Project detail - Oxfam Novib

Who is our customer?

Oxfam Novib is a Dutch non-governmental organization for development cooperation and part of Oxfam International. It aims to alleviate poverty and is mainly active in the areas of poverty reduction and equal rights, striving for a just world without poverty. To achieve its goal, Oxfam Novib works with local organizations in developing countries, runs campaigns in the Netherlands to raise awareness of global poverty and injustice, and seeks to influence the policies of governments and companies at both national and international levels. In the countries where it operates, Oxfam Novib collaborates with local organizations and initiatives. Additionally, it works primarily with the 17 other organizations that are part of Oxfam International. Oxfam Novib is a member of the Oxfam Confederation, a global movement of people who are fighting inequality. They work with partner organizations across the globe to cocreate a world that is fair, safe, equal and sustainable for everyone. Together they fight for equal rights for every person, no matter their gender, identity, ethnicity or skin color. They firmly believe in the power of people to end inequality. Around the world, millions of people are mobilizing against injustice, growing inequality, violence, and climate impact that hits the most vulnerable the hardest. They are the changemakers who stand up for equality.

What is our funding objective?

To ensure that vulnerable groups, including women and indigenous (micro)finance borrowers in Cambodia, have access to a fair and just dispute resolution mechanism, such as the Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism, which will be enhanced by Oxfam in Cambodia. The objective is to ultimately contribute to a more effective and sustainable approach to managing loan-related conflicts, while promoting financial stability and protecting human rights.

Why do we fund this investment?

There have been ongoing concerns around client protection and overindebtedness in Cambodia. There is consensus among the DFIs, as responsible lenders, that the scale of the problem is significant and the allegations serious enough to warrant efforts toward sector-wide improvements. Individual lenders have limited leverage, but as a group, DFIs can achieve more at the sectoral level. Therefore, DFIs (particularly DEG, OeEB and FMO) are cooperating and would like to support this project as part of a broader effort, alongside the UN, IFC, the Central Bank of Cambodia, the banking association, the microfinance association, several NGOs, and investors, to build a more robust grievance mechanism ecosystem.