As GlobalWA’s new Executive Director, I am very excited to introduce this month’s Issue Campaign on the inspiring interventions of our members in food security. I am energized by our members and their work, and am honored to be leading this wonderful organization and supporting our vibrant community.
Almost 30 percent of the world’s population, or 2.4 billion people, are moderately or severely food insecure. Though the world is off track to achieve SDG 2 – Zero Hunger by 2030, there has been progress. The agricultural finance solutions, climate resilient practices, new mobile platforms, and other innovations illustrated below in our Issue Brief hold promise as effective and sustainable models.
We had the pleasure of talking with Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President of Asia Programs at Heifer International, for our Goalmaker feature and learned about how cooperatives can accelerate progress for smallholder farmers. Landesa is our Organization Spotlight this month and highlights the direct relationship between land rights and food security.
Also, I look forward to meeting you at GlobalWA’s 15th Annual Goalmaker Conference. Our virtual day will be held on December 3 and our in-person day will be on December 4 at the Microsoft Conference Center. Be sure to register soon!
The Methods our Members are Employing to Ensure Food Security
By Joel Meyers
Tanzanian woman pouring harvested rice from her hands. Photo: Ali Mkumbwa/UnSplash
Billions of people still lack access to nutritious, safe, and sufficient food. According to FAO, hunger and food insecurity trends are not yet moving in the right direction to end hunger and food insecurity (SDG Target 2.1) by 2030. Yet progress is being made across many countries, and different agricultural models and practices, growing awareness and practices for developing climate resiliency, and new agricultural finance tools and reforms are proving successful.
In this month’s Issue Brief, GlobalWA looks at how members are innovating, fine-tuning existing proven solutions and are moving the needle towards greater food security in the communities where they work.
The Hunger Project takes a very localized approach, developing skills and leaders from within the communities. They have three pillars to their approach:
Start with women: Studies show that when women are supported and empowered, all of society benefits.
Mobilize Communities: The Hunger Project provides trainings to build people’s capacities, leadership, and confidence, and envision their future and take action.
Engage Local Government: The Hunger Project works in partnership with local government bodies to ensure that they are effective, include the leadership of women, are directly accountable to local people, and provide access to resources and information.
Key to the success of their efforts is ensuring a mindset shift from “I can’t” to “I can” to “We can.” They achieve this through their VCA, or “Vision, Commitment & Action,” workshops where villagers are guided to envision the future they want, outline the steps to accomplishing their vision, and commit to the actions needed.
This formula has proven successful, having reached an estimated 12.4 million people in 9,500 partner communities in 1,200 project sites.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has a keen eye on climate change and climate adaptation when it comes to food systems and food security. The Gates Foundation recognizes that smallholder farmers are the ones feeling the largest impact of climate change and has committed $1.4 billion to help meet climate adaptation needs. More than 2 billion people depend on smallholder farms for food and income, yet less than 2% of global climate finance is devoted to helping these farms adapt to climate change. The funded projects focus on smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia with the main goals to build resilience and food security.
One such project is in partnership with Institute of Crop Science at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) which focuses on strengthening rice seed systems in West African countries. The project goals are to emphasize the integration of breeding, production, and extension to help more smallholder farmers meet the challenges posed by climate change. The project team works with Chinese and African breeding experts to breed new rice varieties, including customizing the Green Super Rice (GSR) varieties that can produce high yields even under extreme climate conditions to suit local environments.
The results have been very promising. Through four demonstrations sites during 2022’s dry season, and local farms in Mali, these new rice varieties created on average 30-50% higher yields. Hybrid rice seed production trials have also been successful in these local environments.
Opportunity International believes, and has aptly proven, that with financial solutions and training, people living in poverty become empowered to transform their lives and their communities. Their services focus on microenterprise, working with financial institutions to cater to communities’ needs and situations, training to build agriculture and business acumen, programs and training to enhance education opportunities, and building individual and community leadership.
Their Agriculture Finance (AgFinance) arm focuses on smallholder farmers – especially women – and addresses the issues of low crop yields, lack of available finance, lack of business training, and climate change.
Core to their AgFinance work are Farmer Support Agents, or FSAs, who are farmers, community leaders, and agents of change who connect directly with fellow farmers to help them access finance, improve their farms, and increase their incomes. They are digitally equipped with a smartphone and taught to use a data collection tool and training content.
FSAs provide fellow farmers with training on business, finance, agriculture practices, and group dynamics. These farmer groups also have access to support for information on distribution, markets, and a network of farmers to learn from.
FSAs teach farmers on how to produce higher yield crops and climate resilience, such as regenerative agriculture practices including minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing crop diversity, keeping the soil covered, maintaining a living root year-round and integrating livestock.
Mercy Corps, similar to Opportunity International, holistically examines smallholder farmers’ needs with an agricultural finance (AgriFin) and localized lens, creating customized approaches. They employ a market facilitation model to drive collaboration and innovation for smallholder agriculture between financial institutions, mobile networks, educators, tech start-ups & government.
Through their research and human centered design approach, they apply various tools, training including digital literacy, technologies, and partner-created innovations to create highly tailored bundled solutions.
Mercy Corps has invested in digital technologies extensively as they believe through digital literacy and useful technology, farmers can gain direct access to a range of inclusive and empowering financial information, platforms, and market access services. They start simply and as digital literacy increases with the farmers, sequentiall add more complex products.
One example of a tech innovation that has proved its usefulness and viability, is AgriPay, Zambia’s first digital banking platform for farmers. Partnering with ZANACO, the largest bank by customer size in Zambia, AgriPay is a mobile-based platform that provides a holistic suite of financial services designed for smallholder farmers. The platform is designed to be gender-inclusive to ensure the product was suitable for women as well as men. Read a case study here.
Food security for World Vision involves not only providing immediate and reliable hunger relief but also training on long-term agriculture and market solutions.
When there are conflict or natural disaster emergencies, or when poverty or circumstance occludes access to proper nutrition and adequate calories, World Vision will employ one or more mitigating programs such as emergency food rations, cash transfers, food vouchers, school feeding programs, and nutritional supplements focused on babies and those with severe illness.
For more sustainable and climate resilient solutions, World Vision provides training on agriculture and farming practices, improved seed access and cultivation, soil and water management, market access, nutrition, and dietary diversity.
World Vision’s various programs assist over 100 million people across 100 countries, and one USAID-funded program World Vision leads is ENSURE which improved lives of more than 215,000 in Zimbabwe. ENSURE — Enhancing Nutrition, Stepping Up Resilience and Enterprise — targeted six districts across Manicaland and Masvingo provinces and worked in partnership with the government, local leaders, and other nongovernmental organizations to improve food security and livelihoods through agriculture and economic empowerment programs, improving health through nutrition programs, and improving natural resource management through environmental stewardship programs. Key among the community resilience interventions are small-dams, small-scale irrigation schemes, and community gardens.
Many lessons were learned throughout this program with potential for wider applications in other similar agro-ecological zones in Zimbabwe and other countries highly vulnerable to climate shocks and and disruption:
The need for shifting the paradigm in agricultural development to reduce dependency on rainfed agriculture and monocropping.
The transformative power of small-scale irrigation schemes for building the resilience of smallholder farmers.
The garden is also a platform for sharing knowledge, innovation, and practices.
Gender equality has brought fundamental economic and social change in the community, which has been a game changer.
Strengthening community-owned institutions and linkages with local government and authorities.
Sustainability of community assets when ENSURE ends: The overwhelming response among interviewed farmers and community leaders was that they will sustain the assets they have created after ENSURE ends.
Grow Further takes a more fundamental approach to food security: agricultural innovation. They connect Indvidual donors, scientists, and farmers to incubate ideas and innovations to produce more nutritious, profitable, and climate-change ready crops and livestock.
There is a gap in funding models between scientists in low- and middle-income countries and granting agencies that can provide the necessary funding. Grow Further fills this gap with their process and platform which allows connectivity between individual funders who care about food security and the scientists developing agricultural innovations, with the end-goal to accelerate the development of agricultural innovation for the benefit of smallholder farmers.
One such project is enhancing Bambara groundnut production, adoption, and utilization for food security and increased income among smallholder farmers in northern Ghana. Bambara groundnuts are a highly nutritious bean which can be processed into oil, flour, and milk. The challenge is that yields are low and there has been little scientific research on increasing yields or producing varieties, and it has not yet been commercialized for wider distribution.
Grow Further will provide a grant over 3 years to cover all research and development costs associated with the project. The grantee is the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), a public scientific research institution in Tamale, Ghana with key partners of Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Ghana, agricultural extension services; Seed Producers Association of Ghana for seed production; Heritage Seed Company LTD for seed production; and Rural Agrihub and WhatIf Foods for purchasing and processing of Bambara groundnuts.
