Oxfam India works to address root causes of absolute poverty and inequality. We see poverty as a problem of power, rather powerlessness, in which people are deprived of opportunities, choices, resources, essential services, knowledge and protection. In this sense, poverty is something more than mere lack of income, health and education. It is also people's frustration about any control in deciding the destiny of their lives, their exclusion from decision-making. While the Universal Declaration of Human rights is the guiding framework under which Oxfam India functions, it also derives its mandate from the constitutional rights promised to every citizen of the country. Persistent poverty and inequality is not just a violation of basic human rights of the people but it also undermines economic growth of a nation by wasting talents and human resources. It leads to a skewed society where power and decision-making remains in the hands of the few leading to greater conflicts and undermining of social cohesion in the end.
Oxfam seeks to address this through a Rights Based Approach where people are seen as the bearers of civil, political and social and economic rights. At the same time, institutions - both state and non-state institutions -- are seen as duty bearers to guarantee and provide those rights to the people. It is also important to underline that without augmenting people's ability to exercise them, the rights would be meaningless.
