About us

Our history

The defining moments in Oxfam Aotearoa’s work.

We’d like to thank all our supporters and partners for helping us make it through many milestones. We know the years ahead will bring many new challenges. It’s good to have you with us.

Let’s take a look back at some of the defining moments of our work.

1940s

British activists called on the Allied War Cabinet to lift the Allies’ blockade of Greece, which was causing a famine among the innocent victims of war and Oxfam was born!

1 March 1991

A small group of dedicated New Zealanders set up Oxfam New Zealand. Their initial fundraising appeal for survivors of the drought and war in the Horn of Africa raised over $25,000 in just a few months.

1994

Oxfam strongly advocated for New Zealand to use its influence as chair of the United Nations Security Council to stop the genocide in Rwanda.

6 July 1998

Incorporated as Oxfam New Zealand and Oxfam Aotearoa.

1999-2004

Amalgamation of Water for Survival into ONZ, which kicked off a huge expansion in programmes to provide safe drinking water and better health to communities in the poorest parts of Asia and the Pacific islands.

2004-2011

Oxfam initiated a campaign to take fair trade into the mainstream, joining with Trade Aid, the Fairtrade Association and partners to make New Zealand the fastest growing market in the world, benefiting thousands of growers of coffee, tea, sugar and other products.

2005

The government cited Oxfam’s lobbying as a reason for supporting the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty to control the flood of weapons to the most miserable battlefields of the world. The Arms Treaty came into force in 2014.

2008- present

Oxfam stands alongside communities to pressure governments to take action on climate change and injustice, including “Feel the Heat” and “Back the Plan” campaigns.

2013- present

Oxfam’s annual reports shed light on the state of global inequality and shape the political conversation, even the use of the term “the 1%”, at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

2020

Oxfam Aotearoa led the conversation in New Zealand about Covid-19 vaccine inequality. Over 6,000 New Zealanders signed our petition for a People’s Vaccine. We got our government to actively engage in the negotiations at the World Trade Organisation to suspend intellectual property rights on coronavirus products, which if passed would allow more and cheaper vaccine production.

2021

Formally changed name to Oxfam Aotearoa.

Into the future

We will continue to stand up for the rights of others and work to create a more just and sustainable world, now and for future generations. We want to ensure the future is equal.

Environmental sustainability

Oxfam promotes environmental sustainability throughout our work.

Climate change matters to Oxfam because it perpetuates and deepens the very poverty and suffering that we work to overcome. Oxfam Aotearoa promotes environmental sustainability throughout all facets of our work. This includes our development programmes in the Pacific, to the four walls of our own organisation and our advocacy and campaigning.

Our development programmes

Despite doing the least to cause it, the communities we work with are already experiencing the most serious impacts of climate change. Food and water shortages are worsening, health epidemics are becoming more frequent, and livelihoods are being devastated.

We work across levels to bring together the things that we do best: link people in the world’s poorest countries with support and skills to create a safer, more positive future. Our work with communities in the Pacific includes sustainable agriculture programmes, as well as developing adaptation and emergency preparedness measures.

Our advocacy and campaigns

We believe that climate change can be tackled, and its worst effects avoided if world leaders act now. Oxfam campaigns side-by-side with our supporters to challenge governments and big businesses to play their part. We advocate on national and international levels for aggressive and measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change adaptation finance. Find out more about current climate change petition.

Our internal operations

Oxfam Aotearoa is committed to reducing the environmental impacts of our operations. From limiting air travel to recycling paper in our office, we’re proud to walk the talk. Oxfam Trailwalker is at the forefront of event management in New Zealand and has won awards for its work in this area.

Our annual Environmental Sustainability Programme outlines our goals and activities for the year. Our performance is independently monitored to ensure we are meeting its objectives.

The Environmental Sustainability Programme is guided by our policy principles, as found below, which apply to all activities undertaken by Oxfam Aotearoa. This includes work both in the field and our offices.

Policy principles

The core ideas of reduce, reuse, repair and recycle underpin our Policy Principles, in order to minimise our environmental impacts. We also comply with all relevant environmental legislation and regulations.

