About us
Since 1988, Oxfam France – Agir ici has chosen the way of citizen engagement to fight against world injustices. At the beginning of October 2006, with more than 70 public campaigns to its credit, Oxfam France – Agir ici became the French affiliate of Oxfam International. Today, being a member of Oxfam France – Agir ici means being engaged in a wide movement aiming to build a just world.
Our commitment
Inform and mobilize citizens regarding inequalities around the world and of the many ways to get involved in campaigning. Put pressure on political or economic decision-makers to influence their decisions when they are not complying with Human Rights. Propose concrete solutions such as the signature of international treaties or the adoption of fair trade rules.
Our priorities
Our campaign are built around 4 main focuses : To control weapons trade and reduce all forms of incentives to conflicts; To reform international financial institutions (IMF and the World Bank); To establish fairer trade rules; To defend the access to basic services for everyone (education, health, water…), these are the four areas of focus of our campaigns.
Our action’s Two pillars
Political, confessional as well as financial independence ; Oxfam France – Agir ici refuses any public or private financing. In order to ensure its freedom of thinking and action, Oxfam France – Agir ici relies only on donations!
Partnerships : In order to give more strenght and efficiency to our campaigns,we establish partnerships with organizations fighting for international solidarity, for the defence of human rights and for environment protection as well as with trade unions. … Oxfam France - Agir ici is a member of the CRID (Research and Information Institute for Development) grouping together 54 international solidarity organizations, as well as a member of Coordination SUD (French NGOs platform) and of others associations or platforms.
How has it started ?
Oxfam France - Agir was established in 1988.
At that time international solidarity could only go through two channels :
- associations providing aid for development through supporting projects in the field and heightening public awareness of the problem of solidarity issues.
- associations providing emergency or humanitarian aid.
At the same time, a group of engaged citizens launched the idea of intervening upfront with decision-makers, in order to try to influence their opinions about Southern countries. The group also proposed a new means of action, implying the citizens directly: the opinion campaigns. This lobbying work was already developing in the Anglo-Saxon countries, but everything had to be done in France : Oxfam France – Agir Ici was born.