Programme Insights

Speaking Out

How the voices of poor people are shaping the future

Many poor people around the world are denied the opportunity to have their say. Politics generally works well for those in power, but those in poverty are often excluded from forums on issues that directly affect their welfare and so are unable to hold decision-makers to account. Due to this lack of opportunity for poor people to influence debates, many government policies and resource allocations systematically marginalise the people who most need support and assistance and so block progress towards reducing poverty and suffering.

This set of 12 papers brings together experiences, lessons, and good practice from Oxfam GB and its partners’ global programme work on the theme of ‘the right to be heard’. The papers describe different ways to strengthen the participation of people in poverty so that they become active citizens and shape policy decisions.

These papers cover different approaches, lessons learned, and useful case examples on issues ranging from local community budget monitoring to popular mobilisation and media work. The authors show that addressing a lack of voice and ability to speak out against injustice, as well as the more tangible issues, can make a big difference to people’s ability to achieve greater well-being and get out of poverty, and so work towards a point where poor and marginalised women and men are more powerful and able to access their rights.

1. The Right to be Heard: An overview (PDF 132KB)

2. A Life with Dignity: Honduran women raising voices to improve labour standards (PDF 163KB)

3. Building for the Future: Fostering local accountability in Malawi (PDF 121KB)

4. Tackling Corruption: Lessons from Oxfam’s Work (PDF 198KB)

5. Finding a Voice for the Voiceless: Indigenous people gain recognition in Bangladesh (PDF to publish shortly)

6. A New Way of Working: Community participation in local budgeting in Georgia (PDF 146KB)

7. Indigenous Women against Impunity: Challenging discrimination in Guatemala’s legal system (PDF 177KB)

8. Get Heard!: People living in poverty in the UK give their views on government policy (PDF 152KB)

9. Driving Change: Policies favouring poor people in Indonesia (PDF 147KB)

10. What’s in a Name? Changing policies and beliefs in favour of women in Peru (PDF 180KB)

11. Keep your Promises: Campaigning to hold government to account in India (PDF 153KB)

12. The Global Call to Action against Poverty: International voices for change (PDF 132KB)

 

Date of publication: November 2008