News & Media

Investigation into EU’s role needed after fire destroys infamous Moria refugee camp, say GCR and Oxfam

September 10, 2020

A fire has destroyed most of the notorious refugee camp of Moria in Lesbos, Greece. The EU-sponsored ‘hotspot’ camp hosted more than 12,000 people, despite an official capacity of less than 3,000.

Reacting to the news, Spyros-Vlad Oikonomou, Advocacy Officer at the Greek Council for Refugees, said:

“This fully preventable tragedy should trigger a U-turn in the EU’s and Greece’ response to the arrival of people seeking asylum in Europe, which has clearly failed.

“The announced transfer of all unaccompanied children in Moria to the Greek mainland is a first important step to alleviating this humanitarian crisis. EU governments must now immediately support Greece in moving all people seeking asylum from the islands’ refugee camps to safe places across Europe.”

Oxfam’s Europe Migration Campaign Manager Evelien van Roemburg, said:

“The ongoing humanitarian tragedy that led to this devastating fire is the consequence of years of a misguided response from the EU and its member states to the arrival of people fleeing conflict and persecution. Without ignoring the responsibility of the Greek state, the European Parliament must launch an investigation into the policies and practices of the EU and its member states which have led to the complete mismanagement of the EU-sponsored hotspots on the Greek islands.

Notes to editors:

Spokespeople are available in Athens, Brussels and the Netherlands.
The facility for unaccompanied children in Moria camp has been completely destroyed. The European Commission announced this morning that the EU would finance the immediate transfer and accommodation on the mainland of the 400 unaccompanied children that still remain on the island.
More than 6,000 people have become homeless, as the fires destroyed both parts of the official camp and the tents in the over-spill areas surrounding the camp.

BEIRUT: One month since the blast and thousands can’t afford a front door

September 4, 2020

One month since the massive blast in Beirut, tens of thousands of vulnerable people are unable to rebuild their homes, with a single front door costing two months’ worth of a minimum-wage salary, warned Oxfam today.

Longstanding inequality, massive inflation and COVID-19 have compounded this humanitarian disaster for tens of thousands, making it almost impossible for them to recover.

“Huge inflation has meant the cost of basic materials needed to rebuild homes and businesses is out of reach for thousands of people who were struggling to get by even before the blast. While the minimum wage is just under $450 a month, the cost of replacing one window is now nearly $500 and a door up to $1000. These families need urgent assistance to recover from this disaster and rebuild their lives,” said Oxfam’s Policy Lead in Lebanon, Bachir Ayoub.

The blast came at time when thousands of people where already on the brink. An estimated 50 per cent of the population was living under the poverty line, the Lira’s value had dropped 80% since October, migrant workers were being abandoned and forced out on the streets, cash was almost impossible to access, and restrictive measures to contain the pandemic prevented casual workers from getting to their jobs.

“Following the blast, an estimated additional 70,000 workers are now jobless. Half of all wholesale, retail and hospitality establishments near the blast site have been destroyed.

“In the most affected areas, the majority of people are low and middle- income workers who earn the minimum wage or less. Most of them have lost their jobs in the port or the businesses in the devastated areas. Many people are unable to put food on the table, let alone repair their houses,” added Ayoub.

As coronavirus cases surge, the cost of a single test is $100 and well out of reach for most people.

Oxfam is working with Lebanese organisations to ensure that Beirut’s most marginalised people are not left behind and instead have the support they need to recover from the blast.

Oxfam’s joint response with partners will focus on supporting local leadership, and will prioritise reaching people with disabilities, the elderly, women and girls who are now at greater risk of violence because of unsafe houses, migrant workers, refugees and the LGBTQ+ community.

Oxfam’s partner-led response is providing over 9000 people with support ranging from emergency cash and food, medical services, mental health support, legal assistance and help to repair and rebuild homes and businesses.

But there is still too much that needs to be done for Beirut to begin to recover. Celine El Kik, a social worker from Oxfam partner KAFA says the mental scars of the blast will linger long after the physical damage has been repaired. “The port explosion affected all of us, but especially women who were already vulnerable. We’re providing social and legal support, as well as cash assistance for people who lost their jobs or their houses.”

Oxfam calls for fair and just distribution of aid to provide critical support to these vulnerable communities and people who will be unable to cope and rebuild their lives without targeted and transparent aid.

“We are worried that the growing inequality and suffering we were already seeing in some of Lebanon’s most vulnerable communities – like refugees and migrant workers, the elderly and LGBTQI+ community – will only get worse, and they will fall even farther behind,” added Ayoub.

NOTES TO EDITORS.

