In many areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, citizens are still vulnerable to brutal violence from armed groups and in some cases from government, including the police, army and local officials.

In areas of northern Mali the price of food and fuel is rocketing as supplies start to dry up after looting following recent military operations, and with traders who have fled the area failing to return amid growing numbers of reports of reprisal attacks.

International aid agency Oxfam is extremely concerned that the recent intensification of fighting in Mali, which includes the intervention of French military, could worsen restrictions on humanitarian access and lead to a significant increase the humanitarian needs of populations across the country and in neighboring states.

Development gains made in Afghanistan over the last decade are in danger of being thrown away if levels of aid fall away in conjunction with the withdrawal of international troops in 2014.

Guns are useless without bullets. An Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that does not control ammunition will not achieve its purposes.

Seasonal rains due in Sudan and South Sudan will exacerbate already dire conditions in refugee camps, restrict travel and access, and heighten the risk of disease, a group of leading humanitarian agencies warned today.

South Sudan is facing its most violent year since the end of the civil war in 2005, international agency Oxfam warned today, and it urged the UN Security Council, as it visits the region, to ensure that civilians are better protected.

In 2010, millions of men, women, and children were killed, raped, displaced, injured, or recruited by force in armed conflicts throughout the world.

The international community's record on protecting civilians in 2010 was uneven and often biased, according to a new report published today by international agency Oxfam. Thousands of civilians were killed in conflicts last year alone while millions were displaced from their homes.

Oxfam deplores the use of lethal force against unarmed civilian protesters in North Africa, particularly evident in Libya.