By working closely with women farmers and other stakeholders, the project’s goal is to understand the agronomy and economics of Bambara groundnut production, particularly which traits are most desired, and breed the first commercial variety accordingly. It will develop innovation platforms that link research and development with agricultural extension (e.g., through on-farm trials). It will also conduct trials to develop recommended management practices (especially plant spacing, fertilizer, and weed control) and work with the private sector to develop seed production systems and markets.
The project aims to develop the first variety of Bambara groundnut in 3 years and release it commercially in the 4th year. Not only is Grow Further providing the grant to cover research and development costs, they will also provide capacity building, particularly around monitoring and evaluation and marketing and communications.
As you have read above, GlobalWA members are applying conscientious, holistic strategies, new innovative techniques and technologies, and are creating strategic partnerships to help ensure food security not only for their constituent communities, but as examples for the rest of the world to learn from.
The following member organization have issued summary statements about their food security work in communities where they work, followed by a list of Pangea Grant Partners who work on food security.
Global Communities works at the intersection of sustainable development and humanitarian assistance to deliver emergency food aid, support climate-resilient agricultural practices, and promote healthy diets in communities affected by crises, hunger and malnutrition. In Gaza, for example, where more than 2 million people — 96% of the conflict-affected population — face high levels of acute food insecurity, we have partnered with the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Central Kitchen and other stakeholders to distribute food parcels, bread, hot meals and nutrient supplements. In Central America’s Dry Corridor, our Honduras Agricultural System Support (HASS) program teaches sustainable, climate-smart farming practices and strengthens the resilience of local households to withstand extreme weather events, such as prolonged droughts. In Central America, Madagascar and Tanzania, our integrated McGovern-Dole Food for Education Programs offer daily nutritious school meals to more than 1,000,000 students. These programs also support local farmers, link them with schools, and utilize school gardens to promote nutrient-rich, diverse diets. In Ethiopia, which is experiencing one of the longest droughts on record, our Resilience in Pastoral Areas program enhances pastoral and agro-pastoral production, promotes optimal rangeland management for sustainable livestock farming, and leverages behavior change communication strategies to foster positive nutrition behaviors. And in Tanzania, Global Communities is piloting the “Women Forward” framework, which assists women smallholder farmers in climate-resilient food production and the development of market-based agricultural enterprises that enable them to sell certified, drought-tolerant maize and bean seeds.
Mercy Corps is honored to work with nearly 4 million people in our many food security programs – which are absolutely crucial as global hunger and food prices remain high.
Conflict, extreme weather, and economic shocks—including fallout from the COVID 19 pandemic—continue to be the main drivers of food insecurity globally. Many of these events are interconnected, creating a cycle of unfavorable conditions that can be broken.
Mercy Corps works with communities, local organizations, and authorities to identify the root causes of food insecurity and malnutrition. We use this knowledge to develop comprehensive and inclusive programming aimed at improving nutrition and achieving food security.
We don’t just improve people’s access to nutritious food—we also address the underlying issues that keep people from accessing it and making healthy use of it in the first place. When we include food security and nutrition as part of our programming, whether it’s dealing with conflict, climate change, or another issue, we create enabling conditions for people to strengthen their foundation of well-being.
Years ago, when Gasinzigwa, the Batwa chief of Bwiza Village, was asked why they no longer sang and danced, he said, “Because we are hungry.” Years later, his grown son, Jean Marie, explained.
“If someone is born in the wild, it seems like they are locked in a cage. You are desperate and dying … You are eaten by snakes and wild foxes. To be rejected by the rain and the sun… The feeling is not at all easy … You cannot change the grief caused by the history of hunger that was very severe. But we bear it.”
These testimonies, our population surveys, and the finding of 57% stunting of young children, relative to WHO standards, convinced Pygmy Survival Alliance to make food security job #1. Sometimes food is medicine, too.
Our toolkit for SDG2 includes improved agriculture, including arable land, tools, seeds, fertilizer, terraces and kitchen gardens; improved livestock, including goats and rabbits; and improved nutrition including vitamins and deworming for children, porridge and eggs in early childhood, and breastfeeding and nutritional education for families.
Before we started, more than half the babies died before age 5. Today, most survive, and for most people, constant hunger is just a painful memory.
The Hunger Project (THP) is dedicated to promoting sustainable food security by mobilizing communities to build resilience and long-term self-reliance. By addressing the root causes of hunger, local communities implement solutions that lead to lasting change. At the heart of our approach is the promotion of women’s leadership, recognizing that women play a critical role in food security and community development. We work closely with grassroots communities to mobilize local action, ensuring that solutions are adapted to the specific needs of each area, making them more effective and sustainable.
Through our programs, we support small shareholder farmers in sustainable agricultural practices that improve crop yields, restore soil fertility and enhance local food systems. Rural communities work with both climate-smart technologies and Indigenous knowledge to adapt to environmental changes and ensure consistent food production. Traditional knowledge and indigenous practices are preserved and promoted, as they are vital to combating malnutrition and supporting biodiversity.
Our holistic approach integrates gender equality, grassroots leadership and collaboration with local governments, creating robust food systems that thrive over time. By mobilizing individuals to take charge of their own development and fostering locally driven solutions, we believe that people can build resilient, self-reliant communities that are better equipped to achieve long-term food security for future generations.
Due to the threat of climate change, inflation, population growth, and water scarcity, many around the world lack access to healthy, local, and nourishing food. At World Concern, we adopt a holistic, integrated approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of various factors influencing access to nutritious food. We focus on the provision of immediate food aid, but also on sustainable agricultural practices, nutrition education, and community engagement. We implement food security programs in ten countries worldwide: Bangladesh, Chad, DRC, Haiti, Kenya, Laos, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda. World Concern partners with communities to increase households’ food production, farm income, and environmental conservation. Additionally, our projects support livestock related interventions, such as administering vaccines, improving breed selection, and distributing livestock, to improve families’ financial and food security. Our facilitators work with rural farmers to increase their market access for their crops, livestock, and agronomy products. Increasing opportunities for local food production and market access offers sustainable ways for families to produce nutritious food for the long-term. Through these various activities, we aim to create lasting change and witness the transformation of improved health and livelihoods for the communities we serve.
The Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation (YRRF) is combating child malnutrition across Yemen, where years of conflict, economic hardship, and climate extremes have triggered acute food shortages. Over 17 million Yemenis face daily hunger, and children are especially vulnerable, with many suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM). We focus on the country’s hardest-hit regions, offering specialized nutritional care, including high-protein formulas and extended follow-up to promote recovery and reduce relapse rates. Additionally, we educate parents on proper feeding practices, enabling them to support their children’s long-term health and development.
Our community-based approach builds trust and ensures life-saving aid reaches those who need it most. Since the start of this year, we have reached over 2,600 children across remote, underserved areas where food and medical resources are scarce, yet the need remains immense. With your support, we can expand our programs to reach even more children, restoring health and hope in Yemen’s most vulnerable communities. Join us in creating a brighter, hunger-free future at yemenfoundation.org. Each contribution helps move us closer to a world where no Yemeni child suffers from hunger.
Ewang’an works with Masaai villages in the Rift Valley of Kenya. This year’s grant is supporting training of women and youth in 3 villages to develop more resilient agricultural practices as they struggle to cope with the effects of climate change. Their program will also provide training to support gender equity and reduce gender based violence. In past years, Ewang’an programs have also helped women develop their own enterprises as part of a strategy to keep children in school longer.
Grant Goals: Train 60 women and 20 youth in 3 villages to improve food security and develop resilience through gender and entrepreneurship training.
Green Community Volunteers (GCV) was founded in 2009 and operates in Luang Prabang Province in North Central Laos. GCV is the only local group in Laos that has been founded and run by indigenous women and it seeks to empower communities on environmental issues such as biodiversity preservation through art and cultural exchanges. Earth Rights International first introduced Pangea to the work of GCV.
Grant Goals: Build leadership capacity for indigenous youth and women to advocate for environmental issues, land rights, and food security. Provide training on sustainable agriculture and women’s health issues.
Taa’ Pi’t, Guatemala
Taa’Pi’t is an intercultural learning center for Tz’utujil Mayan children. Children have the unique opportunity to gain computer literacy and to learn to care for “Our Mother Lake” (Lake Atitlán) through an environmental education program based on the Mayan cosmovision and built on the strengths of the Mayan culture. The benefits of these programs are far-reaching: profoundly changing the capabilities and attitudes of the children, influencing their families and the community, and helping to strengthen the Maya Tz’utujil cultural heritage. With Pangea project funds, Taa’ Pi’t is continuing to address the issue of undernourishment in the community by offering cooking classes, re-introducing healthy and traditional Mayan cuisine, and supporting local organic farmers.
Grant Goals: Educate Tzutujil Maya women and children in nutrition, health, culture, sustainable farming, women’s income generation, and environmental stewardship.
