Oxfam Digital Repository

Building Disaster Resilient Communities Through Women’s Leadership

2026-03-06T01:48:12Z

Building Disaster Resilient Communities Through Women’s Leadership Canali de Castro, Nicole; Rivadeneira Moncada, Maria; Somerset, Laura; Weldegabre Sebehatu, Eyosaite

Women in Nepal and the Philippines, along with those in other Asian countries, suffer disproportionately from disasters caused by natural hazards yet are excluded from leadership in disaster preparedness and response (DPR). Even as women make a crucial contribution to community resilience, they are hindered from DPR participation by restrictive social norms, limited financial resources, and lack of institutional support.

Focusing on the local level, this research identifies the barriers preventing women’s participation and leadership in DPR, analyzes effective strategies for increasing women’s participation and leadership in DPR, and assesses how women’s participation and leadership strengthen overall community resilience to disasters caused by natural hazards.

Grand Bargain 10 Years on: Protecting quality under scarcity

2026-03-03T01:44:03Z

Grand Bargain 10 Years on: Protecting quality under scarcity Scott, Rachel

The Grand Bargain reaches its 10-year mark in 2026 at a moment of acute funding cuts, hyper-prioritization and rising pressure to prioritize quantity over quality. The Facilitation Group are now leading consultations to inform negotiations on how the Grand Bargain evolves beyond 2026. This paper argues that progress since 2016 is real but fragile, and that the next phase must learn from what has enabled and hindered delivery. Oxfam calls for a focused forum that protects hard-won gains, proves progress credibly, accelerates practical change on the ground, and keeps quality and legitimacy non-negotiable under scarcity.

Local Solutions, Global Urgency: Addressing climate, conflict, and fragility in the Sahel and Horn of Africa

2026-02-17T02:52:37Z

Local Solutions, Global Urgency: Addressing climate, conflict, and fragility in the Sahel and Horn of Africa Nerghes, Adina

Climate change, conflict, and fragility converge most acutely in the Sahel and Horn of Africa, creating vulnerability cycles that undermine livelihoods, fuel displacement, and strain already fragile governance systems. Extreme climate events interact with weak institutions and insecurity, disproportionately burdening women, youth, and displaced groups. Yet these same groups are also central to resilience - their leadership and local knowledge are among the region’s strongest assets for adaptation, peacebuilding, and mediation. Assessments piloted by Oxfam in five countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Ethiopia, and Somalia) confirm that these crises are deeply interconnected and mutually reinforcing. This Discussion Paper provides contextual understanding as well as programmatic recommendations.

No Representation, No Peace: The African demand for a reformed Security Council

2026-02-12T01:51:05Z

No Representation, No Peace: The African demand for a reformed Security Council Nalbandian, Elise; Mofya, Brenda; Kacheche, Lusungu; Ataya, Rosalie; Mura, Virginia

No Representation, No Peace exposes how Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership on the UN Security Council continues to undermine global peace and security. Drawing on case studies from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Western Sahara, the report shows how decisions taken without African representation have fuelled implementation failures, sidelined local voices, and entrenched injustice. It presents Africa’s unified Common Position—rooted in the Ezulwini Consensus and championed by the African Union’s Committee of Ten—which calls for at least two permanent seats for Africa with full veto rights, five non‑permanent seats, and sweeping reforms to make the Council more democratic, transparent, and accountable. Aligning with Oxfam’s Vetoing Humanity findings, the briefing outlines a six‑point agenda to secure Africa’s permanent voice, abolish the veto, strengthen AU–UN cooperation, and centre women and affected communities in peace processes. It is a call to correct historical injustice and build a fairer multilateral system.