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The Sustainable Development Goals in Myanmar
The Sustainable Development Goals are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Myanmar:
Video
21 September 2023
International Day of Peace 2023: UN Chief Message
As we mark this International Day of Peace, people and our planet are in crisis.
Conflicts driving record numbers of people from their homes.
Deadly fires, raging floods and soaring temperatures.
Poverty, inequalities and injustices.
Mistrust, division and prejudice.
This year’s theme reminds us that peace is not automatic.
Peace is the result of action.
Action to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure that no one is left behind.
Action to end the war on our planet and its natural gifts.
Action to uphold and protect the human rights and dignity of every person — especially as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Action to use the timeless tools of diplomacy, dialogue and collaboration to defuse tensions and end conflict.
And action for those millions of people living through the horrors of war.
Peace is not only a noble vision for humanity.
Peace is a call to action.
Let us commit to build, drive and sustain peace for all.
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Speech
15 September 2023
Secretary-General message for the International Day of Democracy
Democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights are bedrocks of resilient, inclusive, and peaceful societies.
They underwrite freedom, advance sustainable development, and protect the dignity and rights of every person.
On the International Day of Democracy, we celebrate its promise to societies – and recognize the many threats it faces at this time of tension and turmoil.
The walls are closing in on civic spaces.
Mis- and disinformation is poisoning public discourse, polarizing communities, and eroding trust in institutions.
This year’s theme – “Empowering the Next Generation” – focuses on the essential role of children and young people in safeguarding democracy today and in the future.
It is not enough to listen to children and young people.
We must support them with massive investments in education, skills-building, and lifelong learning.
We must protect human rights and advance gender equality.
And we must expand the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making processes at every level.
On this important day, let us join hands across generations and work as one to build a more just world for all.
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Story
28 August 2023
Three innovative ways UNDP is helping farmers in Myanmar’s Shan State
Agriculture provides work for thousands of people across Shan State, a livelihood that produces food consumed throughout Myanmar and drives substantial earnings through exports.
It is, however, possible to enhance agricultural productivity by implementing better farming methods, choosing appropriate crops, and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which contribute to environmental degradation.
Since the military takeover in February 2021, economic instability in Myanmar has further exacerbated farmers' challenges. Seed and fertilizer prices have risen, access to markets and supply chains has been disrupted, and available credit is limited, which is vital for many farmers who lack the money to pay for critical agricultural inputs between sowing the crops and selling the harvest.
UNDP is providing wide-ranging support to farmers in southern Shan State, including harnessing affordable, climate change-resilient technological solutions to increase the productivity of their land. To ensure success, new ideas are piloted with farmers. Here are three of UNDP’s latest initiatives.
Irrigating crops with solar pumps
Myanmar’s annual monsoon provides sufficient rain for farmers to grow groundnuts and ginger. However, other crops, such as rice paddy, garlic, tomatoes, and chilli peppers, require additional irrigation.
Farmers in one village rely on diesel-powered pumps to extract water from a local creek to access this water. With fuel prices rising, this is a costly endeavour.
"I had to cut down on fertilizer expenses to compensate for the high fuel costs. As a result, vegetable yields on my farm suffered. Additionally, the diesel engine pumps used by all farmers in the village during the harvesting season caused noise and air pollution," said U Bhone.
To overcome these issues and facilitate a sustainable way to irrigate crops, UNDP provided a solar pumping system to support farmers' production needs, alleviating concerns about fuel costs.
"To ensure the system's maintenance, the group of farmers using the solar pumping system contribute a small amount of money," U Bhone added.
"The success of this pilot project has sparked interest among other households in the village, who are now considering installing their own solar pumping systems."
