Latest Infrastructure & environment

How one local woman is mobilising villages to show their love for the free-flowing river, and defying those who wish to exploit it.

Honkeo has a big vision: to empower Indigenous communities and to help them conserve their natural resources for the next generation: ““Nature is life for our indigenous communities … If women know their roles, they will contribute more”. Discover the life-changing work Oxfam does in the Mekong.

In southern Myanmar, a dam is being built which will flood an area the size of Singapore and impact more than 200,000 people. Nang Shining grew up in a community that’s threatened by the dam, and has become a powerful voice for the rights of people in her community.

Local communities can be resettled as a result of the building of dams — and it effects men and women differently. Using a technique called Forum Theatre, the Mekong Regional team demonstrated power dynamics to more than 300 scientists, researchers and global experts .

Women are becoming frontline activists in the battle against the dams that threaten their communities: “We all have one dream. We want to be included in the decisions over the dams. We want our rights to be heard”

Chhea’s community is threatened by the construction of a large hydropower dam. She shares her concerns and hopes for the future.

The Mekong river is a vital resource for poor and vulnerable people in the lower Mekong region, including essential water for fisheries and agriculture. Major development decisions — like dams — can affect the food security of the surrounding communities. The impacts of development on women and ethnic minorities is of particular concern.

Nari is 24 and participates in a local Cambodian program called “Women Talk on Air” — a program that aims to build capacity and empower women to speak their minds to community leaders and decision-makers. She discusses her concerns around hydropower dam construction and the potential impact on an entire community.

In the Mekong Region, civil society is growing. NGOs and local communities are working together to build up a network of concerned people and communities working on water resource management.

On 29 and 30 April 2013, Oxfam Australia hosted a roundtable dialogue on water and resource governance in the Mekong region in Canberra. Around 40 stakeholders from Australia and the Mekong came together to discuss developments in the region that have implications for water, food and energy security. The roundtable provided information and stimulated discussions […]