Ufanisi Women’s Group (UWG), Kenya
Ufanisi Women’s Group (UWG) serves extremely poor, vulnerable rural women and girls in Bungoma County, Western Kenya. For the past several years, the group has been working toward building a sweet potato enhancement business, first by increasing farmer’s production of sweet potato vines, then by beginning to make enhanced products like chips, cookies, and pies. This year’s grant will support the group in taking the next steps by purchasing larger capacity equipment for production and storage, opening a sales stall in the nearest market town, and exploring other marketing opportunities.
Grant Goals: Expand their sweet potato product enrichment business and open a market stall in Bungoma.
Secure land rights in Bong County, Liberia enable communities to grow food for sustenance and income. Photo: Landesa
Landesa advances pro-poor, gender-sensitive land rights reforms through law and policy tools. These reforms have helped alleviate poverty, reduce hunger, and ease conflict over land for more than 180 million families. Secure rights to land boost agricultural productivity, improve health, nutrition and school enrollment, and have placed billions of dollars in new land wealth in the hands of rural people.
We were able to connect with Dr. Jolyne Sanjak, Sr. Director of Global Programs at Landesa, to dive deeper into how their programs are advancing food security in the communities where they work.
Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your role at Landesa as Sr. Director of Global Programs.
My name is Dr. Jolyne Sanjak and I serve Landesa in the role of Sr. Director of Global Programs. Over my career, my work has centered on land rights following my belief that land rights are foundational to solving many global challenges, including food insecurity. I bring to Landesa my significant experience in economic development research and work on programs such as rural livelihoods, environmental sustainability, and gender and social integration, among others. Increasingly, Landesa and others are engaging with partners and approaches that sustain land rights by meeting the needs required for sustainable livelihoods, food security, and climate resilience. In my role, I support our four global teams: Landesa’s Center for Women’s Land Rights, Climate Change, Corporate Engagement, and Research, Evaluation & Learning.
Landesa’s mission is to secure land rights to break the cycle of poverty. Why is securing land rights so important for establishing food security in the Global South?
Food security has several dimensions including the supply or availability of food and access to food (economically and physically). In rural areas, most people experiencing poverty rely on their harvests to survive. Land degradation, droughts, and extreme weather patterns threaten these harvests and cause severe and often chronic food insecurity. Securing land rights for these farmers and other land stewards enables them to invest in their land for the long-term. Without the possibility they will lose their land in the future, a farmer has peace of mind to invest in sustainable practices like irrigation technologies, terracing, fallowing, and agroforestry and ultimately grow sufficient nutritious food for their families. This peace of mind and the incentive effects of secure land rights can also motivate investments that expand job opportunities off the farm and reduce the need for family members to stay on the farm to guard their rights, expanding economic access to food.
To establish food security, why is it important to establish land rights for women in particular, including inheritance rights for girls?
In sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, approximately two-thirds of women’s employment is in agrifood systems. However, women are less likely to own land and tend to farm on smaller parcels of lower quality. With secure land rights, women are better able to access resources like microcredit, agricultural subsidies, crop insurance, and agricultural extension, which can all contribute to increased agricultural productivity and food security. Women’s land rights have been linked to improved child nutrition as well.
A woman and her daughter in Odisha, India, were able to invest in their land after receiving formal title to a small plot of their own. Photo: Landesa
How has climate change affected your programs?
Climate change is degrading the lands more than 2.5 billion people rely on for their food and livelihoods. In 2020, Landesa committed to deepening its work on climate change; land rights offer a crucial foundation for communities to invest in climate-smart practices and benefit from restored ecosystems. Our Climate Change Program works at the global, regional, national, and community levels to influence systemic policy reforms that build climate resilience and to ensure the effective implementation of those reforms. We place a particular focus on women, Indigenous Peoples, and youth—groups that are both marginalized when it comes to land rights, and powerful agents in the fight against the climate crisis. The climate crisis has brought the need to secure these groups’ land rights into greater focus. This presents a new source of funding for local organizations, including direct funding to Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, as well as for organizations like Landesa, and expanded avenues for advocacy and partnerships from local to global levels.
Please describe how you are working with the private sector to establish partnerships, and why these are important…
Companies and investors are increasingly recognizing the importance of responsible land-based investments. Landesa works with companies to support responsible land-based investments, navigate land risks, build trusting relationships with affected communities, and meet global standards of responsible investment and value chain management. Strong land rights contribute to sustainable supply chains and foster more stable and productive conditions for business. Rural communities with access to strong land rights also benefit more from the economic opportunities created by these investments.
Landesa (formally Rural Development Institute) has been a formal organization since 1981. It is evident that you have achieved great success in your mission and have gathered a plethora of data to evaluate your methodologies for continuous improvement. What is your approach for securing land rights, and why is it important?
Landesa uses a systems change framework in our effort to secure land rights for women, men and their communities around the world. We operate at multiple levels of governance: we advocate for the inclusion of land rights in global agendas and sectoral norms, we work directly with national governments on law and policy reform, and we partner with civil society organizations from local to global levels to ensure policies become practice.
In coastal Cambodia, mangrove forests offer a source of food and livelihood. Photo: Landesa
Which countries or regions are seeing the highest need for securing land rights, and how is each region different and do you need to customize your approach to each?
Land rights challenges, especially for people experiencing poverty and marginalized groups, exist around the globe. Our country programs are in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and our global programs support progress on land rights in other geographies such as Colombia and Brazil where there are particular opportunities for advancing women’s land rights and for our corporate engagement efforts. It is widely accepted in our community of practice that there is no recipe or silver bullet to assure access to and security of land rights. Even within a country, the types of rights; the nature of land governance including the overlay of state law with traditional, tribal, or customary law and related practices; and the historical, cultural, and social patterns that underlie these may vary significantly. Pathways toward inclusive and secure land rights need to be context-appropriate and Landesa country programs are led and staffed by local experts. Landesa’s work pairs locally-led solutions with its learning from global comparative experience.
What are the biggest challenges you are seeing – any recent trends or world events, for example – that are affecting food insecurity today that you can share?
Climate change is by and large the gravest challenge humanity faces. Rural communities, and marginalized groups within them, feel the effects of climate change—including worsening food insecurity—the most harshly. But we also know the people most impacted by climate change are also those already galvanizing solutions, which is why we champion women, Indigenous Peoples, and youth in our work. Conflicts such as the ongoing war in Ukraine also have had reverberating consequences on food security for countries in the Global South.
A woman in Mufindi, Tanzania holds her Certificate of Customary Rights of Occupancy documenting her right to land. Photo: Landesa
What advice can you share for small organizations who work in the Global South to help them achieve food security in the communities where they work?
Food security is a multifaceted issue. Securing local landholders and users rights to use, access, and control rights to their land—especially for Indigenous Peoples and rural communities who farm for subsistence or income—is critical. As you support programming to address food security, consider how land rights matter for meeting your objectives and find ways to support the people you work with or their governments to improve land rights, including through partnerships.
Can you share any personal stories or reflections from the field that give you hope
Despite much progress on land rights, some of the top-line country level statistics about just how many women, men, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities still face insecure land rights has not really changed much over my career—that can be saddening. However, today land rights are slowly and surely gaining traction with the increased urgency to resolve big global threats like climate change. And, Landesa and others are increasingly knitting together land rights work with efforts to address correlated needs that must come together for food security and climate resilience. These two trends are among the things that now give me hope that I might see real change toward tenure security for all.
Strength in Numbers: How Neena Joshi is Elevating Asia’s Women Farmers
By Amber Cortes
Neena Joshi, Senior Vice President of Asia Programs, Heifer International. Photo: Heifer
Heifer’s new Senior Vice President of Asia Programs, Neena Joshi, is used to being around strong women.
Born and raised in Kathmandu, Joshi says her childhood was vibrant and exciting.
“I was a typical city girl, that was my life,” Joshi says.
The house was alive with intellectual and political conversations, from guests of her father, a noted writer, poet, and activist.
“So we had variety of people in my home, and we as kids were allowed to be in those conversations,” Joshi says.
She also spent her childhood surrounded by strong women—her mother was a banker, at the time an unusually high position for a woman to hold, and her mother’s five sisters had all achieved career success in Kathmandu as well.
“So maybe that is how I got into what I do now, by trusting the power of women,” says Joshi.
Since then, Joshi has worked with thousands of women, empowering them to go outside their homes to become community leaders, successful businesspeople, and political powerhouses.
Kamalamai Social Entrepreneur Women Dairy Cooperative members. Photo: Heifer
Photo: Heifer
She started at Heifer 24 years ago.
“I came to Heifer, I would say, accidentally,” explains Joshi. She was on a teaching path when she decided to interview with them.
Back then, Joshi says, the organization was small and Heifer’s office in Nepal had only ten employees. She loved being part of a dynamic team that could iterate and then come back to the drawing board.