Fertilizer + irrigation = fertigation
Fertigation is the process by which fertilizer is dissolved in an irrigation system’s water and delivered directly to the plants’ roots. Although using the system requires training and close management, it improves the uptake of nutrients, saves farmers’ time, and increases crop yields. As part of a pilot project, UNDP provided pipes, water tanks and technical support to establish the fertigation system in a southern Shan State village. The process reduced the amount of fertilizer used from 25kg to 1.5kg. At a time when fertilizer costs have soared from between 15 and 40 percent, these savings are significant. "Previously, my tomato farm had very low yields, and the cost of fertilizer was overwhelming. Additionally, my wife and I had to pay labor fees as we worked tirelessly to manage the farm. After selling the tomatoes at the market, there wasn't much money left for my family. I was barely breaking even," said U Kyaw Oo. Now using a fertigation system, he is spending 10 percent of what he previously spent on fertilizer and his labor costs have fallen. The family income has grown 40 percent with these savings and increased harvests. U Kyaw Oo is now expanding his fertigation use beyond tomatoes to other crops, including long beans, peanuts, and cucumbers. Although fertigation requires some initial investment, he explained that with the increased productivity, he will recover his investment in as little as six months. Experimenting with different rice seeds When it comes to growing rice, farmers in Shan State have limited options on the seeds they can use. They often rely on imported paddy used for one season and cannot be saved for future harvests. To introduce farmers to new, more productive rice varieties, UNDP has set up a demonstration farm in a southern Shan State village. Here farmers are taught sustainable practices, such as reducing chemical inputs and replacing them with organic alternatives, and managing pests effectively. By experimenting with different rice varieties, farmer U Win Myint discovered that basmati was best for his farm. It is a better-quality grain with higher market demand and price due to its popularity. "Unlike [the imported seeds], which are expensive and cannot be preserved for future use, basmati seeds can be stored and used for multiple years, providing long-term benefits," U Win Myint said, adding how he is even able to share surplus rice with his neighbours so they can grow it too. UNDP has also helped renovate a canal to ensure plentiful water is available for irrigation in the village. Now dry land around the canal can also be farmed, and the project provided temporary work and income for around 80 residents. With more water available, farmers can start growing paddy earlier. These activities are delivered through UNDP’s Enabling Community Recovery and Resilience (ENCORE) project. The pilots are showcasing technical options available to farmers in Shan State who can embrace and replicate new these innovative farming techniques, while UNDP continues to provide technical support. This article was originally published on the UNDP Myanmar website on August 23.
Fertigation is the process by which fertilizer is dissolved in an irrigation system’s water and delivered directly to the plants’ roots. Although using the system requires training and close management, it improves the uptake of nutrients, saves farmers’ time, and increases crop yields. As part of a pilot project, UNDP provided pipes, water tanks and technical support to establish the fertigation system in a southern Shan State village. The process reduced the amount of fertilizer used from 25kg to 1.5kg. At a time when fertilizer costs have soared from between 15 and 40 percent, these savings are significant. "Previously, my tomato farm had very low yields, and the cost of fertilizer was overwhelming. Additionally, my wife and I had to pay labor fees as we worked tirelessly to manage the farm. After selling the tomatoes at the market, there wasn't much money left for my family. I was barely breaking even," said U Kyaw Oo. Now using a fertigation system, he is spending 10 percent of what he previously spent on fertilizer and his labor costs have fallen. The family income has grown 40 percent with these savings and increased harvests. U Kyaw Oo is now expanding his fertigation use beyond tomatoes to other crops, including long beans, peanuts, and cucumbers. Although fertigation requires some initial investment, he explained that with the increased productivity, he will recover his investment in as little as six months. Experimenting with different rice seeds When it comes to growing rice, farmers in Shan State have limited options on the seeds they can use. They often rely on imported paddy used for one season and cannot be saved for future harvests. To introduce farmers to new, more productive rice varieties, UNDP has set up a demonstration farm in a southern Shan State village. Here farmers are taught sustainable practices, such as reducing chemical inputs and replacing them with organic alternatives, and managing pests effectively. By experimenting with different rice varieties, farmer U Win Myint discovered that basmati was best for his farm. It is a better-quality grain with higher market demand and price due to its popularity. "Unlike [the imported seeds], which are expensive and cannot be preserved for future use, basmati seeds can be stored and used for multiple years, providing long-term benefits," U Win Myint said, adding how he is even able to share surplus rice with his neighbours so they can grow it too. UNDP has also helped renovate a canal to ensure plentiful water is available for irrigation in the village. Now dry land around the canal can also be farmed, and the project provided temporary work and income for around 80 residents. With more water available, farmers can start growing paddy earlier. These activities are delivered through UNDP’s Enabling Community Recovery and Resilience (ENCORE) project. The pilots are showcasing technical options available to farmers in Shan State who can embrace and replicate new these innovative farming techniques, while UNDP continues to provide technical support. This article was originally published on the UNDP Myanmar website on August 23.
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Story
11 September 2023
Theresa's Journey of Hope amidst Myanmar's Political Challenges
The political instability that has been affecting Myanmar since 2021 has proved difficult for communities across the country, including those from border areas between Shan and Kayah states. Theresa, a mother of two from Shan’s Pekon Township, across from Kayah State, moved to an internally displaced person’s (IDP) site in Taunggyi in Shan. “We often heard fighting and explosions because our home in Pekon was close to a conflict area, so we fled to Taunggyi for our safety. My husband remains there to secure our home, and at the same time, he is also working and sending us remittances.”
Upon arriving at the IDP site, Theresa built a small hut to lodge in with the support of other Kayah people who also left their homes. “It was really freezing there and we were getting sick. When we first arrived, some people already there gave us some food. But I was very sad at having to stay in this desolate area surrounded by hills.”
