When the earthquake hit Myanmar on 28 March, Tin Zar Linn remembers only flashes—the sound of people screaming, and then the sudden darkness as she collapsed. She was injured, frightened, and unsure what would come next in the community she grew up in.A few months later, people in the community now call her “Sayarma-lay”—“young teacher” in Myanmar language. At the Women and Girls Centre in Mandalay, the Centre staff, including young volunteers, meet women and girls, and sit together for safe conversation. The Centre, supported by UNFPA and funded by the UK Government through Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), has become a lifeline in the long and uneven recovery from the earthquake.“I love helping people whenever and wherever I can,” she says. Before the quake, she volunteered with AFXB’s floating clinic, helping communities and families along the Irrawaddy river. “Like others in my community, I was heavily affected by the earthquake—both physically and mentally. Later, I had the opportunity to help the affected community again through the Women and Girls Centre in Mandalay.” When Regional Humanitarian Advisor for UNFPA’s Asia-Pacific office, Tomoko Kurokawa, visited Mandalay, she met the affected women who shared their experiences of the center.“They told me how essential the Centre was for them during the earthquake response,” Tomoko recalls. “They said that this Centre is the only safe and private place in the area where they can go to receive information about their sexual and reproductive health, to talk openly and safely about gender-based violence, and to receive psychosocial support.”In the crowded displacement sites that sprang up after the disaster, privacy is scarce. Families share makeshift tents; women and girls struggle to manage their periods, find safe latrines, or seek help if they experience violence. The Women and Girls Centre offers something unique: a safe space for women. Tomoko describes how, over time, the Centre evolved into much more than a service delivery point. “Many said that the Centre has helped them rebuild a sense of community, and what they learned there is now knowledge that they pass on to their children, especially adolescent girls. It has become very clear that the Centre has become a place of healing and strength.”For Nu Nu Lwin, the Centre Officer who oversees day-to-day activities, what makes the space unique is the way services are offered.“The Centre is not just the place to distribute relief items – it offers services at a safe space where women and girls can participate openly. There was no such place here before, and as the more the community sees its value, the more of their trust and love in the centre keeps it alive.” Sessions at the Centre cover practical topics—what constitutes gender-based violence, how to seek help, where to access services, and how to support a friend experiencing violence. For many women and adolescent girls, it is the first time anyone has told them they have a right to safety, to bodily autonomy, and to seek support without harm.The Centre also offers sexual and reproductive health information tailored to adolescents and young people. “Every young person has the right to access sexual and reproductive health information even in the hardest situation,” says Tin Zar. “With this information, young people are being empowered and able to control their bodies and well-being. It helps prevent unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted infections.”This information is particularly critical in earthquake-affected communities, where health facilities were damaged, transport was disrupted, and fear kept many away from care. The Women and Girls Centre is also a space for psychosocial recovery. Many women arrive carrying invisible burdens: sleeplessness, constant worry, grief for family members lost, and the stress of having fled with almost nothing.“Women and girls who come here enjoy the psychosocial support activities at the Centre such as awareness sessions and mental health counselling,” Tin Zar says. “They forget all the worries and stresses for a period of time while at the center.” She smiles as she describes the atmosphere. “Beauty or book? You name it, they have both. They can wear Thanakha (i.e traditional yellowish-white cosmetic paste made from ground bark that many women and girls in Myanmar apply to their cheeks) or do nail-colouring. They can read books at the small library at the center. The Centre is not just for their learning but for their mental well-being and recovery as well.”These seemingly simple activities—wearing Thanakha, reading books, joining a group discussion—create moments of normalcy and dignity amid disruption. For a woman who has lost her home or livelihood, being able to choose a nail colour or a book can be a gentle first step back into feeling like herself again. Beyond information and counselling, the Centre also offers vocational training such as making local food & snacks, and plans to include more training for women in the future, like sewing clothes, that support livelihoods and strengthen women’s leadership in the community.The Centre also distributes dignity kits to affected women and girls of reproductive age. Each kit contains basic hygiene items such as sanitary pads, allowing them to manage their period with privacy and dignity. “Through the Centre’s activities, we have initiated building a physically and mentally healthy environment, but also encouraging women’s empowerment and gender equality in our community,” Nu Nu Lwin says. For Tomoko, one of the strongest impressions from her visit to Mandalay was the commitment of local partners, who keep services running in extremely challenging conditions.