Myanmar Humanitarian Update No. 44

This independent update, covering humanitarian developments up to 18 February, is produced by OCHA Myanmar under its global mandate, in collaboration with the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group and UN agencies. Response figures are based on self-reporting by organizations to clusters.

HIGHLIGHTS & KEY MESSAGES

• Four years after the military takeover, Myanmar continues to struggle with ongoing conflict and increasing humanitarian needs, with internal displacement estimated to have reached a record high of more than 3.5 million and growing concerns for civilian protection.
• Clashes between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various non-state armed groups continue across several states and regions, particularly in the country’s Northeast, Northwest and Southeast.
• In addition to widespread conflict, multiple crises are simultaneously affecting civilians, including disasters, disease, food insecurity, inflation, loss of livelihoods, and disruptions of critical public services.
• This escalating crisis has resulted in Myanmar having the highest number of landmine and explosive ordnance casualties globally, surpassing other highly affected countries.
• Over 15 million people face acute food insecurity, while education and health services are severely disrupted, and millions of people are without safe shelter or drinking water.
• Despite severe underfunding and other challenges, humanitarian partners reached at least 4.2 million people with assistance in 2024.
• Through the 2025 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, aid workers aim to reach 5.5 million people with life-saving assistance, which will require US$1.1 billion.

KEY FIGURES

4.2M People reached by the end of 2024, covering 79 per cent of the target

19.9M People in need in 2025

5.5M People targeted in 2025

4.6% FUNDED The 2025 HNRP has received $52M against the $1.1B appeal.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Civilians facing unprecedented humanitarian crisis amid expanding conflict

Four years after the military takeover in February 2021, Myanmar continues to grapple with widespread conflict, a primary driver of record-high internal displacement and escalating humanitarian needs among people. The country hosts an estimated 3.5 million displaced people. Civilians in Myanmar are bearing the brunt of the conflict while struggling to survive other compounding crises, including disasters, disease outbreaks, food insecurity, inflation, loss of livelihoods, electricity shortages, interrupted or limited internet and telecommunications services, and disrupted public services.

While clashes between the MAF and various non-state armed groups have continued across multiple states and regions, particularly in the country’s Northeast, Northwest and Southeast, the geographic scope of conflict is expanding. Since early 2025, the conflict between the Arakan Army and the MAF has spread beyond Rakhine into neighboring Ayeyarwady, Bago and Magway regions. Ayeyarwady is experiencing the conflict for the first time since the military takeover. This expansion means that 13 of Myanmar’s 15 states and regions are now affected by the ongoing conflict. People in northern Shan and Rakhine continue to face a fragile and unpredictable security situation, with sporadic fighting, persistent protection risks from airstrikes and shelling, and the threat of landmines and unexploded ordnance.

Myanmar leads globally in landmines and explosive ordnance casualties

Myanmar is currently at the global epicenter for landmine incidents, a dire situation exacerbated by ongoing conflict and the complex legacy of past wars. This escalating crisis has resulted in Myanmar having the highest number of landmine casualties globally in 2023, surpassing other highly affected regions.1 The rise in incidents reflects the increased use of landmines in ongoing fighting, affecting civilians and complicating efforts for peace and recovery in the future. The persistent threat posed by these devices not only endangers lives, but also severely disrupts agricultural activities and displaces communities, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and instability.

Despite the critical needs associated with landmines and explosive ordnance contamination, Myanmar´s mine action response is severely underfunded, covering only 38 per cent of the required amount in 2024. This significant gap hinders the ability of local and international organizations to effectively respond to the crisis. Civilians in Myanmar need the international community to recognize the urgency of the country’s landmine issue and increase support to address both the immediate and long-term challenges. Increased funding for mine action is critical to improving mine risk education and supporting the victims of landmines.

Increasing concerns for protection of civilians

Protection of civilians is a serious concern in Myanmar, with recurring reports of casualties from airstrikes, shelling, and drone attacks, as well as alarming threats from landmines and unexploded ordnance. Civilians continue to bear the heaviest brunt of the conflict. Reportedly, a number of civilians were killed or injured due to airstrikes and other attacks in Kachin, Rakhine, northern Shan and across northwestern and southeastern Myanmar. Civilians, aid workers, and critical infrastructure, including homes, schools, hospitals, and religious structures, must not be targets in conflict and must be protected in accordance with legal obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Transport of humanitarian supplies to Kachin and Rakhine

Ongoing conflict and roadblocks, coupled with checkpoints, have severely restricted the movement of essential humanitarian supplies and civilians seeking safety, and increased security risks for aid workers. This exacerbates the vulnerabilities of people in need of humanitarian assistance. Recently, humanitarian supplies successfully reached the capital of Kachin, while other supplies are expected soon to reach Rakhine, with the facilitation of various stakeholders at national and subnational level. The transportation from Mandalay to Kachin was the largest UN humanitarian convoy on this route since 2016, delivering high-energy biscuits, essential household items, dignity kits, winter kits, and shelter and WASH supplies for immediate distribution and stock replenishment. Despite formidable challenges, efforts continue to deliver life-saving assistance to the people in need wherever accessible and humanitarian workers, especially local responders, play a critical role.

Key achievements in 2024

Despite facing many challenges, humanitarian actors used a range of aid modalities to reach at least 4.2 million people with assistance at least once in 2024, which is 79 per cent of the targeted population. The actual reach is likely even higher due to underreporting of assistance in conflict areas, but this remains difficult to quantify. While the number of people reached is significant under the challenging circumstances, this reach falls short of the planned depth, quality and sustainability due to severe underfunding. As of 12 February 2025, funding for the 2024 Myanmar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan had reached $389 million, only 39 per cent of the funding requested. This meant that 1.1 million highly vulnerable people targeted for assistance were not reached.

A notable achievement was the increase in the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) reached, rising from 1 million in 2023 to 2.2 million by Q4 2024 — a 120 per cent increase. This reflects a concerted effort to prioritize the needs of this highly vulnerable group, the vast majority of whom are living in hard-to-reach areas. Additionally, nearly 1.6 million other crisis-affected people received assistance, underscoring the broader challenges faced by communities experiencing the collapse of basic services in the absence of large-scale development interventions.