· The Minimum wage in Lebanon is set by the Government at 675,000 LBP which was equivalent to USD$450 this time last year

· One-meter square of average quality (6mm) glass cost 16$ before the explosion. After August 4th, and with the increasing prices in the market, the Ministry of Economy specified the prices of one-meter square of glass with an aluminum frame at USD$500

· The average market price of a door with quality locks is currently USD$700-1000

· To respond to the impact of the blast Oxfam is working with 11 partners to deliver emergency support including distribution of food parcels and the provision of emergency and temporary cash assistance, household rehabilitation, legal assistance and consultation, psycho-social support and medication. The services are provided to families and individuals in the affected areas including women, girls, LGBTQ+ community members, people with disabilities and migrant workers.

· Our partners under the Beirut Response are Lebanese Centre for Human Rights (CLDH), KAFA, Anti-Racism Movement (ARM), Basmeh and Zeitooneh (B&Z), Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union (LPHU), Lebanese observatory for workers and employees’ rights (LOWER), HELEM, Legal Agenda (LA), Mada Association, Arc En Ciel and People’s Solidarity, hosted by a partner organisation called Social Media Exchange (SMEXs)

· Since March 2020, Oxfam in Lebanon has been responding to the COVID-19 pandemic to address the needs of vulnerable communities in the Bekaa Valley. Along with local partners, Oxfam continues to distribute water, soap and disinfection kits to refugees in the informal tented settlements.

· Oxfam in Lebanon works on active citizenship and good governance, economic justice and humanitarian programmes.

· Oxfam has been working in Lebanon since 1993 providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people affected by conflict, and promoting economic development, good governance at a local and national level, and women’s rights through work with local partners. Oxfam also works with local partners to contribute to the protection and empowerment of marginalized women and men.

· Lebanon hosts the largest number of refugees per capita in the world: 1 out of every 4 people. In response to the Syria crisis, Oxfam has been providing water and sanitation, and emergency cash assistance for refugees and poor Lebanese, helping refugees with legal protection issues, and supporting small businesses and private-sector job creation. Oxfam is currently working in North Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, South Lebanon, and in Palestinian camps and gatherings.

For more information or to arrange an interview contact:
Kelsey-Rae Taylor | [email protected] | +64 21 298 9854

Gaza hospitals brace for surging COVID-19 cases amidst bombing, and severe electricity shortages, warns Oxfam

August 28, 2020

Hospitals and Palestinians in Gaza, one of the most densely populated places on the planet, are bracing for the Coronavirus pandemic. Only three to four hours of electricity per day, as entry of fuel has been restricted by Israel, has forced Gaza’s single electricity plant to shut down, compounding the risk of infection for two million Palestinians, Oxfam warned today.

At the same time, the blockaded strip, now under complete lockdown, is experiencing continuous bombardment from Israeli forces and likely to see an exponential increase in virus transmission.

“The gravity of the pandemic finally making its way into communities in Gaza cannot be underestimated. There are only 97 intensive care unit beds and ventilators in Gaza. The lack of fuel for back-up generators means hospitals aren’t able to effectively operate intensive care units and properly treat COVID-19 and other patients,” said Shane Stevenson, Oxfam’s Country Director in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel.

The first cases of COVID-19 outside of quarantine centres were announced earlier this week. Overcrowding in the sealed off coastal enclave, where 5,000 people live per square kilometre, makes physical distancing impossible and rapid transmission a certainty. This puts more people at risk, especially those with pre-existing conditions.

“People’s access to clean water has already dropped from about 80 litres to 20 litres a day. This will directly affect people’s ability to protect themselves from the virus. If no more fuel is allowed in, and with the power plant no longer operating, the supply of drinking water through desalination plants could be reduced by 80%. People are forced to choose between hygiene and food,” added Stevenson.

The lockdown is pushing more of Gaza’s already extremely vulnerable families into poverty. Families are running out of food, and with the electricity shortages, they can no longer store in refrigerators. With power cuts, private water vendors are also overwhelmed with demand at a time when hygiene is crucial to keep people from contracting the virus.

Oxfam is already responding to the pandemic in Gaza and assessing new needs; providing clean water and sanitation to 270,000 people, as well as food-vouchers to help families have enough to eat. The lockdown has suspended some activities, putting more lives at risk.

“Israeli authorities must allow fuel into Gaza, so its sole electricity plant can power hospitals again so they can treat patients, and for families to access clean water to slow the spread of the virus”, added Stevenson.