Theresa explained that though the initial period of settlement was tough, their situation eventually stabilized with the support she received from Parami Development Network, IOM's partner in Shan that's supporting displaced populations.* “The rice and oil we received truly helped to ease our burden. The health examinations, medicine and blankets, especially, as they helped to ensure the well-being of my precious children.”
Hoping to supplement her income, she attended a farming and animal husbandry training, as well as received coaching on using these skills for income generation. “I received some small capital which I’m using to breed livestock, such as chickens and pigs. I hope to get some extra income from this, and I also plan to use what I learned once I’m able to go back home.”
Though local organizations are doing their best to support, many needs remain at IDP sites, such as for healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure. “There are many families with children living here, and with high demand for water, the camp sometimes runs out of petrol to run the water pumps.”
Theresa of course hopes to one day be able to return to her home. “I need to enroll my kids in school as they are almost old enough.” While the situation remains challenging, she remains determined to make it through this. “It’s not easy here but we have to do any job we can find or think of. Most of us here can brew Kayah millet wine and make Kayah sausages. If there is demand for these, we can support our livelihoods.”
*Note: The South-East is one of the areas of Myanmar most affected by the current political instability. Theresa is one of over 34,000 internally displaced and vulnerable individuals in Southern Shan that IOM and PDN have assisted with funding support from the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT).
**This story was originally published by IOM - Theresa's Journey of Hope amidst Myanmar's Political Challenges | IOM Myanmar.
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31 July 2023
Displaced families in Myanmar brace for monsoon season in cyclone aftermath
Each year, between June and October, communities across Myanmar’s Rakhine State brace themselves for the near-daily deluges that sweep across the region during the monsoon season.
This year, the monsoon will bring unique challenges. In May, Cyclone Mocha, the most severe storm to hit Myanmar since Cyclone Nargis struck in 2008, made landfall on Rakhine State’s coast, causing widespread destruction.
Two months after it pummelled western Myanmar and southern Bangladesh, scenes of devastation can still be seen along roads radiating out from Sittwe, the state capital. Buildings with collapsed walls, missing roofs, and broken windows, interspersed with fallen electrical poles and other damaged infrastructure, dot the landscape.
Rakhine State is home to over 228,000 internally displaced people forced from their homes by bouts of intercommunal violence and conflict, including 157,000 ethnic Rohingya who have been living in overcrowded camps since 2012.
In Dar Paing, a camp for over 12,000 internally displaced Rohingya, debris and waterlogged soil stretches for as far as the eye can see. The camp was among the hardest hit by the cyclone, with 10 recorded deaths.
Sittwe Township, where Dar Paing is located, is at the confluence of three rivers that flow into the Indian Ocean – the Kaladan, Lay Myo and Mayu. The township was in the cyclone’s direct path and the accompanying storm surge triggered large-scale flooding in low-lying areas, causing a still-unknown number of casualties.
The community in Dar Paing had little time to mourn. With the monsoon rains already starting, residents of the camp are attempting to rebuild as best they can before the rainy season reaches its peak. But so far, only a fraction of damaged and destroyed shelters have been repaired, and thousands of people remain exposed to the elements.
“Our community is facing a lot of challenges. A lot of people need help to fix their roofs. The rains have arrived, and I am worried the situation will become unsustainable,” says Amraan, a community volunteer at the camp.
The monsoon season adds to the hardships faced by communities already living on the brink. The Rohingya face severe discrimination in Myanmar, impeding their access to fundamental rights. Many live in extreme poverty due to restrictions on their freedom of movement that have limited their ability to earn an income and access basic services such as education and healthcare.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and local partners are redoubling efforts to assist both displaced and non-displaced communities by ramping up their assistance in areas where the de facto authorities have granted limited humanitarian access.
Work is ongoing in displacement camps and villages to quickly distribute tarpaulins and reconstruct communal longhouses. To date, over 100,000 people have received shelter assistance and basic household items.
“Needs for the monsoon this year are immense,” says Federico Sersale, UNHCR’s Head of Office in Sittwe. “While we have been able to reach a large number of people, increased access is needed so we can reach more communities and help them stay protected from the rain.”
Stories of loss and hardship abound all along the Rakhine coast. Abia Khartu, 63, an ethnic Rohingya from Basara village, lost her home and belongings to the cyclone. “[After the cyclone hit], I was in shock. I could not even find my house. Everything has been destroyed,” she says. She now lives in a makeshift shelter covered by a tarpaulin provided by UNHCR.
The space inside is spartan with few personal items besides a sleeping mat, bucket, blanket and kitchen set. These basic household items are distributed by UNHCR and partners to help communities cope with the loss of their belongings.
Longer-term solutions needed
No community in the path of the cyclone was spared. In downtown Sittwe, residents of Ngai Sa Rai Monastery worry about the damaged state of communal shelters and facilities. “The cyclone destroyed 10 of the 12 latrines here. Now, there are long waits every morning and we also lack bathing spaces for women,” Ma Soe Yai, 31, says.