“It was very fascinating for me, like a very raw person, who did not bring a lot of experience, but exploring, trying out things, succeeding, not succeeding, and again coming together,” Joshi says.
“So actually I’m very proud to say that I have been a part of the team who charted the growth for the Nepal program, which is one of the most successful and most impactful programs in Heifer,” Joshi says.
After serving in a variety of positions in the organization over the years, Joshi is now the Senior Vice President of Asia Programs, overseeing programs and offices across the region in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and most recently, South Korea.
These include overseeing Heifer’s flagship project, Empowering Women Farmers in Nepal, which helps women form farmer cooperatives to improve financial management and find new distribution markets, and the Poultry Project of National Pride in Cambodia, which helps local farmers use new techniques to increase yields and income.
“When I look at the work that I do in these smaller pockets that we invest in, we see profound changes,” says Joshi. “But if you look at it from a systemic point of view and at a macroeconomic scale, then we still see that those problems are becoming bigger and bigger.”
Smallholder women farmers play a critical role in food production in Asia. Women make up about 43% of the agricultural labor force in the region, and this figure is even higher in some countries like Bangladesh and India.
Photo: Heifer
Despite their large contributions many of these women often face significant barriers, including high poverty levels, food insecurity, and limited access to land, resources, and agricultural technologies.
Another example of a seemingly intractable problem comes in the form of cultural challenges.
“In Nepal, it’s a very patriarchal society,” Joshi explains. “And we primarily work with women. So these women are mostly expected to be inside the home and do the household chores and so bringing them out of that situation, in the groups, in the community, and [to] be with us and interact, is a challenge.”
But over time, Joshi sees the change, up close and personal. And it’s profound.
Joshi has known some of the women she’s worked with for the last 20 years and says she sees the transformation on both an individual and a community level.
“As you move on through the years, they become a completely different person,” Joshi says. “I’ve seen thousands of women emerge from being homemakers to community leaders to entrepreneurs to running for office, and even becoming members of Parliament.”
And nowhere is that change more obvious and impactful than within the past couple of years, when groups of smallholder farmer families form groups that become cooperatives. Heifer has helped all these cooperatives federate into an apex body of around 300 cooperatives and 400,000 households.
“So now I’m seeing how much power they hold,” says Joshi, who explained that just recently the president of the apex body met with the prime minister of Nepal.
“And the response and attention that they get when they say that I represent 400,000 households and primarily women, is very powerful,” Joshi says.
Photo: Heifer
Joshi says many of these women in the apex body were the ones she has known for years and brought out of the home to discover what they can accomplish, together.
“I cherish those moments when I sit with them and then have these conversations,” Joshi says.
In fact, pulling the camera up to reveal the big picture of collective power is what shapes the narrative for the work that she does at Heifer.
“I feel like there’s a switch that goes off when people realize what they can do as a collective,” Joshi says.
“These farmers are all smallholders. They do not have the resources to grow their one farm. But when you look at all the farmers together as a collective, then that is what gives you that economy of scale. That’s when they can have bargaining capacity in the market. That’s when they can talk with their government and demand services.”
In Joshi’s view, the true power of these collectives is how they have transformed these women’s individual challenges into a force for systemic change, and what they can do to impact their own futures.
But for right now, Joshi just feels grateful to have a front-row seat to see what changes the collective will make happen next.
“There are a host of things that they can do when they come together, collectively, the power of these 400,000 women together.”
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Global Impact Collective
Global Impact Collective is a design and strategy consultancy that helps organizations worldwide tackle food, health, and environmental challenges that impact life. They solve problems globally with organizations invested in changing the world. We work with companies, nonprofits, government institutions, and foundations to bring the right people together to bring about change. globalimpactcollective.net
OneWorld Health
OneWorld Health builds and operates medical facilities in East Africa and Central America using a social enterprise model to create quality, affordable healthcare solutions to communities in need. oneworldhealth.com/
Panorama Strategy
Panorama Strategy is a consulting firm that partners with organizations and leaders to turn their vision for social impact into a reality. Through tailored strategies, stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, and coalition building, we collaborate with our clients to identify and fulfill their unique role in creating a better world. Our certified Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and agile team of people-first strategists is part of the Panorama Group, a platform for social change that has nearly 150 employees across 18 countries and a broad network of partners around the world. www.panoramastrategy.com/
Water.org
Water.org is a global nonprofit organization working to bring water and sanitation to the world. They help people get access to safe water and sanitation through affordable financing, such as small loans. water.org
By Tracey Compton, Senior Media Communications Coordinator, Mercy Corps
February 2022, Baidoa, Somalia. Dhagan Aclan Aalan holds one of her last surviving goats, in front of her family’s temporary shelter. They are staying at an IDP camp among the scrub brush outside Baidoa. Farmers are watching crops die, leaving nothing to sell or eat. Grazing land has dried up, leaving pastoralists without food or water to feed their livestock herds. As people are forced to migrate and resources are scarce, conflict is likely to increase, further disrupting food systems. Photo: Ezra Millstein/Mercy Corps
October 2024
Mercy Corps is adding a critical perspective to the livestock emissions debate, emphasizing the potential benefits of pastoralists, or those who move herds across land, in drylands and opening a pathway toward food security previously often overlooked by dominant climate narratives.
Woman smallholder farmer admiring her pepper crop. Photo: Opportunity International
Smallholder farmers are responsible for producing one-third of the world’s food supply and nearly 80% of the food in low- and middle-income countries. They are also among the most vulnerable populations, as agriculture remains the primary livelihood for millions living in extreme poverty. Opportunity International believes that through targeted financial solutions, training, and support, smallholder farmers can increase their productivity, income, and resilience, ultimately building thriving rural communities. Our goal is clear: help farmers grow more and earn more.
A child suffering from severe malnutrition. Photo: YRRF
Yemen is at the epicenter of one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, where years of conflict, economic devastation, and climate extremes have left millions without reliable access to food. Today, over 17 million Yemenis – more than half the population – don’t know when they will eat their next meal. The Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation (YRRF) is at the forefront of addressing this crisis, committed to providing life-saving nutrition and medical support to Yemen’s most vulnerable: its children.
By Sylvester Michael Modhu and Amanda Erne, World Concern
By 2050, Bangladesh is expected to lose 17% of its land surface and 30% of its food production to climate-change-driven sea level rise and coastal erosion.[1] This prediction would be concerning anywhere, but in the world’s eighth most populated country, densely packed with 172+million people, the impacts of such a change are hard to fathom
While many traditional approaches to improving food security outcomes focus on addressing farmers’ agricultural knowledge and access to productive resources, they may not always use a gender lens to understand the different needs, challenges and capabilities of women farmers. As climate change continues to threaten global food security, it’s crucial to use an inclusive approach to programming that will close the gender gap in agricultural productivity and address the barriers faced by those who are most vulnerable.
To most people in Rwanda, Bwiza Village was a place unseen, and to the outside world, it was less than that. It was both unseen, unheard of, and mostly unimaginable. Yet, the name “Bwiza” in Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda, translates as “something good” and a place named “Bwiza” would essentially mean “a good place”. Clinging to the eastern slope of an unnamed hillside in Gasabo District, in the eastern-most part of the city of Kigali, Bwiza in 2009, was home to about 30 Batwa families who lived in a couple dozen stick and thatch huts scattered like buckshot across two ravines splitting the ridge like cracks in a loaf of crusty peasant bread.
Global Partnerships is a GlobalWA member and a nonprofit impact-first investment fund manager dedicated to expanding opportunity for people living in poverty. We’re sharing their most-recently published Impact Brief below:
The Challenge
The number of people facing hunger has been rising for nearly a decade. Close to 30 percent of the global population now faces moderate to severe food insecurity, with households living in poverty or conflict zones at especially high risk.[1]
There are two key factors constraining access to healthy food: availability and affordability.
Availability challenges often appear in two forms, particularly in urban areas: food deserts, where there are few or no places to buy food; and food swamps, where stores only sell unhealthy junk food.
Affordability encompasses the absolute cost of food and the cost of a healthy diet relative to household income. In Latin America and the Caribbean, approximately 23 percent of the population cannot afford a healthy diet, and in sub-Saharan Africa that rate rises to a staggering 84 percent.[2]
Refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) do not choose to leave their homes – it is an action they are forced to do. To date, nearly 120 million people have been forced to escape armed conflict, generalized violence, human rights abuses, or natural or man-made disasters. This is a 200% increase since I began working on this issue in 2012.
These numbers are unprecedented and sobering. As a part Women of the World’s 2024 focus on refugees, we are publishing this Special Edition Issue Campaign on the plight of refugees and IDPs today. We have been given special permission to republish the UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency’s Global Trends summary report while also diving into how our members, Oxfam and Global Communities, are assisting refugees in their programs. We are encouraged to hear about how our other members are helping refugees and IDPs through short summaries that are also included here.
