Immigration Crisis and Oxfam

In 2015, refugees flooding into European countries has become a daily topic. Day by day we hear news about migrants crossing the mediterranean sea or being smuggled into East-European countries. The number of people entering the continent is rising with every passing day, and the pressure of finding a solution for these migrants are overwhelming. Currently there are over 6 million people who fled the country and an estimate of 4 million is living in neighbouring countries (Lebanon, Jordan). 

The crisis started to develop in 2011 in Damascus where protesters demanded democratic reforms. The protest quickly turned into riots with clashes between the protesters and the police, claiming lives of several from both sides. As the government did not respond to the protesters demands, the emphasis of the demonstrations were now calling for a new government. As the protests spread, the government responded with a full-scale military action causing a large number of civilian deaths. The conflict has grown into a full scale civil war and its been considered as the worst humanitarian crisis in modern history.

Oxfam has been taking active part in Syria’s support in its crisis. OI has been urging the international community to make a greater effort at finding a solution for the crisis and to aid the refugees.Supplying the country with water has also been a priority - we have set up new water systems, new wells etc. 

"We're committed to do that, we've been led to believe that we will get permission ... so we would expect our program to grow very substantially from benefiting 1.5 million to benefiting let's say 3 million people, in a year's time." - says Mark Goldring, Chief Executive of Oxfam International.

In the neighbouring countries of Jordan and Lebanon where refugees been taking shelter at refugee camps, we’ve been distributing blankets, hygiene kits, fuel, stoves, warm clothes, heaters and information about how to access basic services. Our long term plan is to ensure that after they leave the camps they’ll all have access to basic necessities to survive.

OI has been campaigning for sustainable political solution that could end the crisis. Requesting cease-fire has been a priority to gain humanitarian access and to potentially reach an end of the conflict.

History and future of Oxfam International

Like every endeavour that fights for a change, Oxfam International has also started out as a small initiative. In 1942, Doctor Henry Gillet, Canon Richard Milford, Professor Gilbert Murray, Cecil Jackson-Cole and Sir Alan Pim formed a committee to relieve famine in the war-torn Greece, occupied by Nazi Germany and blockaded by the Allied navy. By 1943, they have managed to raise £10,700 for the Greek Red Cross - this is approximately £370,000 in current money - which is an outstanding achievement taking in account that Britain was also in wartime. 

The organisation starts further development by opening its first shop in 1948 as the UK’s first charity shop which is still open today. After lasting consistent work and development Oxfam started gaining global recognition, slowly building a strong network and international partnerships. In 1994 the organisation became Oxfam International, having offices in Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada, Quebec, Hong Kong, Holland and Belgium among others. Oxfam has constantly worked on new ways of lifting populations out of poverty and advocated sustainability. I order to halt poverty, a new foundation must be built that is economically efficient, and environment friendly. Oxfam has already set up community cereal banks in poverty stricken areas to give people access to grain all year-round. 

Parallel to working closely with people in deep poverty, Oxfam has been also fighting to reduce inequality internationally. Recently, Oxfam has attended the Third Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia where the development of the next few decades were discussed. One of the main issues were the danger of encouraging schools and private hospitals to be funded privately. This will make these essential services inaccessible to people in poverty, only allowing the rich to thrive. Oxfam has been lobbying to stop the process of making the illegal turn into legal. By generating more regulation, accountability and transparency in the private sector the finances could balance out equally for everyone’s good. This project is a massive part of 2015’s development.

As the economical landscape is in constant change, and it is important to regularly upgrade the financial policies - especially in third world economies, where donors from richer countries set the agenda that does not correspond well with the needs of the many.  Oxfam mission has been also to reveal such issues and to advocate change. 

On Poverty

Poverty - society’s everlasting issue. Since the beginning of civilisation it has been present in many different forms, and will appear in the future with unexpected crisis. As human development has progressed over the centuries we’ve found ways of better sustainability, but the global phenomenon remains present. 

As we all probably know, poverty is the inability of getting choices and opportunities. It violates human dignity and reduces the capacity of participating in society. It’s volatile state that sparks violence and conflict. Whether it’s temporary or chronic it should always be a global priority to be addressed. In the past few decades the greatest catalyst of conflict was natural resources. Oil, gas, and mining companies have been gaining access to lands where communities have been settled and relying on the land’s facilities. This, almost in every case, resulted in an armed conflict which ultimately led the populace into poverty. However, there have been significant progression on this matter - due to huge pressure from NGO’s (such as Oxfam International) the policies of a large number of oil, gas and mining companies have been change. By applying the free, prior and informed consent policy (FPIC) local communities are informed adequately about the operations that affect their land and have opportunity to review the activities that are about to initiate. The FPIC is now an international law and all oil, gas and mining companies to adopt this policy. 

However, the exploitation of natural resources are not always the problem. Even though greatly damaging, human influence can be monitored and predicted more efficiently then natural disasters. 

Disasters occur constantly and the predictability is extremely limited. They demand immediate response as they can keep damaging locations and populace after they took place. The perfect example is the recent earthquake disaster in Nepal. It has done severe damage to the capital Kathmandu and city of Pokhara - killing thousand, leaving tens of thousands of people to flee their homes and forcing them to live in makeshift shelters, depriving them of basic needs. Oxfam International (OI) has been reaching out to people whom have been devastated by the earthquake. Working within seven districts of Nepal, Oxfam has been supplying food, sanitation equipment, hygiene kits, water and solar lamps among others. OI has also been battling with logistical challenges caused by the disaster to reach communities in remote areas.

This is just one example how important NGO’s such as Oxfam are. Long-term development projects are also important and essential in poor countries. Innovation is the key word in areas where resources are limited - As an example, Oxfam has been working in Niger to overcome malnutrition by providing chlorinated water for health centres, and by rehabilitating wells and constructing new pipelines for local communities. 

As mankind advances technologically we are entering a volatile era where we can either bring our world to complete destruction or save and sustain our planet by advocating the use of new, environment friendly inventions. This is why the work of such organisations as Oxfam is so important - sustaining, protecting and developing a world where everyone lives in equality.