UNICEF Myanmar Humanitarian Situation Report No. 5, 2024

Highlights

• Protection concerns are on the rise with nearly 3.2 million people internally displaced. Ongoing conflict and seasonal flooding are exacerbating the already severe humanitarian needs.

• During the month of May, UNICEF and partners provided primary health care services to 46,117 women and children, and life-saving child protection services reached 66,483 people.

• Bimonthly maternal and child cash transfers have been made to 9,000 programme participants and 80,075 people received critical WASH supplies.

• Only 12 per cent of the funding against the Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) Appeal requirement has been received, impacting UNICEF’s capacity to deliver multisectoral humanitarian assistance to children and their families. Timely and sufficient funding is crucial to provide timely assistance, especially during the ongoing monsoon season

Funding Overview and Partnerships

UNICEF Myanmar Country Office has appealed for US$ 208.3 million in 2024 to address the needs of 3.1 million people, including an estimated 2.1 million children. As of 30 June 2024, UNICEF secured US$ 24.8 million (12 per cent of its appealed funding), comprising US$11.6 million received for the current year and US$13.2 million carried forward from the previous year.

This year, UNICEF has received generous funding support from the Government of Japan, the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Department (DG ECHO), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian Committee for UNICEF, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), as well as internal allocations from global humanitarian thematic funding. UNICEF also acknowledges the contributions previously made by Australia’s DFAT, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), DG ECHO, the Government of Canada, the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Government of Norway, the Royal Thai Government, the Czech Committee for UNICEF, the French Committee for UNICEF, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), along with the CERF and the Myanmar Country-Based Pooled Fund. Moreover, UNICEF Myanmar received an internal loan from the Emergency Programme Fund to support the humanitarian response.

With these resources, UNICEF and its partners are delivering humanitarian services in nutrition, health, HIV/AIDS, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), education, child protection, gender-based violence in emergencies (GBViE), social protection and cash-based programming. UNICEF is also providing humanitarian leadership roles in the WASH Cluster, the Nutrition Cluster, the Child Protection Area of Responsibility (CP AoR), the Mine Action Area of Responsibility (MA AoR) and as co-lead of the Education Cluster and is strengthening protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), and social behaviour-change and accountability to affected populations. However, UNICEF’s capacity to deliver these services is severely limited by the funding gap of 88 per cent against the 2024 appeal. Without additional funding, targeted populations, especially children, will not be able to receive urgently needed assistance.

UNICEF continues its efforts to mobilize resources and expresses its sincere appreciation to all private and public sector donors for their contributions to supporting the children of Myanmar.

Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs

Ongoing conflict continues to lead to further displacement across multiple parts of the country with nearly 3.2 million people internally displaced as of 24 June. This includes 93,500 people internally displaced since the end of May. The onset of monsoon has also led to increased needs with further population movements, and damage to infrastructure and increasing the risk of seasonal diseases.

The fighting in Rakhine state has been intensifying with heavy artillery shelling; 15 townships out of 17 are affected by clashes. In the northern part of the state, fighting has moved from Buthidaung to Maungdaw. In Sittwe, it is estimated that between 15,000 to 20,000 people from at least 35 villages were reportedly forced to move. According to the camp coordination and camp management cluster report, as of 20 June there are more than 300,000 newly displaced people across Rakhine. Humanitarian access is still restricted in most areas, although some agencies gained access to some monasteries to assess the needs of IDPs who are sheltering there.

In the northwest, intense fighting has been continuing with gunfire, artillery shelling and aerial attacks resulting in civilian casualties, with children reportedly killed and injured. Civilian properties and public infrastructure, including temporary learning spaces, have also been destroyed. The number of people displaced since 2021 exceeded 1.5 million2 by the end of June 2024, with an increase of nearly 200,000 IDPs since the beginning of 2024.

In Kachin, conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and Kachin Independence Army and its allies continues to intensify in several townships. Fighting intensified in Bhamo, Hpakant, Mansi, Momauk, Myitkyina, Puta-O, Sumprabum, Tanai and Waingmaw townships and has displaced thousands of people. By mid-June, about 96,000 people had been newly displaced. Bhamo, Mansi, Momauk and Waingmaw townships are host to the highest numbers of newly displaced people. Some 84,400 people have already been in protracted camps for a decade. Road closures have led to a shortage of essential items, including food and fuel, as well as rocketing prices, particularly in Puta-O.

There was extensive flooding in Myitkyina on 30 June leading to infrastructure damage, and populations being displaced. Some roads are impassable, mobile networks are interrupted, and all flights cancelled as the airport was inaccessible. Most of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) living close to the river were relocated to other areas. An inter-agency needs assessment was planned as at end June. The risks of heavy rain, flood and cyclone are heightened during the monsoon season across the country and these disasters would seriously impact to already vulnerable population amid the escalating of conflict and crisis.

Armed conflicts between the MAF and ethnic armed organizations (EAO) persist, with frequent clashes reported in Pekhon, Pinlaung, Nyaung Shwe, Hsihseng townships in southern Shan and in Nawnghkio, Kyaukme and Hsipaw in northern Shan. By the end of June, there were more than 130,000 IDPs in southern Shan, more than 18,000 people in northern Shan (including more than 2,000 people in Nawnghkio) and more than 132,000 IDPs in Kayah state. Due to the recent conflict in northern Shan and in Pinlaung, the number of internally displaced people is expected to increase. However, in Hsihseng, the number of internally displaced people gradually returning to their places of origin is increasing. In Kayah state as well, some internally displaced people have voluntarily returned to their places of origin; primarily those who had been displaced to southern Shan.

Roads around Lashio in Shan state have been destroyed and tightening security is impacting the transportation of supplies. In addition, the number of landmine incidents is increasing in northern Shan, as well as in the Hsihseng and Pinlaung areas of southern Shan. Increased enforcement of the conscription law and recruitment activities by the MAF and EAOs have been reported. Humanitarian access in northern Shan and Kayah faces significant challenges and access to townships in southern Shan, particularly Hsihseng, Moebye, Phekon and some areas of Pinlaung township, are largely restricted.

According to recent monitoring of incidents involving landmines and explosive remnants of war in the first quarter of 2024, a total of 339 civilian casualties (29 per cent of them children) have been reported4 nationally. This figure represents 32 per cent of the total casualties reported in 2023 (1,052 reported). Shan state had the highest number of casualties (25 per cent of the overall total). Sagaing and Bago followed with 19 per cent and 12 per cent of the total, respectively. The remaining regions, Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Mon, Naypyitaw, Rakhine, Tanintharyi and Yangon, collectively accounted for the remaining 43 per cent of the total casualties.