To deeper understand the refugee experience, we encourage you to attend a free event on October 22 at the Gates Discovery Center in Seattle: Hope Away from Home | An Evening with Emi Mahmoud – a Sudanese-American slam poet, humanitarian, and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. We invite you to read our profile article about Emi to help you get excited about meeting this warm and dynamic former refugee.
We are also very pleased to announce we have EXTENDED our Early Bird rate for our 15th Annual Goalmakers Conference to October 15th! The agenda and speakers will be announced in the next few days with an exciting new focus on career development for global development professionals. We invite you to join us at this marquee event – register here today and don’t miss out on this opportunity.
When thinking about the growing global forced displacement crisis, we felt we should go directly to the experts: UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency (USA for UNHCR is a GlobalWA member). With permission, we have republished their summary report on their latest Global Trends report, published in June 2024. You can access the full report and the data here. This report, as you will see, provides key statistical trends on forced displacement, including the latest official statistics on refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced and stateless people, as well as the number of refugees who have returned home.
At the end of 2023, an estimated 117.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing the public order. Based on operational data, UNHCR estimates that forced displacement has continued to increase in the first four months of 2024 and by the end of April 2024 is likely to have exceeded 120 million. The increase to 117.3 million at the end of 2023 constitutes a rise of 8 per cent or 8.8 million people compared to the end of 2022 and continues a series of year-on-year increases over the last 12 years. One in every 69 people, or 1.5 per cent of the entire world’s population, is now forcibly displaced. This is nearly double the 1 in 125 people who were displaced a decade ago.
“Behind these stark and rising numbers lie countless human tragedies. That suffering must galvanize the international community to act urgently to tackle the root causes of forced displacement.”
Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
People forcibly displaced worldwide | 2014 – 2023
Some Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate in Gaza have also been internally displaced. In this graph, these internally displaced refugees under UNRWA’s mandate are only counted once, under the figure for ‘Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.
New forced displacements in 2023
New and ongoing conflicts have driven forced displacement across the globe. Conflict in Sudan broke out in April 2023, causing one of the largest humanitarian and displacement crises in the world. More than 6 million people were displaced within the country, with a further 1.2 million fleeing to neighbouring countries. In Myanmar, escalating violence following the military takeover in February 2021, displaced more than 1.3 million people within the country in 2023. While in the State of Palestine, UNRWA estimates that between October and December 2023, up to 1.7 million people (or over 75 per cent of the population) were displaced by the conflict in the Gaza Strip, with some forced to flee multiple times.
Conflict-driven displacement
Forced displacement is a consequence of the failure to uphold peace and security. As the frequency, duration and intensity of conflicts have increased, as measured by conflict-related fatalities in the graph below, so has the number of people forced to flee each year.
Conflict-related fatalities | 2009 – 2023
Data on conflict-related deaths provided by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program. Data for 2023 is sourced from the UCDP Candidate Event Dataset, with conflict events with the highest degree of uncertainty excluded (code status equals “Check”). Fatalities combine State-based violence, non-State violence and one-sided violence.
People forced to flee each year | 2009 – 2023
This figure includes estimates of new internal displacements. These refer to movements, and are a comprehensive cumulative figure of displacement. Depending on certain situations the same people can be displaced several times over a given period and would therefore be reported multiple times in the cumulative figures.
Refugees
The global refugee population increased by 7 per cent to reach 43.4 million during the year. This includes 31.6 million refugees and people in a refugee-like situation and 5.8 million other people in need of international protection under UNHCR’s mandate, as well as 6 million Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate. Compared to a decade ago, the total number of refugees globally has more than tripled. The largest proportion of refugees globally were from Afghanistan and Syria, both with 6.4 million each, and together equivalent to one-third of all refugees under UNHCR’s mandate. These were followed by Venezuela (6.1 million refugees and other people in need of international protection) and Ukraine (6.0 million refugees). Most refugees remain near their country of origin, with 69 per cent hosted in neighbouring countries at the end of 2023. Low- and middle-income countries continue to host the majority of the world’s refugees, with 75 per cent of refugees living in low- and middle-income countries.
Refugees fleeing conflict or persecution may travel on routes alongside migrants. While the rights of refugees and migrants are distinct, those using the same routes face similar risks. According to interviews with 31,500 refugees and migrants along the Central Mediterranean route, the predominant risks include severe threats to life, rape, torture, kidnapping, arbitrary detention, robbery and human trafficking, among other risks. Between 2021 and 2023, 950 people are known to have died while crossing the Sahara Desert, although the actual number is believed to be much higher. During the same period, 7,600 people on the move died or went missing in the Mediterranean Sea. UNHCR is working with partners to develop a data-driven route-based approach to strengthen protection for refugees and migrants, ensuring they have access to the services they need along key routes.
Internally displaced people
Most people who are forced to flee never cross an international border, remaining displaced within their own countries. Known as internally displaced people, or IDPs, they account for 58 per cent of all forcibly displaced people. At the end of 2023, 68.3 million people remained internally displaced due to conflict and violence. An estimated 9.1 million people were displaced within Sudan, the largest internally displaced population ever reported. This was followed by Syria (7.2 million), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (6.7 million).
Conflict in Sudan broke out in April 2023. An estimated 1.2 million people had fled the country by the end of the year, with almost all Sudanese refugees hosted by neighboring countries. A further 9.1 million Sudanese were displaced within the country, including people displaced by previous conflict. Sudan now has the largest internally displaced population ever reported. Prior to the April conflict, Sudan was also host to almost 1 million refugees, primarily from Eritrea, South Sudan and Syria. Many were forced to return to their home countries prematurely or move on to other countries. Thousands of people are still being displaced in Sudan daily. Hunger is widespread, with 20 million people (42 per cent of the entire population) facing acute food insecurity.
Solutions
In 2023, nearly 1.1 million refugees from 39 countries decided to return home from a total of 93 countries of asylum. Four out of five of those returning were Ukrainian or South Sudanese. However, as most returns occurred in contexts not entirely conducive to return in safety and dignity, they may not be sustainable. In addition, 5.1 million people displaced within their own country returned to their place of origin during the year. Nearly 62 per cent of all IDP returns were within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1.8 million) and Ukraine (1.3 million). According to official government data, 158,700 refugees were resettled to third countries in 2023, representing 35 per cent more (40,000) than during the previous year. Despite the uptick in numbers, this still only accounted for 8 per cent of the estimated 2 million individuals globally identified by UNHCR as in need of resettlement. A further 30,800 refugees acquired the citizenship of their host country during the year and were locally integrated.
Durable solutions for refugees | 2019 – 2023
* Resettlement figures are according to government statistics.
SPOTLIGHT Forced displacement and climate change
Climate change is exacerbating the protection needs and risks for forcibly displaced people and contributing to new, onward and protracted displacement. Extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods and extreme heat, are becoming more frequent and more intense. These have often impacted countries experiencing new or escalating conflicts. Without urgent adaptation, mitigation and measures to address loss and damage, climate change impacts are expected to increasingly, and disproportionately, affect climate vulnerable States and communities, including forcibly displaced people.
At the end of 2023, almost 3 in 4 forcibly displaced people were living in countries with high-to-extreme exposure to climate-related hazards.
Nearly 1 in 2 were living in countries where they also remained exposed to conflict.
Climate-related hazards, countries with more than one conflict-related death per 100,000 (2022) and the number of forcibly displaced people per country (2023)
In addition to the above-mentioned members, the following GlobalWA members and Pangea grant partners have programs and services in the communities where they work to assist refugees and displaced persons:
With over 117 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, including 43 million refugees, this crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time. Amid the immense hardships caused by war, political instability and the growing threat of climate disasters, it is crucial to remember that health is a human right that transcends borders.
For more than four decades, Americares has worked alongside partner organizations to meet the health needs of refugees and other displaced populations globally. Americares is currently supporting people displaced by natural disasters, those displaced by war in Gaza, Syria and Ukraine and those fleeing the crisis in Venezuela.
In Gaza, Americares is responding to the health needs of families affected by the war, delivering over 23 tons of medicine and medical supplies, supporting mobile medical teams and providing mental health support for frontline health workers. And in Colombia, Americares health clinics have been a lifeline for Venezuelans who have been forced to flee due to the mounting crisis in the country.
As the refugee crisis grows, Americares remains committed to providing displaced populations the health care they need to survive, recover and rebuild their lives.
