Food justice and the ‘Big 10’ food and beverage companies. Over the past century, powerful food and beverage companies have enjoyed unprecedented commercial success. But these companies have grown prosperous while the millions who supply the land, labor and water needed for their products face increased hardship. Now, a rapidly changing environment, affected communities and an increasingly savvy consumer base are pushing the industry to rethink ‘business as usual’. In this report, Oxfam assesses the social and environmental policies of the world’s ten largest food and beverage companies and calls on them to take the critical next steps to create a just food system.
Reports
Mali’s conflict refugees: Responding to a growing crisis
The aid effort to help over 147,000 Malian refugees could be overwhelmed as conflict escalates, unless there is a significant shift in the way aid operations are carried out. With the escalation of the conflict, including an offensive by armed groups controlling the north, the recent intervention of French and Malian armed forces and with the UN mandated African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) operation set to be deployed, Oxfam warns that the already dire situation for tens of thousands of Malians could get much worse.
Beyond Ceasefire: Ending the blockade of Gaza
The ceasefire agreed between the Government of Israel and Hamas on 21 November 2012, following the recent military escalation in Gaza and southern Israel, provides an unprecedented opportunity to end the cycle of violence that has affected too many innocent Israeli and Palestinian civilians. The parties agreed to negotiate ‘opening the crossings’ into the Gaza Strip and to put an end to restrictions on residents’ free movements. It is therefore also a unique chance to lift the Israeli blockade on Gaza, which has had a devastating impact on the lives and well-being of Gaza’s civilian population and on Palestinian development.
In this briefing note Oxfam sets out practical recommendations to better protect civilians on both sides from violence and to achieve an end to the collective punishment of Gaza’s 1.6 million residents, while addressing Israel’s security concerns.
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The climate ‘fiscal cliff’: An evaluation of Fast Start Finance and lessons for the future
After a year of extreme weather, developing countries face a climate ‘fiscal cliff’ at the end of 2012. This report argues that developed nations must scale up climate finance from 2013, consider innovative proposals to raise public climate finance, and make pledges to the Green Climate Fund that otherwise will remain an empty shell for the third year in a row
Commodities of war: Communities speak out on the true cost of conflict in eastern DRC
Recent waves of displacement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, affecting more than 760,000 people since the beginning of 2012 in the Kivu provinces alone, reflect a new dimension to the country’s ongoing crisis. As the Congolese army fights M23 rebels, localised armed groups are springing up, and areas that were relatively stable are again under attack. Evidence gathered by Oxfam in 2012 shows that government soldiers, armed rebels, police, and civilian authorities are all vying for the right to exploit local communities and extort money or goods from them, pushing people further into poverty and undermining their efforts to earn a living.
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Salt, sugar and malaria pills: How the Affordable Medicine Facility–malaria endangers public healt
The Affordable Medicine Facility–malaria has shown no evidence that it has saved the lives of the most vulnerable or delayed drug resistance.