The Buddhist monastery has been a refuge for 35 Rakhine families since they were displaced by the conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar Armed Forces in 2020. Every communal longhouse at the site, each housing up to six families, sustained moderate to severe damage from the cyclone.
“It’s difficult for me to not worry. My roof leaks whenever it rains. If another storm comes, my shelter might collapse. I am miserable,” says Ma Soe Yai.
UNHCR is working closely with partner organizations to ensure tarpaulins are distributed, damaged shelters are reconstructed, and communal facilities are repaired.
Nearby in Set Yon Su Ward, an informal settlement where a small number of displaced ethnic Rakhine live, U Aye Dun, 65, has recently finished reconstructing his shelter which collapsed during the storm.
Topped with a white tarpaulin provided by UNHCR, it took him over two weeks to reconstruct his home. “I fixed everything myself. I have skills in bamboo craft, so I was able to rebuild my shelter without hiring additional labour. Otherwise, it would have been extremely expensive,” he says.
But as a daily wage labourer, U Aye Dun was unable to earn an income while he was rebuilding. Many others in this economically vulnerable community face the dilemma of having to forgo daily wages to fix their shelters so they can stay dry during the monsoon.
As commodity prices skyrocket in the aftermath of the cyclone, the provision of tarpaulins and basic household items has provided some much-needed relief to vulnerable families.
But more remains to be done. The UN estimates that at least 657,000 people across Rakhine need help with shelter, up from 390,000 people before the cyclone hit. Many are in hard-to-reach locations with limited humanitarian access.
“Our priority right now is to ensure people have a roof over their heads, but it is also important to continue to support displaced communities with long-term solutions, including access to basic rights and services, and help to return to their places of origin or preference,” says UNHCR’s Sersale.
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11 September 2023
Women’s organizations remain at the front line of the crisis response in Myanmar
In Rakhine State, Myanmar, the productive fields are left unharvested. Normally teeming with agricultural workers—the majority of whom are women and girls from the local villages—the fertile landscape has become another deadly battlefield.
Landmines, planted after the military coup in 2021, are causing soaring numbers of civilian casualties. Women and girls who dare to venture into rural fields alone, also face threats of sexual violence. A UN Women survey of 2,200 women in Myanmar found that half of them were afraid to leave their immediate neighbourhoods.
In Rakhine and Kachin States, the risks of violence are associated with shrinking mobility of women and girls. But staying at home has its own challenges. Rates of gender-based violence (GBV) are growing in households, as tensions rise over severe hunger and poverty. “There are no opportunities and no income, so the women and girls are beaten,” says Win*, a representative of a local women’s organization in Myanmar.
The lifeline: Only local partners can reach women and girls impacted by GBV
At a time when women and girls desperately need humanitarian support, external borders have been closed to international humanitarian workers. Instead, it is local women-led and women’s rights organizations and other local actors that have stepped up to shoulder the delivery of critical services to crisis-affected communities, often at great personal risk.
Since 2021, UN Women has supported 91 local women’s organizations in Myanmar through training on leadership, representation, advocacy skills, and awareness raising on humanitarian decision-making mechanisms and processes, contributing to increased access to tools and resources available in humanitarian planning and response processes and mechanisms.
The work has been carried out in partnership with UNFPA, through a grant from the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). More than 30 per cent of that funding has directly supported local women-led and women’s rights organizations. Without them, says Rowena Dacsig, programme specialist for UN Women Myanmar, women and girls in Myanmar would be missing their last remaining lifeline.
Beyond the military checkpoints of Kachin and Rakhine States, local women-led and women’s rights organizations have delivered critical services to women and girls who have experienced or are at risk of GBV, such as psychosocial counselling and humanitarian items like dignity kits, which include basic sanitary and hygiene supplies.
Local organizations have also been supported by UN Women to provide livelihood services, including financial skills development training and agricultural activities to 4,094 GBV survivors and women at risk, many of whom are now responsible for household income and earnings as husbands and sons are recruited by armed groups.
“Only those organizations which have local partners can carry on with their work”, says Dacsig. “Otherwise, the services to survivors and those at risk of GBV, including in internally displaced persons camps, would have ceased completely. Without these local partners, we’d be totally blind to the needs of women and girls in Myanmar because little to no information is coming out of these communities.”
In return, she adds, UN Women and UNFPA have also supported local women’s organizations through trainings on topics such as protection against sexual abuse and exploitation, upholding accountability within affected populations, and conducting risk assessments and gender analysis to inform delivery of critical services, for example, in relation to protection and livelihoods.
* Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the individual.
**This story was originally published by UN Women - Women’s organizations remain at the front line of the crisis response in Myanmar | UN Women – Headquarters.
