Oxfam East Asia

International Women’s Day: Poor women in Southeast Asia still suffer from the impact of global economic crisis

I produced this video to support Oxfam’s report called, ”Women Paying the Price: The impact of the global financial crisis on women in Southeast Asia”. The report draws on country case studies from Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. It seeks to identify and recognise how the financial crisis has impacted on women, in order test whether East Asian governments are doing enough to support the most vulnerable.

We talked to women in three countries: Cambodia, Philippines, and Thailand and edited them together into this regional piece in Bangkok. It’s heartwrenching to watch this video each time especially if you’re a woman (even though I’m the one who produced it–luckily I have a male video editor to do most of the job). What they have to go through is so hard yet these women are so strong. They fight for their children, for their parents, and for their family. Someone said a mother can do anything to protect their children, this video will show you some of the example of this phrase and illustrate how economic crisis affects women differently than men.

The big question here is: have governments really understood the impact of the crisis on the least resilient people of the region and tailored their support to meet their needs? Find out more from the reports.

PHILIPPINES: Evacuees stranded as evacuation centres closure in Ketsana-affected area

MANILA, 16 February 2010 (IRIN) - Nearly five months after tropical storm Ketsana and two typhoons ravaged northern Philippines, evacuation centres are starting to close but thousands of people are still displaced, aid workers say.

“The situation is definitely getting worse and people’s coping mechanisms are being stretched to the limit,” Paula Brennan, Oxfam’s Ketsana response manager, told IRIN. Read the rest of this entry »

Early Recovery …. When Money is the Best Answer!

Regional Media Coordinator Uamdao Noikorn and Digital Vision Manager Taipida Moodhitaporn have met with families whose houses were destroyed when an earthquake hit West Sumatra in September 2009 to find out what their needs are after an early response was completed.

Padang Pariaman, (West Sumatra), Indonesia _ When the earthquake hit West Sumatra and totally destroyed Sawinar’s house, it was not surprising to her as it has been damaged once before from a previous quake.

But it was the time and amount of money required for rebuilding her life and family that made Sawinar and her husband feel hopeless.

“An earthquake is a common thing here. But this quake was really powerful and the house wasn’t strong so we expected it to crumble but not totally in rubbles like this,” said the mother of seven-year-old girl and three-year-old boy.

Sawinar’s house literally crumbled with only the back part still standing. When a 7.6 Richter earthquake hit Indonesia’s West Sumatra iin September 2009, Sawinar said she expected some damages to the house but not this bad. The tremor destroyed thousands of homes and government buildings in Padang and nearby areas. Read the rest of this entry »

Indonesia earthquake: Sanitation, cash grants and knickers

LIMO PURUIK VILLAGE, Padang Pariaman: Three months after an earthquake rocked West Sumatra, 56-year-old Ibu Darmulis’ life has started to settle slowly into a nice balance, along with tens of thousands of residents of Padang Pariaman, one of four areas most affected by the disaster. 

Everyday Ibu Darmulis wakes up at 5am to pray, cleans the house or washes the clothes, then walks for 15-20 minutes to the rice farm before embarking on her mission to “convince people in my community to change their hygiene behavior”.

As a public health community mobiliser, Ibu Darmulis takes her responsibility very seriously and happily, going from door to door to explain why and how simple change in personal hygiene and sanitation could better their quality of life. “I never get tired of this and want to do this as long as my energy allows,” said the grandmother of three kids.

 Everyday in the morning and afternoon Ibu Darmulis walks for 15 minutes to this rice field which her neighbour has entrusted her to take care of. [Photo credit: Taipida Moodhitaporn] 

Read the rest of this entry »

Indonesia earthquake: The joy of a bright orange water tank

A devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on 30 September 2009. What happened is being done to help those affected? Uamdao Noikorn reports.

AJUNG VILLAGE, Padang Pariaman: It was a delightful sight. Big bright orange water tanks are lying everywhere. Men and women are gathering around them, joking and laughing despite the surrounding ruins and debris from the earthquake. They were obviously in a good mood.

For them, these are not simply rainwater catchment tanks but something that would improve their quality of life immensely. It means a long walk will now be the thing of the past. It means more productivity on farm work. It means more time with their families and many more things.

Apart from destruction of houses, contamination of waterways is one of the most common problems after a natural disaster. Wells are damaged and often become dirty. If left unsolved, it would lead to the spread of diarrhoea and other sanitation-related illnesses.

