India
In India, Oxfam's focus is on livelihoods, gender equality, disaster preparedness, education, and HIV and AIDS.
A new way of working
More than 300 million people in India are living in poverty. Oxfam believes it can play a lasting role in finding solutions to this injustice.
In order to meet the new challenges of these changing times, and to ensure that our work is as wide-reaching as possible, Oxfam GB, in collaboration with Oxfam International, has supported the setting up of Oxfam India as an autonomous, Indian organisation, working for national and international development. Oxfam India was formally launched on 1 September 2008.
Oxfam GB will continue to work in India, but will now be supporting Oxfam India to implement our programmes. Our focus on livelihoods, gender equality, disaster preparedness, education, and HIV and AIDS will continue in partnership with Oxfam India. For more information please visit www.oxfamindia.org.
Wanted: an education
Though more girls in India are going to school today, their literacy levels continue to lag behind those of boys. Those from the lower dalit or 'untouchable' caste face especially tough barriers.
Male literacy is at 70 per cent, while only 48 per cent of girls are literate. This falls as low as eight per cent in marginalised dalit communities where education is often not seen as a priority.
Many families keep their daughters at home to help with the chores while sending their sons off to school.
How Oxfam is helping
We are promoting girls' education through schools that focus specifically on marginalised communities. We also encourage adult education with a focus on women, and lobby for universal primary education.
In pictures: Supporting rag pickers in Indian slums
I love coming to school. My teacher is very smart and thinks I am smart too. When I grow up I want to be a teacher.
Munni, pupil at a dalit Girls School, Uttar Pradesh
Other development work
- Supporting cotton farmers to earn a better living
- Raising awareness of HIV and AIDS, and campaigning for medicines to be available and affordable
- Helping people to be prepared in areas especially prone to natural disasters
Ending violence against women
One in every two women in South Asia faces violence in their daily life. In many communities, social customs and attitudes tacitly condone and support violence against women.
How Oxfam is helping
Oxfam’s We Can campaign aims to break down attitudes and customs which support violence against women. Some five million specially trained ‘Change Makers’ from across South East Asia are helping mobilise 50 million people and bring about a sea-change in attitudes towards women.
Bihar floods
Devastating floods in August 2008 uprooted millions of people from their homes in the eastern Indian state of Bihar.
South Asia floods 2007
Some of the worst floods in years hit parts of India, Bangladesh and Nepal in July and August 2007.
One year on, communities have been rebuilding their homes and livelihoods and preparing for another monsson season. With the help of Oxfam they are now better prepared for the future.
Tsunami crisis
The tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean on 26 December 2004 caused widespread devastation across parts of India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
- Some 11,000 Indians lost their lives
- Nearly $1.2 billion worth of property destroyed
- Entire southern Indian fishing fleets wiped out
Oxfam carried out a four-year response to help the worst-affected people rebuild their lives.
South Asia floods 2004
In 2004, India and Bangladesh were hit by some of the worst flooding in their history. Oxfam responded to help those who were badly affected.
Find out more about Oxfam's 2004 response to the South Asia floods