Notes to the editor

As of Thursday 27^th August, there were 40 confirmed cased of COVID-19 outside of quarantine centres in Gaza, including in the densely populated Maghazi refugee camp.
More 2,200 people (arriving into Gaza and going directly into quarantine for 21 days) are in 16 quarantine centres and 178 people are in home quarantine.
Latest information about COVID-19 cases in Gaza: WHO, OCHA and Ministry of Health in Gaza
Oxfam spokespeople based in Gaza are available for interviews.
A video from our staff in Gaza: https://twitter.com/Oxfam/status/1298662001447665665

World Humanitarian Day 2020: Celebrating Yemen’s Local Heroes in the Midst of Crisis

August 19, 2020

This World Humanitarian Day, Oxfam pays tribute to all humanitarians, like these three extraordinary people in Yemen, who are working to ensure that their community and their country can one day thrive.

For people in Yemen, like people across the globe, 2020 has been a year like no other. Over five years into a conflict that has killed thousands and uprooted millions from their homes, the COVID-19 pandemic has added yet another layer to the country’s ongoing crisis. Health services – already operating at half their pre-war capacity – have been overwhelmed, and people’s fear of COVID-19 may be preventing them for seeking healthcare, potentially masking a deadly cholera outbreak. On top of this, the economy is collapsing; remittances have fallen dramatically due to recession and job losses in other parts of the world. Meanwhile, over halfway through the year less than a quarter of the money needed for the humanitarian response has so far been given.

Yet in the midst of these layers of crisis, are the many extraordinary Yemenis who are standing with their communities to help in any way they can. Wherever any crisis hits, it is local people and communities who are on the frontlines of the response, and Yemen is no exception. We spoke with three of these local heroes: Abeer, Asem and Heba. Despite the impact that COVID-19 has had on all of their lives – from Asem, who has had to put his medical degree on hold, to Heba, who worries every day that her nine-month-old baby will fall sick with the virus – they continue to work to provide assistance to those who are worse off than themselves, and prevent the further spread of the virus. This World Humanitarian Day, Oxfam in Yemen pays tribute to all humanitarians who, like them, are working to ensure that their country can one day thrive.

Heba: “We are humanitarians… if we don’t stay to help people, who will?”

Heba works as a Public Health Promotion Officer for Oxfam in her hometown of Aden, southern Yemen. Her job – which involves raising awareness around the importance of good hygiene, and training community health volunteers to deliver hygiene awareness sessions – has put her on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response in Yemen. Throughout the four years that Heba has worked for Oxfam in Yemen, she has seen the impact of diseases such as cholera, dengue and polio. But the COVID-19 response has been a challenge unlike any other:

“It’s been difficult – we try to avoid meeting with our colleagues, and we’ve been really careful about going out to speak with the community. So much of our work is normally done face-to-face, but we’ve had to find other ways of making sure that communities are aware of what they can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 [such as phoning people up or visiting individuals so that we don’t gather in large groups]. As a mother and wife, I was also concerned for the health of my family, and my nine-month-old baby; this is a disease that could affect anyone.”

Despite her worries, however, Heba told us that she believes the work she does to be more important than ever:

“I am proud to be part of Oxfam and have the opportunity to contribute to supporting people in my country. We are humanitarians. We are needed more than ever in times like these; if we don’t stay to help and support people, who will?”

Asem: “COVID-19 turned our lives upside down”

Asem is a community health volunteer (CHV) for Oxfam in a village in Al-Dhale, southern Yemen, where his family lives. He joined Oxfam’s growing team of CHVs in May this year, going door-to-door and holding group sessions in order to raise awareness within his community around good hygiene practice, so that people can protect themselves from disease.

Asem, a first year medical student, was visiting his family from Morocco – where he had received a scholarship to study – when the pandemic struck. Travel restrictions meant that he couldn’t return to university, so he decided to volunteer with Oxfam:

“COVID-19 turned our lives upside down. I was worried and frightened in the beginning – I felt so helpless. But then I started volunteering with Oxfam to raise people’s awareness about COVID-19, and how to protect themselves. We make sure that the awareness sessions all respect physical distancing, of course – over time, good hygiene practice has become part of our routine.”

According to Asem, one of the biggest challenges in Yemen is asking people to stay inside where possible to avoid spreading COVID-19. In a country where working from home is not a realistic option for most, people need to go out to work in order to be able to afford food for their families.

“I chose to volunteer with Oxfam because I wanted to help people in my village to protect themselves from diseases. Despite the risks and challenges, I think it’s important that people are raising awareness – and as a young person I feel like it’s my responsibility to protect others.”

Abeer: “It’s a really difficult feeling when you see so many people in need and you know that the help available just isn’t enough.”

Abeer, originally from the Yemeni capital Sana’a, works as a Public Health Officer in Hajjah. This area in northern Yemen has been hard hit by conflict and hosts a large population of displaced people, the majority of whom are women and children, living in crowded camps where social distancing is often impossible, and access to clean water and hygiene products is inadequate.