“Across these visits, what really stood out was the continued commitment and dedication of our national partners,” she says. “They are the ones running the Women and Girls Centres, the women and girls safe spaces, the floating clinic, the mobile clinics—ensuring provision of essential services to affected communities under extremely challenging conditions, and mounting pressures like funding cuts.”Through FCDO’s support, UNFPA and its partners have expanded life-saving services for women and girls across earthquake-affected areas, including maternal health care, gender-based violence prevention and response, and mental health and psychosocial support. For the earthquake response alone, UNFPA and partners have reached more than 122,000 individuals across 39 townships in six states and regions, including over 2,000 persons with disabilities.British Embassy Yangon spokesperson said, “The UK is proud to support women like Ma Tin Zar Linn and support the vital Women and Girls Centre, which is an important lifeline for women affected by the devastating earthquake. The UK remains committed to putting women and girls at the heart of its foreign and development policy, working to ensure that women and girls around the world can thrive and flourish.” In one of the displacement camps Tomoko visited, families were still living in crowded, makeshift tents over seven months after the earthquake, with little privacy or protection from the rain. Women told her they had fled with only the clothes on their backs. They remembered every item in the dignity kits they received—from menstrual products to soap—because each item allowed them to preserve a sense of dignity in impossible conditions. “For many, the support was a lifeline,” Tomoko says. “Despite everything that they’ve been through, what really stood out to me was their resilience and their determination.”That same determination is visible at the Women and Girls Center in Mandalay—among the women who now share what they’ve learned at the Centre with their daughters at home, the adolescent girls who ask questions on their menstrual hygiene openly, and the youth outreach volunteer everyone calls “Sayarma-lay”, who turned her own experience of fear into a commitment to serve others.Thanks to FCDO’s funding and the tireless efforts of partners and dedicated frontline staff and volunteers, the UNFPA’s earthquake response interventions, including the Women and Girls Centres are really making a change for the affected women and girls —turning a place of crisis into a place of healing, strength and hope for the women and girls who need it most. *This story was originally published on the UNFPA Myanmar website.
 

Today, young people worldwide, including in Myanmar, spend more time online than ever. Social media, messaging apps, and digital platforms serve as spaces for learning, organising, and connecting—yet they have also become venues where violence and abuse, often with devastating consequences for women and girls. For this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, UNFPA Myanmar is collaborating with youth-led initiatives and organisations to highlight digital violence and amplify the voices of young people who are making changes in their communities. Digital violence is real violence “Digital violence, though it happens online, has effects equal to physical violence. Posting about someone without consent or spreading misinformation can harm them psychologically and also damage their dignity and safety.” – May Thae Htet, Doh EainFrom non-consensual image sharing and doxxing, to online stalking, threats and hate speech, acts of digital violence target women and girls in particular. Harmful behaviours that may be dismissed as “just a joke” or “only online” can leave deep emotional scars and make people feel unsafe in their own homes, schools and communities.Invisible scars, real consequences “When someone encounters online violence, they might feel ashamed, fearful, and anxious—constantly fretting over how their information spreads on social media. This can cause intense stress and may develop into trauma or depression. In terms of social impact, a person may isolate themselves, cut off their connections, or face exclusion from their community.” – Alex, Doh EainDigital spaces are now woven into daily life in Myanmar—from learning and working, to staying in touch with friends and family across distances and crises. When digital violence forces someone to withdraw from these spaces, it can cut them off from vital information, opportunities and support. The abuse does not end when the screen goes dark; fear, shame and anxiety can follow them into every part of life. Young people as drivers of change Despite these challenges, youth across Myanmar are not bystanders. They are using their knowledge of online platforms to call out harmful behaviour, support peers and promote safer digital spaces.