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26 June 2023
Myanmar coffee shop owner leaves no one behind
For Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises Day 2023, we celebrate small entrepreneurs from all over the world. Small businesses account for 90% of the world's businesses, 60 to 70% of employment, and 50% of the global economy. They contribute to local and national economies and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Tell us about yourself.
I am Ni Ni Htwe, CEO of Coffee Win Myanmar Company Limited, a family-owned business working throughout the coffee supply-chain, focusing on sustainable agriculture. We also work with 100 coffee farmers from Ywar Ngan, Shan State and Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Region. We have been in the coffee industry for six years running a chain, which is Coffee Win.
What are the challenges that you face or have faced as a small business?
Our coffee shops aim to provide affordable and quality coffee, tea and snacks in line with food safety standards. We work very hard on innovative products to satisfy Myanmar’s young customers.
While providing consistent and quality service, operation cost is hard to control as we need capacity building for product creation and increasing electricity and rental costs.
We promoted our products at Mandalay international airport by providing food tasting but the COVID-19 pandemic affected our business with tourism coming to a halt during that time.
What are your needs to improve/ expand your business?
Investment in improvement of processing techniques and new equipment are necessary for product development, including herbal tea and ice-tea, a response to the healthy lifestyle trend among younger generation.
We also need to improve energy efficiency to become more competitive.
How have you found the support from ITC helpful?
With support from the European Union (EU) funded ARISE Plus Myanmar project,
we had a chance to participate at World of Coffee, Milan.
Also, with Coffee Cupping trainings, we came to understand more about coffee quality and classification.
Coaching in marketing and branding has helped us attract more buyers.
What would you say has been your best success as a business so far?
We have been able to consistently provide quality products to our customers. This is the result of building a cohesive social contract with farmers in Myanmar – the traditional way. We are able to take care of those who work for us. Our company provides health care to our farmers when most needed. They feel they are part of the business.
With consistent quality and volume of supply, we have been able to attract young customers.
We were happy to have coffee buyers from Hong Kong and Japan visit our coffee shops.
Your message to other small entrepreneurs
I would say the value of a business is determined, not through profitability, but through responsibility and innovation, which is also our commitment at our main family business company Taw Win KanBawZa Mountain, and at my company, Coffee Win.
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Story
09 June 2023
UNDP begins recovery after Cyclone Mocha
Cyclone Mocha was one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded in Myanmar when it made landfall in Rakhine State on 14 May, causing widespread devastation. At its fiercest, windspeeds reached more than 250 kilometres per hour.
Almost 7.9 million people are estimated to have been in the cyclone’s path, which caused severe damage as it moved inland to the country’s northwest. The humanitarian community in Myanmar has launched a Flash Appeal to raise US$333 million to assist 1.6 million people.
The scale of the work needed to recover is immense. The communities hit hardest were already among the most impoverished and disadvantaged in Myanmar, suffering years of conflict, displacement, and economic marginalization. Rakhine has the second-highest poverty rate in the country, with two-thirds of people living below the poverty line.
In Rakhine State, some 1.9 million people have been affected. The de facto authorities report that at least 145 people died in the cyclone, although other sources put this higher.
The storm surge and winds in Sittwe, the state’s capital, damaged almost every building. Bridges collapsed, fishing boats were left in ruins, and healthcare facilities and schools were destroyed. About 1,182 square kilometres of land were flooded, killing livestock, and contaminating drinking water and farmland. Prices of food and the supplies needed to repair damaged homes and infrastructure have soared.
UNDP is responding to immediate needs, reaching more than 60,000 people so far. We are focused on helping communities recover as quickly as possible and supporting people to rebuild their livelihoods so they can get back on their feet.
The first order of business is to repair infrastructure and clear roads. This enables businesses to stay open, aid to be delivered and essential services to resume. UNDP provides people carrying out this work an income, with most of the participants being women and people from internal displacement camps.
Ma Mya Win, who fled fighting to a camp in Sittwe in 2019 and participated in UNDP’s debris clearance, said; “I have become jobless as the tailor shop I used to work in was destroyed by the cyclone. The building collapsed to the ground. The owner has been trying to rebuild it, but it is complicated as the price of the construction materials is double what they used to be.
“I am thankful I found this job while waiting to be back to my tailoring job. I will use this money to buy food for my family. As you know, the food price in Sittwe doubled, and it is difficult for us to feed the children. And the back-to-school season is coming soon [in June] and that money would really help me buy stationery and pay tuition fees for my child.”
Our teams are also distributing seeds and organic fertilizer to provide families with both food to eat and sell, as well as supplies to fix their homes before the monsoon rains come.
With drinking water ponds inundated with salt water and mud, UNDP is drilling new boreholes, and cleaning wells. This is vital to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.
