Media Advisory: Oxfam and partners at UNGA 78, focusing on SDGs, inequality, climate, and health

Oxfam leaders, experts, and partners will be in New York for the UN General Assembly with a focus on the SDGs, inequality, climate, access to healthcare, humanitarian issues, and more. Oxfam is a global organization that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice and will bring this focus on inequality (Goal 10) and how it intersects with the entire 2030 agenda.

Unfortunately, in Oxfam’s programmatic and advocacy work, we see clearly that at this important milestone, we are very off-track to achieve the SDGs. Oxfam will be pushing leaders to make bold commitments and more importantly, follow up with bold, urgent action to get the SDGs back on track. We know what works to address these challenges, and we know there are more than enough resources to do so. We must ensure that those resources and capacity are in the hands of those on the frontlines tackling these complex issues.

Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar said: “At the General Assembly this year, the stakes couldn't be higher as we take stock of the SDGs at their midway point. COVID-19 and other cascading crises have set back our progress. But at the heart of our delayed progress is inequality. Unless we fight the widening chasm between those who have and those who have not, we will continue derailing. At UNGA this year, we urge leaders to tackle the widening gap between the super-rich and the super-poor, and the climate and gender injustices, and to address fragile states pressing humanitarian needs, that are preventing us from achieving the SDG's ambitions. There are enough resources and knowledge to get us back on track, but leaders must act collectively and urgently as time is running out.”

A few highlights from Oxfam’s agenda include:

On Saturday, Sept 16: As part of the SDG Mobilization Day, Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar and Secretary-General Guterres will speak together in a fireside chat discussing the important of accountability and financing the SDGs; Oxfam America President & CEO Abby Maxman will speak about climate synergies and the SDGs, and Oxfam America Vice President Tawanda Mutasah will speak about SDGs and the Summit of the Future.

On Tuesday, Sept 19: Oxfam leaders and experts will be speaking to a renewed effort and bolder targets to fight inequality, alongside Heads of State, UNAIDS and the Pathfinders.

Oxfam experts will also be speaking at events and releasing statements and reports on the situation in Sudan, Women’s Land Rights, and will be joining the Climate March with Marinel Ubaldo, a young activist from the Philippines, leading the climate delegation.

We will be reacting to Heads of State Speeches and other developments throughout.

Spokespeople: 

• Amitabh Behar, Oxfam International Executive Director; Sustainable Development Goals, Inequality, Climate
• Abby Maxman, Oxfam America President and CEO; Sustainable Development Goals, Inequality, Humanitarian Issues
• Fati N’Zi Hassane, Oxfam in Africa Director; Hunger Crisis, Care Work, Climate and Women’s Land Rights, Girls Education
• Marinel Ubaldo, Oxfam International Partner: Youth Climate Activist Climate and Youth Activism
• Tawanda Mutasah, Oxfam America Vice President of Global Partnerships and Impact; Sustainable Development Goals, Summit of the Future, Inequality, Humanitarian Issues
• Brenda Mofya, Head of Oxfam New York Office: Sustainable Development Goals, The Summit of the Future, Humanitarian Issues
• Pauline Chetcuti, Oxfam International Head of Humanitarian Advocacy and Campaigns; Humanitarian and Climate Financing, Humanitarian Issues
• Pubudini Wickramaratne, Oxfam International Land Rights Policy Lead; Women's Land Rights
• Harry Bignell, Oxfam Great Britain Health Policy Advisor; Global Health Policy
• Grazielle Custódio David, Latin America Economic Justice and Inequality Coordinator; Economic Justice and Health Policy in Latin America
• Nina Waskiewicz, Oxfam America Climate; Climate
• Abdulwasea Mohammed, Oxfam in Yemen Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns Lead: Yemen

Events and Media Products:

Saturday, Sept 16:

SDG Action Weekend

EVENT: Fireside Chat with Amitabh Behar, Oxfam International Executive Director, and UN Secretary-General Guterres with a focus on accountability, financing, and means of implementation of the SDGs  TIME: 3:00-4:45 pm
LOCATION: SDG Mobilization Day at UNHQ

EVENT:  Panel: “Best practices on synergistic climate and SDG action” featuring Abby Maxman, Oxfam America President and CEO
TIME: 12:15-1:45 pm
LOCATION: SDG Mobilization Day at UNHQ

OXFAM EVENT: “From the SDG Summit to the Summit of the Future: Building the UN We Need” featuring Tawanda Mutasah, Oxfam America Vice President of Global Partnerships and Impact.
TIME: 2:15-3:45 pm
LOCATION: SDG Mobilization Day at UNHQ

Tuesday, Sept 19: 

MEDIA REACTION: Oxfam will react to Heads of State speeches, including those by President Biden and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

EVENT + REPORT: The People’s Vaccine Alliance will host an event as part of the People’s Vaccine Alliance and launch the report “The Human Debt. How LAC Paid for the COVID-19 Vaccines”.
TIME: 3:00-3:30 pm
LOCATION: Church Center
RSVP and learn more here

MEETING: Global Food Crisis Emergency Meeting, hosted by the Irish Mission - Amitabh Behar will participate in the discussion.
TIME:  8:00 -9:30 am

EVENT: “Building Evidence for Policy Action on the Care Economy,” featuring Fati N’Zi Hassane, Oxfam in Africa Director. Hosted by the Global Alliance for Care.
TIME: 1:30-3:30 pm
LOCATION: Hybrid
RSVP and learn more here

Wednesday, Sept 20: 

EVENT WITH HEADS OF STATE + PUBLIC LETTER: Heads of State Convening, “Rescuing SDG10: Overcoming Inequality Event, in support of a public letter pursuing bolder targets in addressing inequality as a key part of the SDGs. Oxfam, UNAIDS, DFI, and the Pathfinders are organizing.
TIME: 12:45-1:00pm
LOCATION: Delegates Lounge

HIGH-LEVEL EVENT + CIVIL SOCIETY STATEMENT: “The Cost of Inaction in Sudan, Working Together in Support of the Humanitarian Response in Sudan and the Region,” featuring Brenda Mofya.
TIME: 8-10am
LOCATION: UNTV

OXFAM EVENT + REPORT: “Grounding Women's Land Rights: Towards Equity and Justice” which reveals the urgent need for transformative change to secure equitable land rights for women and marginalized communities.
TIME: 9-10 am

EVENT + REPORT: "Recharging Community Consent," which analyzes mining companies in the transition to renewable power and concludes that the battery mining sector is not yet ready to support a just energy transition.
TIME: 11 am-12:30 pm

EVENT: Climate Ambition Summit – Amitabh Behar will be participating.
TIME: 10 am-6 pm

Thursday, Sept 21:

EVENT: Amitabh Behar will participate in a discussion "Accountability + Action for People + Planet."
LOCATION: SDG Action Zone
TIME: 9 am-12:30 pm – this panel estimated to start at 11 am

OXFAM + DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES EVENT + REPORT: “Leaving No one Behind: A Green Bargain for People and Planet,” on the importance of collaboration between the climate and humanitarian sectors.
TIME: 3:30-5 pm
Note: They will also be presenting the paper at a High-Level Event “Closing the Gap: Accelerating Climate Action in Fragile and Vulnerable Contexts”

Friday, Sept 22: 

HIGH-LEVEL EVENT WITH ZAMBIAN MISSION AND OXFAM: “Unlocking Her Potential: The Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL) Program in Zambia,” featuring Fati N’Zi Hassane, Oxfam in Africa Director.
TIME: 3:30-5pm