“When I was a child I loved helping others, so I studied hard to become a social worker and make sure I could work with people who need help. Oxfam gave me the chance to enter the humanitarian world – something I had dreamed of doing.”

She told us how the arrival of COVID-19 has added to the daily challenges of humanitarian workers in Yemen:

“There were already thousands of families living in terrible conditions in the camps for displaced people in Hajjah. With the arrival of coronavirus, the situation became even worse. It’s a really difficult feeling when you see so many people in need of assistance and you know that the help available just isn’t enough. And, with the drop in funding, instead of increasing to match the rising need we have had to cut some of our projects. That’s been the most difficult for me throughout this pandemic. It’s a terrible feeling.”

Yet, despite the challenges, Abeer continues to see the difference that her work makes for those who have already lost so much:

“My job gives me the opportunity to make a tangible change to my country. The most rewarding part of it is seeing the smiles on the faces of the people we help – we’re saving lives through providing people with food, shelter, clean water, and soap. Over the past five years, we’ve worked to help people whose homes have been totally destroyed by war.”

Since the confirmation of cases of coronavirus in Yemen in April, Oxfam has refocused its work to respond to the pandemic. We are working on rehabilitating water supplies, distributing hygiene kits for the most vulnerable households, and trucking in clean water to camps for people who have had to flee their homes. We have also given cash for food to families affected by flooding. Across Yemen, we’re training community health volunteers to spread the word about coronavirus and the importance of hygiene and hand washing.

By Ahmed Al Fadeel, Omar Algunaid, and Hannah Cooper

Oxfam report says New Zealand’s aid not going where it is needed most

August 11, 2020

The New Zealand government’s aid in developing countries is not going to projects where it is needed most, says Oxfam, according to a new report published by agency today.

Less than two percent of aid spending went to activities focused solely on climate adaptation, according to the latest data in the report, and almost half have no gender equality component, despite a long-standing commitment from the government to mainstream gender across its aid programme.

With the global pandemic threatening to put progress against poverty back by decades, the report says now more than ever New Zealand needs to expand its aid budget. Aid remains a crucial tool for governments to use to make sure everyone, everywhere has their fundamental needs met for safety, good health and economic security.

The report, called Collective Resilience: New Zealand’s aid contribution in times of inequality and crises, is the first external review of New Zealand’s aid programme in over two decades.

Oxfam New Zealand’s Communications and Advocacy Director and co-author of the report, Dr Joanna Spratt, said: “While New Zealand’s aid contribution has some firm foundations, there is room for substantial improvement, including in climate action, gender justice and addressing inequality. Aid has a critical role to play in fighting both inequality and poverty, as the world faces looming challenges due to a pandemic, global recession, and climate destruction.

“We are yet to witness the full impact of the coronavirus in developing countries across the world. What is certain is that the spread of the virus will be catastrophic for people already living in poverty. Meanwhile, climate breakdown remains a significant challenge to ensuring all people, everywhere, can survive and thrive.”

Collective Resilience outlines six principles for improving both the quality and quantity of New Zealand’s aid, along with a suite of recommendations, for example, expanding its focus on climate action. Currently, despite New Zealand’s focus on giving aid to the Pacific region where climate breakdown has been declared the region’s greatest threat, we rank just 18 out of 29 OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) peers for aid contributions to climate adaptation.

Spratt said: “In a world where humanity is more connected than ever before – a fact the coronavirus pandemic starkly shows – aid is a crucial area of government expenditure to invest in the wellbeing of all people. Together we can navigate a path forward that puts people and planet first, and New Zealand’s overseas aid has an important role to play in forging this path.”

For further information and interviews please contact:

Kelsey-Rae Taylor | [email protected] | +64 21 298 9854

Collective Resilience NZ’s Aid Contributions In Times of Inequality & Crises

August 10, 2020

This report examines New Zealand’s overseas aid contributions against six principles of a quality aid programme that reduces inequality and poverty. The report finds that while New Zealand’s aid contribution has some firm foundations, there is room for substantial improvement. Sixteen recommendations outline steps that will contribute to building a New Zealand Aid Programme that helps achieve collective resilience for all of humanity.

Now is a good time to assess how well the New Zealand government’s overseas development assistance (ODA), or aid, is responding to international development challenges across the world.

News & Media

Heba: “We are humanitarians… if we don’t stay to help people, who will?”

Asem: “COVID-19 turned our lives upside down”

Abeer: “It’s a really difficult feeling when you see so many people in need and you know that the help available just isn’t enough.”

Click here to read the full report.