UNDP has also brought people together through community kitchens in Sittwe, covering food and labour costs while local residents cook for as many as 1,000 people.
UNDP is well-placed for both short- and long-term recovery, with a well-established presence in Rakhine State and a wide network of trusted partners. As soon as possible, we will also begin repairing critical infrastructure such as the bridges and village embankments that protect agricultural land.
Other plans include providing support to fishers and farmers to restart their work, helping small businesses to gain access to markets and cash, and ensuring that women have equal employment opportunities.
“The road to recovery for those affected by Cyclone Mocha will be long, but UNDP is ready to meet people’s critical and immediate needs,” said Titon Mitra, UNDP Myanmar Resident Representative.
“We will help people rebuild their livelihoods as quickly as possible so they can earn a stable income and be more resilient to future disasters. We are committed to helping communities rebuild stronger, and ensuring support is sustainable for the weeks, months and years ahead.”
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01 June 2023
Cyclone Mocha: Latest example of dire climate threat facing Myanmar’s children
More than 90 per cent of children in Myanmar face three or more overlapping climate and environment shocks, hazards or stresses, according to a new UNICEF regional report, ‘Over the Tipping Point’.
The report reveals that children in the East Asia and Pacific region face a greater exposure to multiple climate disasters than in any other region of the world. It calls for urgent investment in climate-smart social services and policies to protect children.
Ten days after Cyclone Mocha battered areas in Myanmar already hard-hit by years of conflict and deprivation, the impact of climate change on children and families is clear for all to see, UNICEF said. It is estimated that 3.4 million people live in the areas highly impacted by Cyclone Mocha.
With temperatures and sea levels rising and extreme weather such as typhoons, severe floods, landslides and droughts increasing globally, millions of children are at risk. Many children and their families face displacement and struggle to survive, with limited or no access to healthcare, education, and water and sanitation services.
In Myanmar, in addition to the impact of COVID-19 and conflict, many families have been forced to pull their children out of school to help with agricultural work, or because they cannot afford the cost of education due to the economic impact of climate change on their livelihoods.
According to the latest analysis, which is based on the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), in the East Asia and Pacific region over 210 million children are highly exposed to cyclones; 140 million children are highly exposed to water scarcity; 120 million children are highly exposed to coastal flooding; and 460 million children to air pollution. Ultimately, these effects exacerbate inequalities that children already face, pushing the poorest further into poverty.
As families grapple with the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha - amid an ongoing conflict - it is important to remember girls are more likely to be affected by disasters than boys or men, UNICEF said. Also, children with disabilities are at greater risk of adverse outcomes following a natural disaster.
In addition to its ongoing humanitarian support to children affected by the ongoing conflict across Myanmar, UNICEF is working to provide lifesaving assistance to children and families affected by Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine, Chin and Kachin States and Sagaing and Magway Regions.
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23 May 2023
Cyclone Mocha makes dire situation worse for millions of Women and children in Myanmar
Cyclone Mocha, which smashed through Myanmar’s Rakhine State last week, has left a trail of destruction that exacerbates the challenges already faced by millions of vulnerable people. Particularly affected are women and girls living with the compounded crises of COVID-19, ongoing conflict, and political and economic upheaval.
“5.4 million people are expected to have been in the path of the cyclone,” said UN acting interim Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar Ramanathan Balakrishnan. “Of these, we consider 3.1 million people to be most vulnerable to cyclone impacts, taking together indicators of shelter quality, food insecurity and, of course, poor coping capacity.”
The most immediate needs are shelter, clean water and sanitation. With evacuees living in huge numbers in small spaces, there is a high risk of waterborne and communicable diseases. And for women and children, there is the risk of increased gender-based violence.
The cyclone made landfall between Kyaukpyu township, on the northern part of Myanmar’s western coast and Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh at 12:30pm on 14 May, with winds recorded at up to 250 kilometres per hour. In Rakhine, and states in the north-west of the country, strong winds knocked down power lines and telecommunications towers, uprooted trees and damaged and destroyed houses and public infrastructure, including hospitals, banks and religious buildings.
There has been widespread destruction in displacement camps in Rakhine’s state capital Sittwe, where camp volunteers have reported that many of the flimsy bamboo longhouses were severely damaged or destroyed.
Even before Cyclone Mocha hit, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for Myanmar reported that 17.6 million people were in humanitarian need.
“It really is a nightmare scenario for this cyclone to hit areas with such deep pre-existing needs,” said Balakrishnan.
Women and girls are disproportionately hard hit
In the aftermath of a natural disaster, women, girls, boys and men are all affected differently. Women and girls are disproportionately impacted, and much more likely to experience increased violence, insecurity and gender-specific barriers and inequalities. UN Women Myanmar will be working with UN agencies and humanitarian partners to ensure the specific needs of women and children are prioritized throughout the response.
