What we do

Fisher woman in Ayeyarwaddy region with big lobsters to sell in the market. This is the area where we implement fisherry governance in partnership with local organisation. Photo by: Kaung Htet/ Oxfam

Oxfam has a vision where people are empowered to claim their rights, challenge unequal power, pursue development opportunities which address all forms of poverty, injustice and inequality, and through their collective power, influence political reforms and economic development so that they benefit the majority.

Under Oxfam’s Theory of Change – how we see change happening – Oxfam’s role is: to enable transformational change, as a convenor and catalyst; opening political space, building capacity and sharing technical expertise, raising funds and public support, leveraging our own resources to multiply funds, providing strategic funding to partners and carrying out humanitarian work that integrates life-saving response with building resilience. Our approach is to be both practical and visionary.

To influence policy and practices to create the conditions for reversing economic, gender and social inequalities, we work in partnership with national and local civil society organsations, government and authorities, private sector, academia and policy institutions. 

 

Protecting Rights to Land and Water

Land and water rights are central to the lives of people in Myanmar. For many people land is a critical asset yet people in Myanmar have little access to land rights. Oxfam is working with local and national actors to help protect communities' land and water rights.
Local women collecting fish and prawn beside the sea in a village or Kyauk Phyu, Rakhine State

Promoting Responsible Investment

The private sector has an ever increasing importance in the lives of Myanmar people, but not all private sector investment looks set to benefit the people of Myanmar. Oxfam and local partners are working to prepare communities for the challenges and opportunities that will come with investments...
Audience at the Music concert on International Women's Day listening to the songs promoting women's leadership. Photo by: Pyae Aye Nyein/ Oxfam

Promoting Women's Rights

Women in Myanmar face discrimination and limited decision-making power in their communities and in society more broadly. Only ten percent of seats in Myanmar’s parliament are held by women and research by Oxfam shows that women encounter significant barriers to taking on leadership roles both in...

Holding Decision Makers to Account

States have a responsibility to the public to be accountable, transparent and deliver basic services. This means that deepening the accountability of decision makers, and holding Government and other duty bearers to account for how they spend budgets is key for democracy. Oxfam and local partners...
Providing Awareness on how to use mud mater filter for drinking water. Photo by: Oxfam in Myanmar

Responding to Humanitarian Emergencies

Oxfam provides life-saving assistance to people affected by conflict and disasters across Myanmar. At the core of these efforts, Oxfam is focused on building the capacity of communities and local organizations to deliver emergency relief in rapid and accountable ways. One initiative, the Emergency...
Community meeting for the Disaster Risk Preparation in Delta. Photo by: Oxfam

Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction

Myanmar is one of the most disaster risk prone countries in the world. Each year, people in Myanmar continue to be at risk of cyclones and flooding as well as droughts in the central Dry Zone of the country. Ongoing conflicts in Kachin and Rakhine also have serious consequences for communities’...
Bauk Nu Aung, a young girl who is living in Kachin IDPs camp. She is a volunteer who is doing civic education as part of Oxfam's programme. Photo by: Dustin Barter/ Oxfam

Promotion of Durable Peace and Development

Inclusive, durable peace is essential in Myanmar if people are to live free from fear of ongoing violence, rights abuses and displacement. Communities have a key role to play in building such sustainable peace, including through advocating for their needs and rights to Government and Ethnic...