Press releases

As the two-year anniversary of the EU-Turkey deal nears on March 18, 2018, thousands of asylum seekers are trapped on the Aegean islands in deplorable conditions and without access to adequate protection and basic services, nine humans rights and humanitarian organisations including Oxfam said today.The Greek government should act immediately to end the containment policy that traps asylum seekers in these conditions on the islands and move them to safety on the mainland.

 

Billionaire fortunes have risen six times faster than the wages of ordinary workers since 2010. Our failing economies are enriching a wealth minority while millions of ordinary workers are struggling to survive on poverty pay.

 The government of Haiti announced today that it will suspend Oxfam Great Britain’s operations in the country for two months while it investigates how Oxfam GB handled the case of some staff having used sex workers during the agency’s humanitarian response in 2011.

Oxfam International Executive Director Winnie Byanyima appeared before the UK Parliament’s International Development Committee, with Oxfam GB’s Executive Director Mark Goldring and Chair of Trustees Caroline Thomson. "I have two priorities today: first, to make sure we never make the same mistakes again. Second, that our work of saving lives around the world goes on," said Byanyima.

Oxfam International Regional Director for Latin America, Simon Ticehurst, and Oxfam Intermon Executive Affiliate Unit head, Margalida Massot, met this afternoon on the request of Haiti’s Minister of Planning and External Cooperation Aviol Fleurant to begin clarifying the exact allegations and investigations into the abusive behaviors of some Oxfam staff during the organization’s humanitarian response to the 2010 earthquake. 

A full copy of Oxfam's final internal report into allegations of sexual misconduct and other unacceptable behaviour during Oxfam’s humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake has been made public today.

An independent commission will be set up with immediate power to carry out a wide-ranging review of Oxfam’s practices and culture, including its handling of past cases of sexual misconduct. It comes as Oxfam announces a comprehensive plan of action to strengthen safeguarding systems across the organization, and stamp out abuse. 

Dr. Juan Alberto Fuentes Knight today stepped down as the Chair of the Board of Supervisors of Oxfam International after being presented with charges dating back to his time as Guatemala's finance minister.

Oxfam does not yet know the nature of formal charges, if any, against Dr. Fuentes Knight. He has assured us that he has cooperated fully with the investigation in the confidence he did not knowingly transgress rules or procedures.

Penny Lawrence today resigned as Deputy Chief Executive of Oxfam Great Britain. Lawrence was Program Director at the time of the sexual misconduct in Chad.