Oxam India - Strategic Directions

Oxfam India currently works both on a project by project approach and is gearing itself towards a holistic framework to facilitate development. A number of indicators including poverty, human development, social exclusion and governance will influence its choice of the geographical locations.

Oxfam India believes that the principal levers for change would be to mobilize and empower people demanding governance accountability and change in beliefs and attitudes. This would involve creating horizontal and vertical linkages among people, movements and institutions (government and non-government) through facilitation of a common platform and will include:

• Multi-stakeholder dialogue - facilitating relationships, networks, resources and capabilities to boost voice and opportunities of poor people and bridging the social gap
• Monitoring, researching, analyzing delivery of public expenditure/ private provision/ government policy and using findings to promote informed opinion, debate
• Shifting altitudes and beliefs through popular campaigning, alliances and mass mobilization
• Mainstreaming gender, caste and ethnicity (social inclusion) and secularism into all that we do

Oxfam India has identified various strategies that can alleviate poverty and bring about change. These are to empower the poor and marginalised to demand their rights, to carry out advocacy for an effective and accountable State, to work with corporations to create opportunities for the poor and to improve the social and environmental footprint of companies through better CSR practices.

Oxfam India also believes in focussing on youth and gaining their support towards development issues so that they can be involved and become active citizens. It also works with International Confederation Oxfam to shape the views of global policy makers on issues such as trade, aid, investment, and climate change policies that affect the lives of the poor and marginalised.