Global Communities has a rich history of providing emergency aid and protection services to refugees and internally displaced people in many crisis settings, from Ukraine and Gaza to Syria and Guatemala. This includes our Child Protection in Emergencies programming, which supports the well-being of children and addresses risks created or exacerbated by crises, such as abuse and family separation. We build protective environments, strengthen children’s resilience and work to prevent further harm. In Syria, for example, we manage several Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) for children living in displacement camps. Given the dire conditions in the camps, CFS create safe and welcoming environments where children engage in age-appropriate activities, receive psychosocial services and learn positive coping mechanisms. We also offer parenting sessions and cash assistance, for instance, to ensure that children have stable housing. In Ukraine, we partner with community-based organizations to fill gaps in state services. We engage children in art therapy classes, learn and play activities, and community events to support their healing and recovery. We also foster social cohesion between displaced people and host communities. For example, our recreational activities bring children from the community together with those who have fled the fighting to encourage integration and minimize tensions.
Global Mentorship Initiative is a US-based global nonprofit bridging the gap between graduation and first career jobs for underrepresented young professionals and refugees from diverse communities. Through leveraging digital resources, mentorship, AI, and human connection, we are building a more equitable workforce of tomorrow’s leaders.
GMI’s flagship program is a structured, 12-week, virtual, one-to-one mentorship with a career professional. In four years, GMI has scaled from supporting 20 students to now over 7,000 in 100 countries, including 8 refugee camps.
GMI has supported over 500 refugee learners, many living in camps across Africa and Lebanon. 72% are employed within six months of graduating, in camps where the formal employment rate can be as low as 10%. GMI has partnered with the UNHCR to mentor 1,000 refugee learners over the next two years and support our corporate partners in hiring these bright, motivated candidates. For more information about how you can mentor, sponsor, or hire refugee learners, please contact ravenna.hennane@globalmentorship.org.
Founded at the call of Albert Einstein in 1933, the International Rescue (IRC) helps people whose lives are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. IRC has provided services to uprooted children and families for over 90 years globally, and in Seattle since 1976. Our approach has four important aspects:
Toughest places focus. Responding quickly and aiming to stay as long as needed in the world’s toughest and most remote places.
Putting people first. Developing and deploying a wide range of programs to address people’s needs and make the greatest impact.
Relentless improvement. Constantly adapting and improving our programs.
Building community. Helping people become part of their new communities worldwide, including Europe and the Americas.
In over 40 countries, the IRC is one of the only global organizations that works across the entire arc of crisis—from war zones to refugee resettlements—as we help millions from harm to a new home.
In Washington, for most newly arrived families, IRC is the hand that leads them through finding housing and employment, enrolling children into schools, and finding healthcare.
Sign up for our Newsletter to our local Seattle office to stay updated with all activities. Please contact Gul Siddiqi, Development Manager, at gul.siddiqi@rescue.org for any questions related to Donations, Corporate Volunteer Engagement, In-Kind Drives, and Partnerships.
War, violence, and oppression have displaced millions globally, with Africa experiencing the fastest-growing refugee crisis. Refugees face trauma, unsafe conditions, and competition over dwindling resources, leading to hunger and instability. Mercy Corps tackles poverty and displacement by addressing root causes and supporting long-term recovery after other organizations leave. Their first priority is meeting immediate needs—providing food, water, clothing, and hygiene essentials. Then, they focus on long-term recovery, offering cash assistance through e-cash or vouchers to help refugees meet personal needs, restart businesses, and regain independence.
Mercy Corps also emphasizes mental health support. Conflict-affected children and youth access skill-building activities, helping restore normalcy and meet psychosocial needs. Women and LGBTQ+ individuals are connected with support networks, helping them rebuild their lives in new environments.
Operation Snow Leopard (OSL) is a US-based nonprofit founded immediately after Kabul’s fall in August 2021. OSL’s primary mission is to safely evacuate and resettle at-risk Afghans, with a strong focus on women and children. We assist vulnerable groups, including women leaders, human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, interpreters, doctors, activists, and religious minorities. Entirely run by volunteers, including former military personnel, civilians, and Afghans, OSL has conducted dozens of missions, helping nearly 1900 at-risk Afghans evacuate and relocate. OSL raises funds for mission essentials like food, lodging, medical care, travel, and documentation (passports, visas) for Afghans.
Since August 2021, OSL accepted a specific mission to help female Afghan Parliamentarians who were at risk of Taliban retribution. Despite engaging with over forty nations for resettlement pathways over the past two years, OSL was surprised to receive only a few offers. In 2022, OSL partnered with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, participating in international dialogues to aid at-risk Parliamentarians. OSL’s efforts included attending IPU General Assemblies in Bahrain and Geneva and coordinating with the UN. However, despite some progress, government and international institutions have not resolved these high-profile individuals’ resettlement issues. OSL actively renews calls for countries to accept these courageous women and their staff, who bravely risked everything when they stood up for democracy.
Outright International works with partners around the globe to strengthen the capacity of the LGBTIQ human rights movement, document and amplify human rights violations, and advocate for inclusion and equality. As part of this mission, Outright aims to ensure that LGBTIQ people are fully integrated throughout all elements of the humanitarian program cycle, with the goal of improving respect for, protection of, and fulfillment of the rights of LGBTIQ people before, during, and after humanitarian crises. This includes advocating with and supporting humanitarian coordination systems and actors to be more inclusive of LGBTIQ people and organizations; preparing and creating opportunities for LGBTIQ activists to engage with and influence these systems and actors; co-developing, promoting, and increasing inclusive humanitarian programming by LGBTIQ groups and within mainstream organizations; and ensuring that measurement, evaluation, accountability, and learning systems are more sensitive and responsive to LGBTIQ people affected by crisis.
Around the world, Oxfam partners with local organizations to help refugees and other displaced people with their immediate basic needs for clean water, shelter, food, and work as well as advocate for their long-term wellbeing—both in their own nations, and in the countries that host them. We engage with allies and government officials at all levels to focus on peace and find sustainable solutions to the conflict and violence that ruin so many lives. We push for wealthy countries to welcome refugees and boldly attend to their needs. And we advocate for public policies that protect the rights of displaced families as they strive to rebuild their lives and fight to provide for their children a more equal future—in their own countries or the ones in which they settle. Read more.
The 2021 military coup in Myanmar/Burma has led to a humanitarian crisis of staggering proportions. Refugee families, activists, and internally displaced peoples (IDPs) struggle to rebuild their lives along Myanmar/Burma’s borders amidst ongoing turmoil. The situation has worsened in 2024, with increased airstrikes on civilian areas and a conscription campaign targeting youth. Compounding this man-made disaster, the recent devastation wrought by Typhoon Yagi has forced hundreds of thousands more from their homes, exacerbating an already dire situation and stretching limited resources to the breaking point.
The crisis has far-reaching consequences, including a potential brain drain, with over half of highly skilled graduates wanting to emigrate. Neighboring countries like Thailand and Bangladesh grapple with the influx, often labeling refugees as “illegals,” in ways that echo immigration debates in the U.S.
The Myanmar military’s actions have been devastating, with thousands of civilians killed, millions displaced, and tens of thousands of homes destroyed. Despite recent setbacks for the military, the situation remains dire for those affected.
In response, Partners Asia is supporting dozens of local organizations and their visionary leaders who organize essential education, health, and livelihood programs for people who have had to flee their homes, channeling crucial funding to these grassroots efforts. While the challenges are immense, we remain committed to providing support to our unstoppable partners and fueling hope for those affected by this ongoing crisis.
Seattle International Foundation (SIF) believes in just, peaceful and prosperous societies in Central America, and that Central Americans should not be forced to leave their communities in search of refuge and safety. We work to build good governance and equity in order to address key political and social challenges in the region, including authoritarianism, human rights violations, corruption, impunity, violence, gender inequality, and discrimination, as they are push factors for forced displacement and migration.
We invest in organized civil society and independent actors at the forefront of advocacy efforts and to serve as the voice of the public and in independent media whose work increases transparency and accountability of actors in power. We bring together donors and international actors supporting Central America with Central American civil society leaders, including those who have gone into exile for political persecution, so that they can exchange experiences and build strategies to address the main drivers of irregular migration. Above all, we champion the visions of local communities in their efforts to demand political and social change and build the countries they dream of.
Pangea Grant Partners – Refugees
East Africa
Solidarity Eden Foundation, Uganda
2023 funds were used to expand the Women on Wheels program to equip 100 refugee women to gain financial independence: extensive tailing and business training combined with mentoring, mental health support and internships with established tailors. This is a comprehensive program ameliorating the trauma of refugee reality with training and gainful employment.
SE Asia
FORTUNE, Thailand
FORTUNE, a grassroots organization in Fang District in Northern Thailand, is the newest grant partner in Southeast Asia. It was founded in 2009. Its mission is to address the community and human rights needs of Myanmar ethnic migrant workers (many undocumented) who live and work in migrant camps on agricultural farms along the Thai-Myanmar border. FORTUNE provides support to Myanmar refugees and migrant workers living in Thailand.