“When encountering posts that mock women or children on social media, the initial step should be to report this content. Additionally, we can raise awareness by sharing information about the dangers of online violence with those who may not understand, such as older family members or friends, and by promoting digital literacy. If we, as young people, do not take action, we risk becoming passive witnesses to violence.” – Phway, Doh Eain From reporting abusive posts to challenging victim-blaming comments in group chats, small actions can make a big difference. Young activists stress that everyone can play a part—no matter how big or small their platform is.“To combat digital and online violence, young people don’t have to initiate large-scale actions. Change can start with small adjustments in our attitudes and actions. Apply the 10-second rule: before posting or commenting on social media, pause for ten seconds to think about whether it might harm someone—and then choose whether to proceed.” – May Thae Htet, Doh EainThis “10-second rule” is a simple tool that anyone can use. Taking a brief pause before sharing content or hitting “send/post” can help prevent harmful rumours, shaming or threats from spreading further—and create a culture of care and responsibility online.Men and boys as allies Ending gender-based violence—including in digital spaces—requires everyone’s involvement. Men and boys are stepping forward to challenge harmful norms and promote equality.“In promoting gender equality and eliminating gender-based violence, one essential element is men’s engagement and participation. Only through collective effort can we achieve our shared goals more quickly.” – Kyaw Zin Hein, Doh EainWhen men and boys speak up against sexist jokes, victim-blaming comments or abusive behaviours online, they help shift the culture. Their voices are crucial in calling out violence among peers, supporting survivors and modelling respectful behaviour.Standing with survivorsFor those who experience violence online or offline, knowing they are believed and not alone is crucial. Youth advocates emphasise the importance of survivor-centred support. “To support survivors, start by listening with genuine empathy—emotionally and attentively. Believe them. Help prevent the further spread of any information shared. Connect them to psychosocial, physical, or legal support services as needed. Most importantly, always seek the survivor’s consent before taking any action. Stand beside them and work to establish a safe environment.” – Nay Yee – Doh EainIn Myanmar’s challenging context, safe and trusted support networks—online and offline—are essential. Friends, peers, community volunteers and service providers can all help by listening without judgment, keeping information confidential and connecting survivors to available services, including psychosocial support and legal assistance where possible.Protecting women and girls online and offlineUNFPA Country Representative for Myanmar, Mr. Jaime Nadal Roig, underscores that what happens on screens is pushing women and girls out of public life. “Across the world, non-consensual image sharing, doxing, cyberstalking, deepfakes, smear campaigns, sextortion and trafficking scams are being used to silence women and girls. Women and girls with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ communities are especially targeted. These online attacks do not stay online—they spill into harassment and violence offline and push many out of work, school and public life through fear and shame.”He highlights how UNFPA and partners are responding:“Together with women-led organisations and youth groups, UNFPA supports gender-based violence prevention and response through Women and Girls Centres, safe spaces and mobile teams that connect survivors to confidential health, legal and psychosocial support. We also provide mental health counselling and case management, and we have launched the Baykin 2 mobile app so adolescents and young people can access life-saving information and better protect themselves from violence, online and offline.”A call to action: from clicks to changeDigital violence may take place behind screens, but its impact is real. As these youth voices remind us, everyone has a role to play:Think before you post or share.Report harmful content that targets women, girls or any vulnerable group.Share knowledge with friends and family about online safety and respect.Believe and support survivors. Respect their consents.Engage boys and men as allies in eliminating violence against women and girls. Youth Voices to end digital violence aganist women and girls * This story was originally published on the UNFPA Myanmar website.

