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Who We Are

INDEX

1. Oxfam's Vision
2. Oxfam’s History
3. About Oxfam Japan
4. Oxfam around the World

Oxfam's Vision

Oxfam believes that in a world rich in resources, poverty isn't a fact of life but rather an injustice which must be overcome. We believe that everyone is entitled to a life of dignity and opportunity.

We work with poor communities, local organizations, volunteers and supporters to make this a reality. Oxfam's goal is to achieve a world where every person is safe, healthy, skilled, and treated equally. Whether donating, fundraising, campaigning, volunteering, or working on the ground to implement project activities, Oxfam donors, supporters, staff, project partners and participants are working together to overcome poverty and injustice.

About Oxfam

Oxfam International is a confederation of 13 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. Oxfam seeks increased worldwide public understanding that economic and social justice are crucial to sustainable development. We strive to be a global campaigning force in promoting the awareness that comes with global citizenship while seeking to shift public opinion in order to make equality as high a priority as economic growth.

We work with the poor

We seek to help people organize so that they may gain better access to the opportunities they need to improve their livelihoods and govern their own lives. We also work with people affected by humanitarian disasters with preventive measures, preparedness, and emergency relief.

We influence powerful people

Understanding the issues confronting the poor is linked to high-level research and lobbying aimed at changing international policies and practices in ways which would ensure that the poor have the rights, opportunities and resources they need to improve and control their lives.

We join hands with all people

Popular campaigning, alliance building and media work designed to raise awareness of real solutions to global poverty, enable and motivate people to play an active part in the movement for change, and foster a sense of global citizenship.

The Oxfam International site has more detailed information on Oxfam's goals.

Oxfam’s History

Oxfam International was founded in 1995, formed by a group of like-minded independent non-government organizations who wanted to work together internationally to reduce the devastating impact of poverty through collaborative efforts. The name “Oxfam” comes from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief, founded in Britain during the Second World War in 1942. This group of Oxford citizens campaigned for grain ships to be sent through the allied naval blockade to provide relief for women and children in enemy-occupied Greece. As the situation in Europe improved, Oxfam’s attention shifted to the needs of people in developing countries.

The many branches of Oxfam are working to become part of a movement, which is capable of coordinating global responses to global issues. We are aiming to create ways of working and structures appropriate to global action in a complex and closely-knit world.

About Oxfam Japan

Oxfam Japan started activities in December 2003. We are working from Japan to bring the reality of poverty and injustice around the world to the Japanese by raising awareness of global issues and supporting Oxfam activities around the world.

Sharing Oxfam’s experiences around the world

Working with other organizations involved in poverty issues, we strongly believe that Japan can play an important role in reducing poverty. An important part of our mission is to share Oxfam’s experience around the world with Japan. To accomplish this, we publish reports based on Oxfam’s experiences and interviews in the different regions where we work, and we share methods learned through the many years of Oxfam’s history.

Raising the Japanese voice against poverty

Japan is one of the G8 countries. The Japanese have a strong impact on global issues, including poverty. We believe that the Japanese people and the Japanese government raising can become a force in reducing poverty around the world. Therefore, we use different methods to raise Japanese awareness of the issues so that they will raise their voice and make it heard around the world. We also work to influence the Japanese government to get involved in poverty reduction efforts around the world, and make it a priority in the international agenda.

Oxfam around the World

With many of the causes of poverty global in nature, the 13 affiliate members of Oxfam International believe they can achieve greater impact through their collective efforts.

You can see Oxfam’s International webpage at http://www.oxfam.org/

Oxfam affiliates and linked organizations around the world:

Oxfam Novib (The Netherlands)