Ukraine Oxfam water points in Mykolaiv. Photo: Kieran Doherty / Oxfam
Hello, please introduce yourself, including your position(s) at Oxfam, and where you are stationed.
My name is Tara Gingerich. I am the Humanitarian Director at Oxfam America. Oxfam America is headquartered in Boston, though I live in Maine and work remotely. I have worked for Oxfam for over 15 years.
Tell us a bit about Oxfam and how Oxfam initiated programs to help refugees…
Oxfam is a global organization that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice. We work with local organizations to address urgent humanitarian needs and protect lives when disaster strikes, and at the same time, we tackle the root causes of poverty, for the long term. We advocate for economic justice, gender equality, climate action, and to transform the global humanitarian system. And we demand equal rights and equal treatment so that everyone can thrive, not just survive.
Oxfam’s creation was actually tied to supporting refugees. We were founded in 1942 – as the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (eventually shortened to its postal code abbreviation “Oxfam”) – in order to support refugees in Greece.
Although the organization is not dedicated exclusively to supporting displaced persons, displacement puts people in such a vulnerable context that they are a significant priority of our humanitarian work.
What are some of the key programs that Oxfam implements to help refugees?
Oxfam partners with local organizations to help refugees and other displaced people around the world with their immediate basic needs as well as advocate for their long-term wellbeing—both in their own nations, and in the countries that host them. We engage with allies and government officials at all levels to focus on peace and find sustainable solutions to the conflict and violence that ruin so many lives. We push for wealthy countries to welcome refugees and generously attend to their needs. And we advocate for public policies that protect the rights of displaced families as they strive to rebuild their lives and fight to provide for their children a more equal future—in their own countries or the ones in which they settle.
Oxfam supports both displaced people who remain within their own countries (“internally displaced persons,” or IDPs) and those who have crossed into another country as they seek safety and security (“refugees”).
Our humanitarian programming for both groups of displaced people tends to be in the major areas, or sectors, in which Oxfam has expertise: water, sanitation, and hygiene; food and economic security, including livelihoods; and “protection,” which is a catch-all term for activities that keep people safe from harm in crisis contexts. Examples of our work include providing clean, safe water; building latrines; providing people with cash to purchase food or, if there is no food available in a community, providing actual food; providing them with training to help find work in their new environment; and helping people to access services for everything from legal advice about their rights to care and justice following gender-based violence.
As I’ll describe below, we are frequently conducting this work in partnership with civil society organizations in the countries in crisis and the countries hosting refugees.
One distinguishing feature of Oxfam – and an aspect that drew me to Oxfam many years ago – is that we are a rights-based organization, which means that our work is guided by the legal standards found in the range of international human rights treaties and conventions, commitments that governments make, and the values and principles that inform them. Displaced people, particularly refugees, are protected under international law. And in the past several years, governments have signed onto global frameworks governing refugees. Oxfam works to make sure that affected people know their rights, we advocate on their behalf to the US and other influential governments, and we facilitate affected people engaging in their own direct advocacy.
Oxfam is assisting people in most of the largest displacement crises today, include Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, South Sudan, and Myanmar.
For example, the crisis in Syria, which started in March 2011, continues to cause tremendous human suffering to people both inside and outside the country. More than 12 million people have fled their homes, many more than once. Oxfam is helping more than 1.5 million people in Syria who have been displaced by the conflict and refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. In Syria we are helping people with clean water, cash, essential clothing items, and support to help make a living and grow nutritious food. In Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, Oxfam is helping refugees affected by the crisis as well as people in need in the communities hosting them. We are also working with partners and allies across the region and beyond to advocate for peace, and to ensure that the voices of women, youth, and refugees are included in discussions about policies that affect them.
Closer to home, Oxfam has supported families in Central America as they flee to the US in search of safety, providing lifesaving assistance at camps and shelters along their journey and supporting employment opportunities. When necessary, we have responded along the migrant caravan routes in Guatemala and Mexico with humanitarian aid, including distribution of hygiene kits, food packages, and water, and installation of portable toilets, showers, and drinking water points for thousands in need.
As an advocacy organization, what are some initiatives Oxfam has in place for advocating for refugee rights and safety?
Oxfam has several advocacy objectives related to refugees. First, you might be surprised that this is necessary, but our first objective is that refugees are able to participate – meaningfully – in discussions and decisions that affect them. We also advocate for bringing a gender focus to refugee response, which is necessary because women face specific needs in displacement settings, yet programming for displaced people continues to often be gender-blind. Third, we advocate for shifting power to refugees and refugee-led organizations so that they are in the driver’s seat of decision-making and so they have the capacity to represent and support their communities. Our fourth objective addresses the fact that the vast majority of the world’s refugees are hosted in low- and middle-income countries, whose support of refugees puts extraordinary pressure on limited resources and host communities; as a result of this imbalance, Oxfam calls on UN member countries to share this responsibility, as they agreed to in the 2018 United Nations (UN) Global Compact on Refugees.
Oxfam advocates for refugee rights in many different contexts and to different stakeholders. We advocate for the rights of displaced people in specific humanitarian crises. This advocacy is often targeted toward displaced people’s own governments, the governments hosting them, and other governments that have influence in the context.
We also advocate at the global stage to change the way support and protection are provided to displaced people and to transform the global system itself. We participate actively in fora like the biannual Global Refugee Forum hosted by the UN and in conversations with the UN refugee agency, the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). For example, this past summer, there was a multi-day meeting of UNHCR and non-profit organizations (NGOs) like Oxfam in Geneva, Switzerland. At that event, we organized and co-led an event focused on approaches to refugee protection that are gender-sensitive, inclusive, and locally led. We also supported the attendance of the leader of a refugee women-led organization in Uganda, who would not have been able to attend and participate otherwise; this is what we mean by facilitate participation of refugee leaders in policy and decision-making spaces.
Uganda: Vicky – the world’s strongest mother. Photo: Hans Bach / Oxfam
I understand you partner with many local organizations for this work. How do you identify and engage these partners, and what qualities do you look for in successful partnerships?
That’s right. At Oxfam, we work in partnership with civil society, women’s rights, youth, faith and community groups as well as state, private sector, foundations, and non-government organizations. In our humanitarian work specifically, we are committed to working in partnership with grassroots humanitarian aid providers – local- and national-level organizations in crisis-affected countries – and to ensuring that we are supporting them to have the technical skills, funds, and influence they need to take action in emergencies and to be sustainable. While Oxfam continues to deploy its own staff to respond to major disasters, we are increasingly focused on promoting local humanitarian leadership.
What’s more, Oxfam has a track record of actively collaborating with refugee-led organizations across the globe and particularly in Africa. We partner with refugee-led organizations because they know best when it comes to the particular needs of their community, and what solutions are appropriate and most likely to be effective. We began this area of work, advocating for refugee participation and leadership, in Ethiopia and Uganda, where there are significant displaced populations, primarily from South Sudan. There are a number of barriers facing refugee-led organizations, including tension with host communities and restrictive laws affecting organizations’ ability to register legally, open a bank account, and so on.
Oxfam is currently implementing a program in Ethiopia and Uganda, with support from a US foundation, in which we are seeking to strengthen the capacity of refugee-led groups in the two countries and elevate their leadership in national, regional, and global fora (to make sure they have “a seat at the table” in spaces where decisions are being made about refugees, and to hold policymakers accountable for commitments they have made). I’m actually in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this week, attending an learning workshop as part of this project, and I am truly inspired by the personal resilience, commitment, and creativity of the refugee leaders with whom we work, many of whom have faced great personal trauma.
Your question about how we identify and engage with partners in our work to support refugees is a good one. In general, I would say that Oxfam looks for organizations whose values and vision align with ours, who are doing good, accountable work on behalf of their communities, and who currently, or wish to, conduct programming in the areas in which Oxfam specializes. We seek to partner with both refugee-led organizations and local and national humanitarian organizations from the host community.
Ukraine: Lydmyla and her grandson. Photo: Kieran Doherty / Oxfam
To give you an example, I visited Ukraine a few weeks ago, where I was able to observe a handful of our programs supporting some of the 3.7 million internally displaced Ukrainians and meet some of our partners. In Ukraine – and in the programs we led in surrounding countries during the period that there were significant numbers of refugees in those countries – Oxfam has prioritized partnerships with organizations working directly with people who often face additional barriers in accessing aid. As a result, we are partnering with organizations focused on women, LGBTQIA+, and Roma people, among others, with many of these organizations providing assistance to displaced people. For example, we met with partner organizations providing vocational training and small grants to help displaced people set up businesses, support to people who have experienced gender-based violence, and basic needs for and advocacy on behalf of displaced people facing discrimination – all in the context of an active conflict.
What are some trends you are seeing in this past year regarding refugees and IDPs?
