents. Retrieved November 20, 2015 .
- ↑ Oxfam Unpacked - How It Works. Retrieved November 20, 2015 .
- ↑ German Fundraising Prize goes to Amnesty, Oxfam and Dr. Marita Haibach. ( Memento from April 12, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) at: fundraisingverband.de
- ↑ oxfamtrailwalker.de
- ↑ Global Ambassadors oxfam.org, accessed March 7, 2018
- ↑ Oxfam's Ambassadors and Friends. Retrieved April 26, 2013 .
- ^ Scarlett Johansson stepping down as Oxfam ambassador . In: Haaretz . January 30, 2014. Accessed January 30, 2014.
- ↑ Desmond Tutu resigns as Oxfam ambassador over 'immorality' claims the guardian, accessed February 16, 2018
- ↑ Hannah Jane Parkinson: Minnie Driver: Oxfam bosses 'knew what was going on and did nothing'. In: theguardian.com. February 21, 2018, accessed April 19, 2018 .