Awareness
We provide education to our staff and partners in sustainability issues to encourage them to minimise their own environmental impact, both at work and at home.

Transport
Our staff continuously seek ways to minimise greenhouse gas emissions from our air travel and transportation to and from the office. This means using alternatives to air travel whenever possible and only flying when there is a clear reason. Staff are encouraged to use public transport, cycle or walk to and from the office.

Conservation of energy and water resources
Oxfam Aotearoa seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the use of energy in our offices. This includes using renewable energy, low energy appliances and minimising energy wastage. We also seek to cut down on water wastage.

Waste management
We reduce our waste production by composting, reusing, repairing and recycling wherever possible. We work to reduce the use of paper for internal and external communications and use recycled paper wherever possible.

Purchasing policy
We aim to promote good environmental practices in our suppliers through our purchasing policies. Whenever possible, we source products that are fair trade, organic, energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Instep monitoring

Our performance towards meeting these goals and targets is independently monitored by InStep. We have been awarded the Instep Gold Certificate for achieving a verified emission reduction that meets or exceeds set goals in accordance with ISO 14064-1.

Arshabhi Rai of Instep said: “While working with Oxfam, their passion and commitment for the environment and community was found among individuals, participants and sponsors. They take care of the smallest detail to achieve greater sustainability.”

Our vision and goals

Our vision: a fairer, safer and more sustainable world.

Oxfam is a global movement of millions of people who share the vision of a world without poverty. Together, we endeavour to create a world where people everywhere are valued and treated equally. Where people are empowered to influence the decisions that affect their lives. And where people can thrive on a planet that has the natural resources to sustain them.

We believe that with the necessary action and political will, this world is possible.

Oxfam saves lives and helps to rebuild livelihoods when disaster strikes. This means providing access to clean water, aiding families to earn a dignified living, grow food and send their children to school. We stand up for the rights of women everywhere and speak out against injustices that keep people poor. We fight poverty now – and beat it for good.

Oxfam Aotearoa’s values include:

Show MAIA (courage)

We choose courage over comfort. We challenge ourselves and others. We ask brave questions and make brave decisions.

Seek tika (justice)

We recognise everyone’s equal value and fight for their rights. We promote what’s fair and right. We challenge those in power alongside those who feel they are powerless.

Be manaakitanga (connectedness)

We link up, between, across and most importantly, with. We reach out respectfully and with authenticity. We engage, we care, and we use knowledge drawn from diverse thinking.

Our world-changing goals include:

Help people claim their right to a better life

When people have the power to claim their basic human rights, they can escape poverty – for good. We support people in the Pacific and around the world to exercise their civil and political rights, influence the decisions of people in power and hold them accountable.

Centre women’s rights at the heart of all we do

Every day, in every country around the world, women are confronted with discrimination and inequality. They face violence and abuse, hold less power and fewer resources and experience fewer opportunities to learn, earn and lead.

Empowering women is vital to ending poverty, not only for women and girls but for entire communities. We help them speak out, demand justice, assert their leadership, and exercise their right to live free from fear and violence.

Save lives

When disaster strikes, we are there. Communities living in poverty are disproportionately affected by disasters and conflict. We act fast to help ensure the world’s most vulnerable are kept safe and have access to the essentials they need to survive. We make sure people have clean water to drink, food to eat, and good sanitation. And we’re there for the long haul, helping strengthen communities to face the future on their own terms.

Food for all

Right now, almost a billion of us go to bed hungry each night. Not because there isn’t enough food to go around, but because of the deep injustices that exist in the food system. We’re working to protect and improve food supplies so that people always have enough to eat and can enjoy greater income, prosperity, and resilience.

Help people claim a fairer share of natural resources

Many of the world’s poorest countries are rich in natural resources but still face poverty because of corruption and human rights violations. Plus, an increasingly competitive system that does not listen to their voices. We help marginalised people become more prosperous and resilient by defending their right to life-sustaining resources, ensuring they get their fair share of revenue, and protection from the stresses of climate change.

Increase access to essential services

Public services have unparalleled power in tackling poverty and reducing inequalities. We push for an increase in resources for basic development so the worlds poorest don’t lose out on participating fully in economic, social and democratic life.