Advancing Readiness to Save Lives — UNFPA and Partners’ Anticipatory Humanitarian Action Workshop

“When the flood came in the night, we had no plan—only panic. For pregnant women like me, that kind of unpreparedness can cost a life,” said Nini, a flood-affected woman from Shan State. Her story illustrates the central premise of anticipatory action: when communities act early, they protect lives and dignity before a disaster .

Childbirth can’t wait for a road closure. When floods swell rivers or cyclones strike and travel becomes difficult overnight, the services women and girls rely on—maternal health care, Gender based violence (GBV) support, and psychosocial care—are often the first to be disrupted. Anticipatory Action (AA) and Humanitarian Access (HA) initiatives are changing that equation—moving from after to before, so lifesaving care stays within reach when it matters most.

Across conflict-affected and hazard-prone regions, communities face overlapping crises—floods and landslides, sudden displacement, and constrained movement. For vulnerable populations, including women, girls and persons with disabilities, the risks are stark.

“In our region, we have absolutely nothing like this preparatory work. Comparatively, anticipatory action is something more certain and more focused than a contingency plan. That’s why I am extremely interested,” says Joshua of the Disability Development Initiative (DDI). “People with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups. In the Kalay flood of 2015, a large number of those affected and killed were people with disabilities. They cannot run away to escape when a disaster occurs.” His call reflects a central theme of the workshop: anticipatory action must be inclusive by design, reaching people with disabilities before shocks hit, not after.

Women and girls face their own acute risks when access narrows—especially during pregnancy or when seeking support after violence.

“In Shan State, we are experiencing not only floods but also landslides. Merely providing emergency assistance after the fact is not effective,” shares Nang Than Than Nyunt of Loi Kham Women Organisation. “During a crisis, women—especially pregnant women—are severely affected. Some have had to deliver babies on the way while evacuating from floods. If they can receive assistance and prepare in advance, those life-threatening risks can be prevented.”  For women’s organisations, anticipatory action is not just about supplies—it is about being recognized as essential partners in preparedness and ensuring no woman is left behind.

“It is important to consider the different contexts of each state and region when developing anticipatory action protocols,” says Nang Than Than Nyunt. “To ensure women and girls are not left behind, it is crucial to involve local women’s organizations in this process.”

“I want disability inclusion to be strongly emphasized in the development of anticipatory action frameworks,” Joshua adds. “Guidelines and protocols need to ensure assistance reaches people with disabilities when a crisis hits—otherwise they will always be left behind.”

The approach also tackles known bottlenecks: pre-positioning Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP)/ERH and clean delivery kits, dignity kits, and essential medicines; negotiating access and diversifying routes in advance; and keeping offline survivor-centred GBV pathways and feedback channels open when networks fail. At the same time, teams recognize the constraints they must plan around.  Alongside pre-positioned kits, participants highlighted the role of Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA). By receiving cash or transport vouchers ahead of an emergency, women and girls can cover urgent needs—from safe travel to medicines—while preserving dignity. When markets remain functional, CVA is built into anticipatory protocols, with UNFPA and partners exploring local mechanisms to release early transfers at the first warning signs.

“Access to information, including accurate and precise weather forecasts, is also a challenge for initiating anticipatory action,” Joshua cautions. “Given the current situation, while we are preparing for natural disasters, I am worried that anticipatory action could be derailed by armed conflict.”

Anticipatory action strengthens community readiness and continuity of care:

• Earlier, safer outreach: Mobile SRH/GBV teams deploy while roads are still passable, with pre-cleared referral routes and contingencies.
• Protection that doesn’t go dark: Survivor-centred GBV services and feedback mechanisms function even with low connectivity.
• Inclusive by design: Disability-aware procedures and accessible communication formats ensure people with disabilities can prepare and receive support, not be rescued last.

“Compared to traditional disaster response, anticipatory action provides an opportunity for vulnerable groups—including women and people with disabilities—to operate with dignity,” Joshua reflects. “Instead of being supported only after a disaster, they are seen as people with equal rights who can prepare in advance.”

“Through anticipatory action, the SRH and GBV services we provide can be implemented more strategically and effectively,” says Nang Than Than Nyunt. “Helping only after disaster strikes is not the right way of recovery.”

UNFPA ensures anticipatory protocols are embedded across programmes so preparedness, access, and financing operate as one readiness posture—grounded in humanitarian principles and localisation. By acting hours earlier instead of during tomorrow’s panic, communities gain the time that saves lives.”

Case in point — Within 36 hours of the Kachin floods, UNFPA and partners activated pre-positioned supplies and deployed mobile SRH/GBV teams—restoring access to antenatal care, clean delivery support, psychosocial support, and dignity kits while referral pathways moved high-risk pregnancies to safety. This combination of readiness and rapid activation saved lives and protected the dignity of women and girls when it mattered most. These lessons were central to the Yangon workshop, where participants examined how readiness in Kachin could be adapted to other states and regions facing overlapping crises.

Together with humanitarian partners and women organisations, anticipatory action is moving Myanmar’s humanitarian response line forward—so essential services for women, girls, and persons with disabilities are already in motion when the next warning comes.

“Anticipatory action is about dignity and survival. When a pregnant woman moves before the shock peaks, she does not have to choose between floodwaters and a night of labour without a midwife. UNFPA is committed to pre-positioning supplies, protecting access, and funding local partners so essential services remain open for women and girls—when and where they are needed most.”
— Jaime Nadal Roig, UNFPA Country Representative for Myanmar

About the workshop:

Co-facilitated with UNOCHA, UNFPA held a four-day, in-person, bilingual (Burmese/English)  Anticipatory Action & Humanitarian Access workshop in Yangon,  2–5 September 2025.  The workshop brought together UNFPA partner organisations from across the country. Participants included women-led and disability-rights groups alongside SRH & GBV partners.

The workshop itself became a living demonstration of preparedness. Over four days, participants worked through scenario exercises, mapped access barriers, and drafted state-specific anticipatory action protocols. For many, it was the first time women-led and disability-rights organisations sat alongside SRH and GBV partners to co-create a shared plan for readiness.

UNFPA gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), whose flexible funding enabled frontline participation and the development of anticipatory action and humanitarian access plans. 

* This story was originally published on the UNFPA Myanmar website.