Programme priorities

Livelihoods

The majority of poor people, especially women and marginalised groups like adivasis and dalits, have insecure livelihoods. The situation is worse for people who live in disaster-prone areas.

Oxfam's work on livelihoods in India is its largest and oldest programme, focussing on three main areas.

1. Improving economic security of small producers and farmers, especially women and those prone to natural disasters.

2. Expanding access to better and fairer markets.

3. Safeguarding rights of the urban poor.

This programme:

• builds community organisations, assets and infrastructure;
• establishes rights, particularly of women, over natural and productive resources, namely land, water, and forests;
• improves the quality of natural and productive resources by promoting appropriate sustainable management practices;
• ensures greater access to markets for poor producer groups, particularly women's groups, on fair terms;
• improves working conditions and secures labour rights, particularly for women, in the unorganised sector;
• integrates community-based disaster mitigation and disaster preparedness initiatives;
• promotes access to basic services like health and education;
• influences policy and practice so that these are pro-poor and gender-just.

Gender Equality

Different forms of discrimination, oppression and violence against women cut across class, caste, religion and ethnic groups.

Oxfam's work on gender aims to secure gender equality at all levels, and strives to create a fundamental shift in the perceptions, attitudes and behaviours of women and men to end violence against women.

This programme:

• views through a gender perspective all work undertaken by the organisation and its partners;
• generates public debate and awareness on violence against women at home and in the workplace;
• provides shelter, legal aid, medical aid and counselling to victims of violence;
• supports training and gender sensitisation to authorities dealing directly with violence against women;
• advocates for legislation to safeguard women from domestic violence.

Disaster preparedness and response

India is prone to natural disasters like droughts, cyclones, floods and earthquakes. Poor people, especially women and children, are more vulnerable to these disasters.

Oxfam India's humanitarian programme responds to disaster and builds a culture of disaster preparedness through a two-pronged approach:

• Integrating community-based disaster preparedness and mitigation with security of livelihoods for vulnerable communities.
• Strengthening skills and capacities for disaster preparedness and response at various levels by working with communities, local NGOs (non governmental organisations), local administration, state and national government as well as with international NGOs and donors.

This programme:

• maps disasters on an ongoing basis;
• provides immediate relief to people affected by natural and man-made disasters;
• supports community-based disaster preparedness work;
• ensures gender is mainstreamed in all aspects of disaster preparedness and response;
• builds the capacities of civil society organisations and government for disaster preparedness and response;
• influences policies and practices on disaster preparedness and disaster response;
• advocates international standards of quality for humanitarian aid.

Girls' education

Though more girls are going to school today, their literacy levels continue to lag behind those of boys. Girls from adivasi, dalit and other marginalised sections of society, as well as those living in more difficult circumstances, face more barriers.

Oxfam India's programme on education promotes the rights of vulnerable girls to quality education.

This programme:

• supports grassroots initiatives which can serve as best practice models;
• encourages adult education with a focus on women;
• advocates for a conducive policy environment for universal primary education.

Response to conflict and peace building

In India's pluralistic society people from different religions, ethnic backgrounds, classes and castes live and work together. Yet there are conflicts and women are often the worst victims.

Oxfam's work on peace building focuses on reduction of societal conflict, building of communal harmony and strengthening of the peace processes.

This programme:

• responds to the immediate needs of affected communities;
• supports initiatives to understand and analyse conflict situations;
• promotes alternative, peaceful ways of resolving conflicts;
• aids peace processes especially involving young people;
• documents women's experiences of suffering and coping with societal conflicts.

HIV/AIDS

Despite intervention by the government and NGOs, HIV/AIDS remains a major challenge. Lack of awareness and access to public health services make the situation critical.

Oxfam's work:

• generates awareness about HIV/AIDS;
• encourages innovative care structures for those affected by HIV/AIDS;
• supports behavioural change processes to prevent and contain HIV/AIDS;
• builds capacities of diverse groups like traditional birth attendants, drug users, women's groups, networks of dalit people, commercial sex workers and panchayat members, to deal with HIV/AIDS;
• campaigns to integrate HIV/AIDS into health care services;
• advocates for increased access to medicine and care programmes to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS;
• fosters networks for policy advocacy;
• promotes integration of HIV/AIDS into all development initiatives.

Campaign priorities

Last updated: May 04