Across Myanmar, many remote communities that have been impacted by the March earthquake face persistent challenges in accessing essential health services. Fragile infrastructure, seasonal disruptions, and longstanding resource gaps continue to leave families, especially children, older people, and those with chronic illnesses, at heightened risk.With support from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the World Health Organization (WHO), together with local partners, has strengthened community-level health services in several underserved townships. This flexible, rapid funding enabled partners to expand health care service provisions, support emergency referrals, scale up nutrition counselling, and reinforce early disease detection systems. The result: thousands of people have regained access to timely, quality care, when and where it matters most.A mother’s determination to help her child grow strongerIn a small village in Kayin State, Daw May (name changed) worried that her youngest daughter was not growing well. The family relies on small-scale farming, and seasonal income losses often mean meals lack variety. The little girl became increasingly thin and fatigued.When a CERF-supported health care service provision team arrived to conduct nutrition checks and health education, the child was screened and found to be moderately malnourished. Health workers counselled Daw May on simple, locally available foods that could help her daughter recover.“The health worker explained everything patiently,” she said. “I followed her advice, and slowly my daughter became healthier. When they measured her arm again and told me she was improving, I felt so relieved.”With regular follow-up, nutrition support, and improved feeding practices, her daughter returned to the healthy range.Emergency referral saves a life in a village in Southern Shan State53-year-old Daw Khin (name changed), who lives with bronchial asthma, suffered a severe acute attack of breathing difficulties. At that time, transport challenges and costs had long made it difficult for her to reach a health facility in time.Thanks to the CERF-supported emergency referral system, quick coordination and transport saved lives. She was urgently taken to a nearby public hospital and received lifesaving care. “I felt like I could not breathe,” she recounted. “Without their help, I don’t know what would have happened. I am grateful for the support I received.”Now stabilized on medication, she receives regular follow-up during mobile clinic visits and has regained confidence to resume her daily activities.Effective monitoring enables early detection of public health threatsCERF funding also helped to improve early detection of infectious diseases by effective monitoring and enhancing health awareness among the community after the earthquake-related displacement. The health care workers have promoted the knowledge of the community for early awareness of danger signs of communicable diseases, and support to accessible health care services, and support families with basic preventive practices such as safe water preparation and how to make a safe oral rehydration solution for diarrhorea.A health care worker from Shan South explained: “We are able to contact the health team easily, which allows us to take action against illness early, so small problems don’t become big emergencies. We feel more connected and protected in the community.”This ensures a significant reduction of preventable morbidity and mortality while strengthening community resilience. Restoring dignity and resilience for families facing repeated hardshipsFor many communities, particularly in Kayin state, recent years have brought multiple layers of hardship, from displacement to environmental shocks like the recent March earthquake that damaged crops, homes, and access routes.A mother of six from one of the villages in Kayin state shared how health messages and practical support helped her family through a difficult time: “When my youngest son became sick with diarrhoea, I remembered what the health staff taught us about home fluids. I prepared the mixture and then called the mobile health worker. My son recovered quickly. The support we received gave us strength when things felt overwhelming.”Local partners have also played a vital role in ensuring families receive basic supplies and remain connected to health services despite the disruptions. Through this CERF-supported project, WHO and partners reached more than 58 000 people across Kayin and Southern Shan, providing essential health care, mental health support, nutrition assistance, safe water, and emergency referrals where systems were weakest. Over 9000 medical consultations were delivered through mobile teams, and nearly 1400 people received mental health and psychosocial support.  In addition to this, around 2400 pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and young children benefited from emergency nutrition packages. Monitoring of diseases and public health alerts was strengthened across 71 villages, enabling rapid action on public health alerts, while new WASH and solar systems improved access to clean water and basic services for thousands of households. From restoring water systems to supporting emergency referrals, CERF funding helped ensure that communities in remote, crisis-affected areas could continue accessing life-saving services at a time when they needed them most.Dr Thushara Fernando, WHO Representative to Myanmar, noted: “CERF funding allowed urgent needs to be met without delay. At the same time, it helped build healthier, more resilient communities by strengthening the systems that connect people to essential care.”Looking aheadAs Myanmar continues to navigate complex humanitarian and public health challenges, WHO and partners remain committed to reaching the most vulnerable with equitable, people-centered services.Thanks to CERF’s rapid and dependable support, thousands of individuals, from mothers caring for malnourished children to patients with chronic illnesses, have regained access to lifesaving health care and community-based support. These efforts not only address immediate needs, but also lay the groundwork for stronger, more inclusive health systems that can withstand future shocks.*This story was originally published on the WHO Myanmar website.