“I am a mother of a 5-year-old boy and am expecting the second anytime soon. My husband is a daily wager. Our house was totally collapsed in the storm, and we cannot afford building a new house. This is an additional hurdle for us, as we could hardly make ends meet.”
Urgent help is needed
The UN’s USD 764-million Humanitarian Response Plan prioritises 4.5 million people (out of the 17.6 million in need) for life-saving humanitarian support. And of those, 52 percent are women.
But to date, the response plan is only 10 per cent funded.
An urgent injection of funds is desperately needed to facilitate a full-scale response to the impact of Cyclone Mocha and subsequent flooding.
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Press Release
26 August 2023
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the sixth anniversary of the displacement of Rohingya people and other communities from Myanmar
The vulnerabilities faced by people of Myanmar, including the Rohingya, have been compounded by the ongoing conflict and by the devastation caused by Cyclone Mocha. The United Nations will continue to support efforts to create conditions that would be conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to their places of origin in Myanmar.
The Secretary-General calls on all stakeholders to redouble efforts to find comprehensive, inclusive, and durable solutions that can adequately address the root causes of systemic discrimination and violence in Myanmar and to respond to growing protection crisis and humanitarian needs while strengthening refugee protection efforts in the region for those fleeing persecution and violence.
Bangladesh has demonstrated humanitarian commitments and generosity which must be acknowledged through shared responsibility. More must be done to support the Joint Response Plan and prevent a broader humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations is committed to working with all stakeholders, including regional actors, to help resolve the crisis and seek accountability and justice for victims towards a sustainable peace in Rakhine State and all of Myanmar.
The Secretary-General calls on all stakeholders to redouble efforts to find comprehensive, inclusive, and durable solutions that can adequately address the root causes of systemic discrimination and violence in Myanmar and to respond to growing protection crisis and humanitarian needs while strengthening refugee protection efforts in the region for those fleeing persecution and violence.
Bangladesh has demonstrated humanitarian commitments and generosity which must be acknowledged through shared responsibility. More must be done to support the Joint Response Plan and prevent a broader humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations is committed to working with all stakeholders, including regional actors, to help resolve the crisis and seek accountability and justice for victims towards a sustainable peace in Rakhine State and all of Myanmar.
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Press Release
24 August 2023
Comment by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Myanmar
In all, over a million Rohingya have fled persecution and systematic discrimination to seek international refugee protection in Bangladesh, and more than 100,000 others are being held in closed displacement camps inside Myanmar. In a sign of their desperation, thousands more continue to attempt dangerous sea crossings from Myanmar and Bangladesh, too often ending in tragedy.
More must be done to hold the military to account for their repeated campaigns of persecution against the Rohingya, and for driving the country into its current human rights and humanitarian crisis. In the face of the impunity enjoyed by the Myanmar military for past and present crimes against the Rohingya as well as other groups, I call on States fully to support the ongoing international accountability efforts. Having spent many years trying to ease the plight of the Rohingya, my most fervent wish is for them to be able to return to their homes in dignity, in freedom and properly recognised as part of the diversity of Myanmar’s population. Their human rights must be fully respected and their security guaranteed. This is currently not the case given the precarious conditions in Rakhine State. Furthermore, the military has shown no willingness to address systematic discrimination against the Rohingya. In the face of competing crises, the international community must not forget the Rohingya people or their host community in Bangladesh. Humanitarian appeals for supporting the Rohingya, both in Myanmar and in the camps in Bangladesh, need greater support and funding. At the same time, third countries should expand Rohingya resettlement programmes or provide temporary protection, particularly in the region. And international efforts must be redoubled to reverse course in Myanmar and to ensure accountability and justice.
More must be done to hold the military to account for their repeated campaigns of persecution against the Rohingya, and for driving the country into its current human rights and humanitarian crisis. In the face of the impunity enjoyed by the Myanmar military for past and present crimes against the Rohingya as well as other groups, I call on States fully to support the ongoing international accountability efforts. Having spent many years trying to ease the plight of the Rohingya, my most fervent wish is for them to be able to return to their homes in dignity, in freedom and properly recognised as part of the diversity of Myanmar’s population. Their human rights must be fully respected and their security guaranteed. This is currently not the case given the precarious conditions in Rakhine State. Furthermore, the military has shown no willingness to address systematic discrimination against the Rohingya. In the face of competing crises, the international community must not forget the Rohingya people or their host community in Bangladesh. Humanitarian appeals for supporting the Rohingya, both in Myanmar and in the camps in Bangladesh, need greater support and funding. At the same time, third countries should expand Rohingya resettlement programmes or provide temporary protection, particularly in the region. And international efforts must be redoubled to reverse course in Myanmar and to ensure accountability and justice.
