Cookies on oxfam

We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience on our website. If you continue browsing, we’ll assume that you are happy to receive all our cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Find out more Close

Within and Without the State

A peace campaign meeting in Panyangara Sub-County, Kotido, Uganda, September 2010. Francis Odokorach/Oxfam

At a glance

Within & Without the State aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of civil society programming in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Overview

It is estimated that a third of the world's poorest and most vulnerable and marginalised people live in countries that have the least capacity or will at state level to deliver services and public goods for citizens.

These countries are also the most chronically-affected by conflicts and their aftermath. These fragile and conflict-affected countries are amongst the most challenging places for development agencies to work.

Project overview

From 2011-14, Oxfam is implementing a global initiative aimed at improving the quality and effectiveness of programming in fragile and conflict-affected settings. It is working in four focus countries:

  • Afghanistan

  • Occupied Palestinian Territories/Israel (OPT/I)

  • South Sudan
  • Yemen

The project is building the capacity of civil society partners in these countries in order to identify and respond to specific challenges within their local fragile settings.

An 'outer circle' of conflict-affected and fragile countries is exploring how to engage with a broad range of state and non-state actors at multiple levels. A global knowledge and learning component aims to:

  • Ensure that internal and external target audiences have an improved understanding and awareness of how pro-poor change can be achieved via civil society in fragile settings.

  • Build a credible and useable evidence base on how pro-poor change can be achieved in fragile settings.

Funding

Within and Without the State is funded by UK aid through the Department for International Development's (DFID) Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA) for work on conflict, security and justice, and humanitarian issues.

Key resources

Latest blogs