Hopong, Myanmar - After ten years of continuous work, the Green Gold Cooperative (GGC) has reached a historic milestone: the completion of its central coffee processing plant — a transformative step for communities in southern Shan State that once depended on opium poppy cultivation.The new facility shows how, in just a decade, farmers have moved from planting their first coffee seeds to running a fully autonomous and self-sustaining production process.From poppy fields to coffee cropsMyanmar is currently the world’s leading producer of illicit opium. This economy continues to shape rural life in the country, generating up to USD 518 million in an environment characterized by poverty and insecurity conditions.For more than 30 years, Alternative Development programmes have helped communities transition away from illicit crops. The GGC is one of the most successful examples in Myanmar, where more than 1,000 farmers have moved from poppy to high-quality coffee and gained access to international markets, showing that sustainable and legal livelihoods initiatives are possible even in areas heavily affected by opium cultivation.GGC’s journey began in 2015, when 530 farmers took the bold step of replacing opium poppy with coffee crops.Their goal was not only to improve livelihoods but to build a sustainable, community-owned business. Today, the cooperative brings together more than 1,000 producers across 48 village committees, and has become a regional model for inclusive, sustainable development.In 2019, GGC became Myanmar’s first Fairtrade-certified coffee producers’ organization, allowing farmers to invest the Fairtrade social premium in social projects and production improvements. These same funds helped purchase the land on which the processing plant now stands.The first phase of construction began three years ago with support from Switzerland, enabling GGC to process green coffee beans locally. The final phase, completed with support from the Government of Japan, added a new office building, a roasting and packaging area and a fully equipped laboratory for coffee quality analysis. With the new plant, GGC can now process, roast and package its coffee independently, reducing reliance on third parties and unlocking new market opportunities. The cooperative also gains a modern space for training, innovation and quality control, strengthening its competitiveness in international markets.“This achievement reflects the communities’ commitment to creating real alternatives to illicit economies,” said UNODC Country Manager Yatta Dakowah, who attended the inauguration. “It’s a clear example of how sustainable livelihoods can replace poppy cultivation when farmers are empowered and supported.” Between 2018 and 2024, GGC exported more than 1,000 tons of green coffee, generating USD 5.48 million in income and earning recognition as a symbol of quality, sustainability, and inclusion.A celebration of partnershipOn 25 September 2025, more than 250 participants gathered to celebrate the inauguration and GGC’s annual assembly. The event brought together farmers, government representatives, and international partners, including delegates from the Governments of Finland and Italy, JICA representatives, Malongo’s General Director Jean Pierre Blanc, and Shogo Yoshitake, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Japan in Yangon, who symbolically handed over the key to the new building.“I would like to congratulate the members of the Green Gold Cooperative, and also the communities, partners, and organizations who helped make this important day possible,” said Yoshitake.Elina Korhonen, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Finland, praised GGC’s inclusive governance, noting:“You have managed to establish inclusive governance with a gender-balanced board, which Finland —as a strong advocate for gender equality— is very happy to see. I would like to encourage you to continue enhancing inclusivity by increasing women’s participation.” Representing Italy, Nicolò Tassoni, Head of Mission at the Embassy of Italy, added: “Coffee is part of Italian culture and a symbol of friendship. Italy is happy to support the Alternative Development project that brings —through your impressive work and achievement— a bright example of hope to farmers and people in South Shan.”For GGC’s farmers, the new plant is more than a building; it is also a unifying symbol that serves as proof of what trust, cooperation, and shared vision can achieve. The facility offers a space for learning, dialogue, and community.The success of the Green Gold Cooperative stands as a powerful example of Alternative Development in action showing how, with the right support, local communities can build sustainable futures, free from the vulnerabilities of illicit economies.*This story was originally published on the UNODC website.