Frequently Asked Questions

How can I read publications online?

All of our publications are free to download. The majority are available in PDF format. To read PDFs you will need Adobe Reader installed on your device. Oxfam PDFs are set up so they can be saved and printed, but they cannot be edited and then saved. Other formats available include spreadsheets, datasets, documents, infographics and slidedecks.

Are Oxfam publications available in translation?

Many Oxfam publications are available in French, Spanish, Arabic and other languages. Content can be accessed in up to 40 languages though the coverage does vary. You can see the languages available for a publication through the Available Documents drop-down menu for that title. You can also filter the resources by language.

How accessible are Oxfam publications?

The Policy & Practice website is mostly compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2 AA standard. However, the publications available to download as PDFs will vary in accessibility. For example, headings and styles may not be used correctly, images may not have descriptions, tables may not have row or column headings, colour contrast may be poor. These affect the accessibility of the content for keyboard users and screen readers. We are using updated PDF templates for new publications to better meet the accessibility needs of readers with visual impairment, including improving the use of headers and alt-text for images, for example.

Do publications on Policy & Practice represent Oxfam’s views?

Policy & Practice shares publications from Oxfam and also from partner organisations. They include views from members of the communities that we work with, from other organisations, and from Oxfam, as well as data and text from sources identified in the endnotes or references. The views expressed represent those held by respective authors at the time of publishing. The language and imagery used were considered appropriate to the context at the time. The publications on Policy & Practice do not necessarily represent the views of Oxfam now.

Do Oxfam publications use inclusive language?

Some language and imagery used in our publications may no longer align with the views and values that we hold now or may not be appropriate in all contexts. Language or imagery in past publications may be considered insensitive, offensive or discriminatory and may not reflect the feminist and anti-racist values and principles we now uphold. The language may include jargon which is a barrier to understanding. We are striving to use inclusive language in our publications wherever possible but we recognise that this is not yet consistent for all.

What are the sources for materials published on this website?

This website includes materials published by Oxfam International and by affiliates of the Oxfam confederation. Some materials are produced by multi-agency consortia of which Oxfam is a member, or by Oxfam partners. In all cases the original publisher is listed. Oxfam publications may cite the words, images or data of others and we note the sources in the endnotes or references. Oxfam is not responsible for the content of materials published by others.

I am an author and wish to change my name on an Oxfam publication. What should I do?

Where authors wish to change their name following publication due to gender affirmation, marriage, divorce, religious conversion and other reasons, we will update and republish the paper and the associated metadata. We will not publish a correction notice to the paper and we will not notify co-authors of the change. Authors should contact policyandpractice@oxfam.org.uk with any name change request.

How do I cite Oxfam publications?

Citation styles vary so we recommend you check your own reference management preferences. Otherwise, please cite Oxfam publications as follows:

Author/s. (Year of publication). Title. Publisher. DOI (where available). URL

Example:

Piaget, K., C. Coffey, S. Molano, M.J. Moreno Ruiz. (2020). Feminist Futures: Caring for people, caring for justice and rights. Oxfam. DOI: 10.21201/2020.6348. https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/publications/feminist-futures-caring-for-people-caring-for-justice-and-rights-621046

How do I get permission to reproduce Oxfam publications or the material within them?

See our Copyright & Permissions page.

Why are some publications only available to download in separate chapter PDFs?

Many publications published prior to 2006 are only available to download in separate PDF chapters or sections. This is because these files were digitized from the hard copy and were created in sections to keep the download file size to a minimum. Publications from 2006 onwards should be available to download as a single PDF file.

Are Oxfam publications available through any third party services?

Yes, Oxfam publications are available through a number of third party services such as Research4Life.

How can I buy printed publications?

Oxfam print books are available to order online through the Practical Action Publishing website.

To order Oxfam publications offline, or for inspection copy requests please contact Practical Action Publishing directly.

How can I publish with Oxfam?

If you are a partner organization and have an idea for a collaborative publishing or communications project with Oxfam please contact your usual Oxfam colleague. If you wish to include a publication on our website , please email us.

How can I keep up-to-date with Oxfam publications?

To keep up-to-date with our latest publications and blogs please sign up for our monthly newsletter. You can also follow us on Instagram, X, Bluesky, Facebook and LinkedIn.