Oxfam Ireland Releases

Sharon Corr today became the first person to use her voice to support Oxfam Ireland’s new campaign Ending Poverty Starts With Women, which highlights that treating women as equals is key to tackling global poverty.

As the campaign ambassador, she is preparing to travel to Tanzania with Oxfam in July. There the singer-songwriter and judge on RTÉ’s The Voice will meet inspiring women who are transforming their families and communities with Oxfam’s support.

“I’m honoured to be the first person to add my voice to Oxfam Ireland’s new campaign because when women are treated as equals, everyone benefits,” said Sharon Corr. “It’s a woman’s natural instinct to nurture and provide sustenance for her children. But without access to or a right to land, the means to grow food, or a voice in their own society they struggle to do this. That means entire communities suffer.

“Ending Poverty Starts With Women calls on men and women to use the power of their voices to make a difference and this summer I’ll be travelling to Tanzania with Oxfam to see first-hand how they are helping women effect real change and how we can support them.”

The Irish and UK governments are being urged to support the campaign: Oxfam is calling on the Irish Government to increase the proportion of existing overseas aid allocated to women’s rights programmes in developing countries. Oxfam aims to get 10,000 people across Ireland to add their voice to Ending Poverty Starts With Women.

“At the heart of Oxfam’s work is the belief that ending global poverty begins with equal rights for men and women,” said Oxfam Ireland Chief Executive Jim Clarken. “Worldwide, women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours, produce half its food, yet earn only 10 per cent of the world’s income and own less than one per cent of property.

“While poverty may have a female face, so does the solution. Research has found that if women farmers had the same access to land, tools, seeds and credit as men, they could grow enough extra food to feed more than 100 million of the world’s hungriest people.

“We are delighted that Sharon Corr is supporting our work. We want the public to join us making a difference to the lives of women affected by poverty and injustice. Every voice counts,” said Mr Clarken.

More information on the campaign is available at www.oxfamireland.org/women.