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Press Release
19 August 2023
Statement by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), on the occasion of World Humanitarian Day
In Myanmar, active conflicts and natural disasters have led to surging displacement and unparalleled hardships. Nearly 18 million people (one-third of the population) urgently require humanitarian aid in 2023. Despite escalating complexities and multiplying challenges, our resilient humanitarians continue to rise above difficulties to deliver life-saving support.
Local and national humanitarian partners have demonstrated unwavering resolve in supporting their fellow citizens, employing innovative approaches to reach conflict-affected and disaster-stricken areas. Their determination remains focused on the singular goal of preserving lives. Throughout the first half of 2023, these partners provided shelter, food, health services, education, protection, and more to 1.8 million men, women, and children affected by conflicts and natural disasters, achieving 36 percent of their target.
However, the journey is far from over. Completing this mission amidst insecurity and continual challenges demands safeguarding the lives of these brave humanitarians and ensuring unhindered access to those in need. Financial support is equally vital to deliver comprehensive assistance to the people of Myanmar who are grappling with the compounding consequences of COVID-19, conflict, economic crisis, and natural disasters.
Nonetheless, almost eight months into 2023, the Humanitarian Response Plan and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal are only funded at 25 per cent. This shortfall hinders our ability to provide timely and extensive aid.
On this World Humanitarian Day, we implore all parties to uphold international human rights and humanitarian laws, including ensuring humanitarian access and protecting aid workers. We also call upon the donor community to escalate their financial contributions, thereby reaffirming their commitment to the resilient people of Myanmar who endure this multi-faceted crisis.
In the spirit of humanity, let us stand united and resolute in our determination to protect lives and alleviate suffering no matter what and where.
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Press Release
18 August 2023
Lack of access and funding hampering aid to 18 million people in Myanmar, UN Humanitarian Chief Martin Griffiths says following visit to the country
“Successive crises in Myanmar have left one third of the population in need of humanitarian aid,” Griffiths said at the end of a three-day visit to the country. “They expect more and better from their leaders and from the international community.”
Humanitarian needs in Myanmar have surged in recent years, with the number of displaced persons increasing fivefold in less than three years, from 380,000 at the start of 2021 to 1.9 million at present.
During the visit, Griffiths met with families affected by conflict and natural disasters, including with Rakhine and Rohingya communities and with Myanmar authorities.
Griffiths visited Rakhine state, still reeling from the impact of cyclone Mocha three months ago. The cyclone flattened homes, damaged displacement camps, destroyed farmland, and killed livestock, leaving thousands of people vulnerable.
“Families are struggling to cope after the successive blows of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict and cyclone Mocha. We stand ready to do more both in Rakhine and nationwide, but we urgently need greater access and more funding to do so.”
In the capital Nay Pyi Taw, Griffiths met with the State Administration Council Chairman, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, with whom he discussed what humanitarians need to scale-up direct aid to affected populations in areas affected by conflict and natural disasters.
“My meetings were an opportunity to raise the need for expanded access,” Griffiths said. “I also expressed my concerns about the protection risks facing civilians in conflict areas and the bureaucratic constraints we humanitarians are facing in reaching them. It is critical for us to have the humanitarian space we need for safe, sustained aid deliveries around the country,” Griffiths said.
Despite rising needs, the humanitarian operation in Myanmar is facing a huge resource gap with just 22 per cent of required funds received more than half-way through the year.
“Over the past three days, I spoke with brave aid workers about their efforts to help those in need. However, a severe lack of funding means aid agencies are forced to make tough decisions about cutting assistance at a time when they should be scaling up even further. This needs to change,” Griffiths said.
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Press Release
14 August 2023
Survey highlights job termination levels and income security challenges in Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar – A new survey by the International Labour Organization (ILO) provides insight into employment termination and income security in Myanmar.
The survey targets former wage employees whose employment was terminated – either voluntarily or involuntarily – or temporarily suspended between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2022.
The findings reveal that during this period 70 per cent of employment terminations were voluntary resignations and 28 per cent were dismissals.
Following the military takeover on 1 February 2021, employment terminations increased 23.5 per cent, dismissals rose 41 per cent while resignations were up 22 per cent. Notably, public sector terminations increased by 392 per cent following the military takeover, with most occurring in the education sector.
The survey also highlights how basic employment rights were often not granted when employment was terminated with only 29.5 per cent of dismissed workers receiving statutory severance pay. Women and youth (ages 15–24) were found to be more likely to receive lower severance pay than men and more senior workers.
Of those who returned to work, 70 per cent found waged jobs and 30 per cent became self-employed. On average it took workers over five months to return to wage employment. Most former government employees who returned to work became self-employed.
Donglin Li, Liaison Officer, ILO Myanmar said, “Workers in Myanmar are facing a uniquely difficult set of circumstances. This survey reveals the urgent need for labour rights to be respected and the provision of social protection improved.”
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