Two men are carrying a new water catchment tank to their houses in preparation for an installation by Oxfam engineers. [Photo credit: Mary Kudla and Taipida Moodhitaporn]

Read the rest of this entry »

Oxfam’s Research: the “Impact of Financial Crisis on Women in Thailand” revealed in Bangkok

“You don’t just hire us and suddenly leave [the country] when it’s convenient,” says a Thai woman in response to the question about how the government can better protect her rights as a worker. This controversial issue was discussed by many academics, researchers, and development workers on Wednesday, December 2 in Bangkok, where Oxfam, with support from the Thai Development Research Institute (TDRI), held a forum on to reveal research findings on the Impact of the Financial Crisis on Women in Thailand.

The research finds that the industry in Thailand most affected by the 2008 world economic crisis are electronic, textile, automobile, and furniture production—with women in the textile industry losing the most jobs in 2008. Women comprise the majority of these factory workers; therefore, they are the group most affected. There have been cases where women faced termination of employment without receiving the proper compensation and benefits. The research also indicates that some employers have used the economy as an excuse to lay off employees and rid themselves of financial obligations. Read the rest of this entry »

Oxfamเผยผลการศึกษาชึ้วิกฤติเศรษฐกิจทำแรงงานหญิงแบกภาระหนักเพิ่มทั้งที่บ้านและที่ทำงาน ร้องรัฐออกมาตรการช่วยเหลือเป็นพิเศษ

องค์กรการกุศลอ็อกแฟม เกรท บริเทนเผยผลการศึกษาวิกฤติเศรษฐกิจโลกกระทบแรงงานหญิงเพราะต้องรับภาระนอกบ้านเพิ่มขึ้นในขณะที่ภาระในบ้านยังเท่าเดิม พร้อมเรียกร้องรัฐออกมาตรการพิเศษช่วยหลือแรงงานเหล่านี้

ในรายงานฉบับนี้ ซึ่งเป็นผลงานการวิจัยของสถาบันวิจัยเพื่อการพัฒนาประเทศไทยหรือทีดีอาร์ไอร่วมกับ
อ็อกแฟมพบว่า แรงงานหญิงเป็นกลุ่มแรกที่ถูกกระทบจากเศรษฐกิจตกต่ำเนื่องจากอุตสาหกรรมในประเทศไทยที่พึ่งพาการส่งออกเป็นหลัก อันได้แก่ ธุรกิจเสื้อผ้าเครื่องนุ่งห่ม อีเล็คโทรนิคส์ และการบริการนั้นใช้แรงงานหญิงเป็นส่วนใหญ่ ดังนั้นเมื่อมีการเลิกจ้างพวกเธอจึงอยู่ในกลุ่มที่ถูกเลิกจ้างก่อนเสมอ

จากการสัมภาษณ์แรงงานหญิงทั้งที่ถูกเลิกจ้างหรือถูกลดชั่วโมงทำงานโดยทีมงานวิจัยนำโดย ดร. สราวุธ ไพฑูรย์พงษ์ ผู้เชี่ยวชาญอาวุโสของทีดีอาร์ไอ พบว่า แรงงานเหล่านี้ส่วนใหญ่ไม่สามารถหางานใหม่หรืออาชีพเสริมได้เพราะขาดคุณวุฒิ ความชำนาญ โดยเฉพาะคนที่อายุมากจะได้งานยากที่สุด แรงงานชายมันจะหางานได้ง่ายกว่าเพราะแข็งแรงกว่า Read the rest of this entry »

Campaigners in Cambodia demand climate justice at CoP15 in a tcktcktck event

Approximately 400 people representing a cross sector of society in Cambodia gathered under the hot sunny sky for a tcktcktck campaign event in Phnom Penh to call on world leaders to reach a fair, ambitious and binding global climate deal at CoP15 in Copenhagen by the end of the week.

“Time to Act is Running Out! It’s Time for Climate Action!” chanted the crowd.

Read the rest of this entry »

Climate is changing, so is our lives–young people in Vietnam paint their view of climate change

“Young People’s Views on Climate Change - Vietnam” booklet is a selection from 20,000 entries in the “Climate is Changing, So is Our Life” competition for students nationwide. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training and Save the Children, Oxfam organised this competition as part of the Climate change awareness raising campaign for youth in Vietnam.

“World leaders all over the world can work together to find the best solutions for our green globe in the UN summit on climate change this coming December.” This is the key message that young people in Vietnam wish to say to the Heads of State joining COP15 in Copenhagen this week.

View slideshow version
Download PDF
Selected paintings

“Typhoon Mirinae highlights impact of natural disasters and climate change”

Following Typhoon Mirinae’s strike in Central Vietnam in 2 November 2009, two Oxfam staff set out on a three-day situation assessment trip with three other organizations. The destinations are six districts in one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam: Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa.

For the residents of Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa and Binh Dinh provinces where the poverty problem is more serious than other areas, Typhoon Mirinae’s destructive trails have left deeper wounds for nearly one million Vietnamese there. Read the rest of this entry »