International relief and development organization Oxfam America announced today that it has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to strengthen its efforts to make public finances more accountable to poor communities in developing countries.
"Oxfam America is grateful to the Hewlett Foundation for supporting our efforts to expand our work on making government finances in developing countries more transparent and accountable to citizens," said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America. "We will work aggressively to improve the effectiveness of governments to use revenues from foreign aid, oil, gas and mining for poverty alleviation. And Oxfam will continue to shine a bright light on the current lack of transparency and accountability that perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality in developing nations around the world."
The public finance transparency agenda has gained significant momentum and there will soon be much more information in the public domain concerning government resource flows – whether from aid, extractive industries, or internally generated funds – than there has been in the past. The promise of transparency must be translated into real gains for the poor through accountable management of government finances.
“Transparency is simply the first step in moving towards accountability,” continued Offenheiser. “Change rarely happens unless national civil society organizations, citizens, journalists, parliamentarians and watchdog groups have the political space and capacity to promote public accountability.”
More than 1.5 billion people live on less than two dollars a day in resource-rich countries and in many cases resource wealth has fueled corruption, mismanagement, conflict and the violations of the rights of communities living on or near these resources. Since the late 1990’s, Oxfam America has been a leader on addressing extractive industries issues – once obscure on the international development agenda. Its Extractive Industries Global Program is rooted in deep relationships with local partners in 13 countries and drives policy change through local-global research, advocacy and campaigning strategies. The Hewlett Foundation grant will enable Oxfam to expand its program by increasing staff levels, program activities and impact. Through a new Center for Strategic Support on Extractive Industries Oxfam America (in collaboration with Oxfam Australia) will increase its support to other Oxfam affiliates starting work on the mining and oil sectors and make new investments in field office capacity focused on national government accountability.
The grant will also support Oxfam America’s Aid Effectiveness program, which campaigns to transform US foreign aid into a model that places citizens and governments of developing countries in the driver’s seat of their own developments. Since 2007, Oxfam has worked to build a deep base of field research, a strong policy reputation in Washington, partnerships with civil society leaders and government officials in developing countries, and an informed group of supporters in key congressional districts across the country. The Hewlett Foundation grant will help the program to advocate for increasing the quantity and quality of US foreign aid and ensure that it is more accountable to citizens in developing countries.
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Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice. Together with individuals and local groups in over 90 countries, Oxfam saves lives, helps people overcome poverty, and fights for social justice. Oxfam America is an affiliate of Oxfam. To join our efforts or learn more, go to www.oxfamamerica.org
