20110930_The Charter to End Extreme Hunger

Assumed solutions to poverty, famine and natural disasters –

advocacy and commitment neededA presentation to the

Fifth International Abraham Meetingin Sanilurfa, Turkey

on the

Charter to End Extreme Hunger

byChris Wardle

Oxfam's Funding Coordinator for Kenya 01 October 2011

Session outline:

•Introducing Oxfam

•Five challenges needing commitment

•How Oxfam is responding to the current crisis in East Africa

Session update:

•Introducing Oxfam

•Five challenges needing commitment

•How Oxfam is responding to the current crisis in East Africa

Oxfam is a development, relief and campaigning

organisation

We work with people all over the world (since the 1940s) to

overcome povertyand suffering

Oxfam believes all people have the right to …

… a Sustainable Livelihood

… Basic Social Services

… be Heard

… Equity

… Life and Security

We strive to achieve these rightsby working in three areas:

Cam

paig

ning

Hum

anitarian

Development

DevelopmentWe work together with communities all over the world to create lasting and viable solutions to poverty.

At the heart of what we do is …

• the long term view

• over 2,000 projects world wide

• self-reliance, not dependency

Emergency ReliefOxfam has a strong, world wide reputation for emergency relief work. We respond to the needs of millions of people struck by natural or man made disasters.

Campaigning

• setting a global agenda

• giving poverty a voice

Oxfam campaigns for changes that will make the world fairer, safer, and more just for its poorest people.

1,000 activists and 66,000 campaigners

710 Shops 791 shop staff & 20,000 volunteers

18,500 fundraisers

700,000 financial supporters

3,000 global staff in 65 countries

1,077 partners worldwide

15 Oxfam affiliates1,099 UK Staff

& 100 UK volunteers

Who is Oxfam?

At a Glance: 2010 –2011

Session update:

•Introducing Oxfam

•Five challenges needing commitment

•How Oxfam is responding to the current crisis in East Africa

Five challenges needing commitmentA Charter to End Extreme Hunger ...... has at its heart:

1. Fixing the flaws of the international emergency system

2. Supporting local food production

3. Services and protection for the poorest

4. Food everyone can afford

5. Reducing armed violence and conflict

1. Fixing the flaws of the international emergency system

Needs commitment to:

•Disaster preparedness via:Non-political, needs-based early warning systems;Timely and appropriate responses;Capacity-building for national and community responses.

•Rapid funding releases at the onset of crises, via:A UNGA resolution on the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF);Transparent processes to ensure funds reach those affected ASAP.

•Humanitarian principles enshrined in preparedness plans.

2. Supporting local food production

Needs commitment to:

•The scale and urgency of the 2009 l’Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI);

•Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation at the heart of development practice;

•The Maputo Declaration that all governments spend 10% of their budgets on agriculture development; and

• Implementation of existing policies to promote food security.

3. Services and protection for the poorest

Needs commitment to:

•Development strategies which provide essential services and livelihoods in every country by 2015; and

•Minimum safety nets for the food needs of the poorest 10% of women and children.

4. Food everyone can afford

Needs commitment to:

•Strategic and emergency food reserves at local, national and regional levels;

•Accountability of these reserves to the people they are intended to serve;

•Tackling the causes of high and volatile food prices by taking action to:•End biofuel mandates; and• Limiting governments’ use of food export bans.

5. Reducing armed violence and conflict

Needs commitment to:

•Access for humanitarian assistance; and

• Finding just, sustainable, and secure solutions to conflict.

To recap ...

Oxfam and a broad coalition of INGOs believe that assumed solutions to poverty, famine and natural disasters can be achieved through commitment to:

1. Fixing the flaws of the international emergency system;

2. Supporting local food production;

3. Services and protection for the poorest;

4. Food everyone can afford; and

5. Reducing armed violence and conflict.

Or, as Sir Bob Geldof put it recently:

"... We want world leaders to endorse this Charter and take forward the changes to ensure that this level of suffering will not happen again.“

Speech at the United Nations, 24 September 2011

Session update:

•Introducing Oxfam

•Five challenges needing commitment

•How Oxfam is responding to the current crisis in East Africa

Oxfam’s response to

the East Africa

DroughtSeptember 2011

The CrisisFood insecurity at emergency levels

across parts of the Horn of Africa

Famine has been declared by the UN in two regions of Southern Somalia – Bakool & Lower Shabelle – first in 21st century

Humanitarian organizations are struggling to cope with the influx of Somali refugees in Ethiopia and Kenya

Malnutrition and mortality rates are alarmingly high in many parts of the region

12.4 million people are in need, and fighting for their lives

Poor rains have left some parts of the region suffering the driest year in six decades

Tens of thousands of lives have already been lost

Hundreds of thousands of livestock have died

Price of water and food is rising because of sudden acute shortages

... the impact

Funding needed?

U$1.4 billion received/committed

-----------------

U$1.1 billion more required

in U$ million

How are donors responding?

These figures are not exhaustive in that they do not reflect total amounts contributed by countries to appealsAs of 12 August 2011 the figures are based on contributions/commitments (pledges not included) . Source: UN FTS.

G20 Non-G20USA 545.4 Turkey 150.0ECHO/EC 175.8 Japan 95.8UK 158.8 Sweden 49.1Australia 84.9 Denmark 35.3Saudi Arabia 50.7 Spain 23.4Germany 44.1 Norway 22.1

France 40.2 Netherlands 20.0Denmark 35.3 Finland 14.8

Canada 29.6 Switzerland 14.7Brazil 27.5 Kuwait 11.4Italy 3.3 Ireland 9.6Russia 1.0 Belgium 8.8

....has launched its largest appeal ever for Africa:

.... aims to provide food, clean water and hygiene facilities in Somalia, Kenya & Ethiopia

.... constructs and repairs water tanks that can store any rain water, as well as boreholes and traditional wells

U$91 million

How many people has Oxfam helped to date?

.... reached more than 1 million people so far

.... appealing for funds to enable us to continue work over the coming months

.... to reach 3 million people with life-saving relief

Oxfam Global Ambassador and former Irish president Mary Robinson visited Dadaab refugee camp

on the Kenya/Somalia border in August 2011. It is now home to thousands of Somali families.

Oxfam ambassador Kristin Davis meets Faduma Hussein Yagoub, who came with her family to Dadaab. “We came from Somalia on a donkey cart to escape the war and the drought. It took us more than 15 days to get here.

My husband and two of my young children died of hunger on the way. “– July 2011.

More than 70 tonnes of emergency supplies have been sent to the drought-hit part of eastern Africa

from Oxfam's warehouse in UK. Oxfam is providing water and sanitation equipmentand plastic sheeting for shelter – 17 July 2011

further information

Please explore our website: www.oxfam.org.uk

For more background and links, please see: http://bit.ly/oRVIa2

To download the Charter to End Extreme Hunger visit: http://bit.ly/oRMHvv

Questions … Chris Wardle cwardle@ oxfam.org.uk +44 1865 47 3910 (office) +44 754 764 3944 (mobile)