We are incredibly concerned by the trends in displacement worldwide. Based on data from UNHCR, an estimated 117.3 million people worldwide are forcibly displaced as of the end of last year, and they estimate that those numbers have only increased this year.
As of the end of 2023, one in every 69 people in the world is forcibly displaced. That is 1.5 percent of the world’s population.
These figures reflect a dramatic increase in recent years. The current figures are nearly double what they were 10 years ago, and they increased 8 percent in the past year along (2022-2023).
Of the 117.3 million displaced people, the majority – 68.3 million – are internally displaced, while 43.4 million are refugees (having crossed an international border).
Oxfam has conducted research on the impact of climate change on displacement. We found that climate-fueled disasters are the number-one driver of internal displacement, forcing an estimated 20 million people per year from their homes. A person is seven times more likely to be internally displaced today by extreme weather disasters such as cyclones, floods and wildfires than by geophysical disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and three times more likely than by conflict.
What are you most hopeful about?
A few things give me hope. First, the international community has recently made commitments of how they are going to protect refugees, through the 2018 Global Compact on Refugees and the 2019 Meaningful Refugee Participation Pledges. Refugees and the organizations that represent them (from refugee-led organizations and other local and national organizations to international NGOs like Oxfam) will be able to hold these commitments up to governments and demand accountability and transparency.
Second and relatedly, the international community seems to finally, finally be committed to local humanitarian leadership, which will mean that refugee-led organizations and other local and national civil society organizations should increasingly have the resources and power to represent their communities, which I believe will result in more effective humanitarian assistance for displaced persons and all people affected by humanitarian crises.
And, finally, I am inspired by and optimistic because of the bravery, perseverance, and commitment of refugees and refugee leaders to regain security and dignity and create good lives for themselves and their families.
Additional stories about Oxfam’s work with refugees:
Empowering Resilience: Supporting Women and Children amid Ukraine’s Conflict
By Amber Cortes
Anastasiia Zhelezko. Photo: Global Communities
Anastasiia Zhelezko had planned her humanitarian career since 3rd year of her Bachelor’s degree. She was finishing her degree at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in 2022, already with the intention to work in the humanitarian field, when Russia invaded Ukraine, and everything happened faster than she thought.
“I guess the invasion just sped up my plans,” Zhelezko explains.
She started working in Chernihiv, her native region, with the Danish Refugee Council, assessing the damages of the houses of the conflict-affected population.
“Especially in the beginning, it did affect me,” Zhelezko says. “Obviously, I’ve heard lots of stories of what they had been through. These were terrible stories.”
Despite the emotional challenges, Zhelezko felt she was in the right place.
“I realized that currently, the history of Ukraine is being created, and if I want to contribute to it, working in the humanitarian sphere is probably one of the best options to help address people’s needs.”
Since March 2024, Zhelezko has been doing just that by overseeing partner implementation of GBV programming for Global Communities, an organization that works at the intersection of humanitarian assistance and sustainable development to save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures. Global Communities implements several projects in Ukraine, including the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program, which Zhelezko works on. CLEAR supports local organizations in addressing urgent protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene needs of conflict-affected populations. Child protection, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and response, and psychosocial support are among CLEAR’s key interventions. There’s also the Chernihiv Public Committee for Human Rights Protection, which provides legal consultations and support to women who have experienced GBV, especially domestic violence.
Global Communities hosts the Protection School for local partners in Ukraine. Photo: Global Communities
CLEAR uses a localization approach in humanitarian action. This includes implementation through local partners (rather than direct service provision) and strengthening the capacity of local organizations, including small community-based groups, to deliver emergency response.
In her role, Anastasiia provides direct support to GC partners in implementing their activity plans, engages in distribution of Dignity and Recreational Kits for vulnerable populations, as well as maintains working relations with other relevant stakeholders, such as Danish Refugee Council, Clusters, UN Agencies, etc. She also helps facilitate activities within other Protection subsectors at GC, such as PSS and CP.
Global Communities supports these partners by providing technical expertise, such as training in various fields (for example, in July a Protection School was conducted outlining core concepts of GBV, CP and PSS), recommendations on any mundane activities and how to make them more efficient, supervisions, as well as familiarizes them with international standards in above-mentioned Protection sub-sectors (for instance, Minimum Standards for Gender-based Violence in Emergencies Programming, Case Management SOP) amongst other activities to increase the capacities of local partners and enable them become self-sufficient when donors step out of Ukraine.
One of the organizations that Zhelezko supports is Chernihiv European, which hosts events for children with disabilities, who are often underserved by state services. The organization works both with internally displaced children and children from host communities. Another partner, Polissia Foundation for International and Regional Studies (PFIRS), helps elderly people works to improve information literacy of the elderly in local communities by teaching them how to use laptops and smartphones, as well as the latest information technologies (i.e. government services apps, messengers, mobile banking, etc.), Google tools, online services (requesting document extracts, certificates, documents in Diia, etc.), as well as in safety against online scams, etc.
Psychosocial counselling sessions for internally displaced women at the Khotyn Public Library. Photo: Global Communities
Within all the chaos of conflict, it’s the astonishing work of what CLEAR’s partners are able to accomplish under such intense circumstances that keeps Zhelezko inspired.
“There were cases where women were living with perpetrators and suffered a lot. They’ve been through horrible moments in their lives. Thanks to Chernihiv Public Committee for Human Rights Protection, our local partner, they were able to take their kids with them to a safe space, find sources of income, get alimony from their husbands, and start their lives from the scratch,” says Zhelezko.
“The quality of their lives has dramatically improved, thanks to legal consultations and the case management services of our partner.”
Needless to say, working in a conflict zone can make long-term planning difficult. Programs must constantly adapt to new conditions.
“The situation is always changing,” says Zhelezko. “We write technical proposals for the next six months, but the context can change dramatically over this time.”
As if the complexity of providing aid in a war-torn country wasn’t enough, there are also sociocultural dynamics at work.
“There are lots of stereotypical beliefs embedded in our culture, because it’s a deeply patriarchal society,” says Zhelezko. “There are gender stereotypes in all spheres: in education, in health, politics…you name it.”
Despite the fact that female labor participation in Ukraine is at an all-time high of 47%, women face challenges balancing new employment opportunities with traditional roles at home. As more men become conscripted, the pressure on women to be both breadwinners and caretakers increases.
“The majority of domestic work is still being performed by women,” Zhelezko says. “It didn’t just disappear.”
In Ukraine, women and children represent the majority among displaced people–more than 90% of refugees and more than 60% of internally displaced persons (IDPs) are women and children.
“These women are not a homogenous group, and accordingly, we also have to recognize that their experiences and needs are different.”
Women and girls with different sexual orientations, religion, health conditions, ages have different needs and aspirations at different stages of their life.
Nowadays, says Zhelezko, women in Ukraine are opening businesses at an astonishing rate and taking up professions previously dominated by men. Global Communities has recently initiated a grant competition for micro and small businesses within the Economic Recovery and Market Systems (EMRS) component of the CLEAR project. The hope is that many women will benefit from this initiative.
“I just see our partners and us working relentlessly in this field and empowering women and making them believe they have enough inner strength and they can do just fine,” says Zhelezko.
Zhelezko believes that even in the worst of conditions, progress can be made towards an environment where women and girls can not only be safe, but thrive.
“Our work is not only about helping people address their needs, but also about being able to help them find hope to do things which they thought were unimaginable to them a few years ago.”
Khotyn Platform for the Development of Culture and Tourism hosts an English camp for children. Photo: Global Communities
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CORE Tanzania
CORE Tanzania’s mission is to increase access to quality education in rural Tanzania. We envision a future where every child in rural Tanzania is educated to reach his or her maximum potential, creating village communities that are thriving both economically and socially, and contributing to a positive and sustainable future for the country. coretanzania.org
Elevate Destinations
Elevate Destinations is an award-winning, boutique travel agency that partners with numerous global nonprofits. It was founded and operates as a social enterprise: philanthropy, and positive social and environmental impact is key to our mission. Elevate Destinations has pioneered the field of donor travel and learning journeys and is able to provide responsible travel to any region of the globe. elevatedestinations.com
Water.org
Water.org is a global nonprofit organization working to bring water and sanitation to the world. We help people get access to safe water and sanitation through affordable financing, such as small loans. Water.org
Ahmed, center, reunites with his son Walid at Sea-Tac International Airport. Emtisal and Ahmed from Syria were reunited with their two older children and son-in-law in February 2017. The children were barred from entering after Trump had issued an executive order banning Syrians indefinitely. A Seattle judge lifted the ban, allowing Walid to reunite with his parents and other siblings in Washington. Photo: IRC
Globally, humanitarian and resettlement needs are higher than ever before. 120 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, a number that has more than doubled over the past ten years and increased by 10 million since last year. For far too many families and individuals seeking safety and refuge, they are greeted not by welcome but by cruelty and inhumanity.
