Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- The situation in Myanmar continues to worsen amid escalating conflict, climate shocks, public health emergencies, widespread explosive ordnance and landmine contamination, and diminishing access to critical life-saving services.
- More than 3.5 million people were internally displaced by the end of 2024, an increase of nearly one million since the start of the year. Nearly 20 million people, more than one third of the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance.
- Despite the challenging environment, and amid funding constraints, UNICEF and its partners reached 2.4 million people, including 1.5 million children, in 2024. More than half a million children received measles vaccinations, nearly 524,000 children were provided with access to education and 709,058 people were given clean drinking water.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
- 6,000,000 Children in need of humanitarian assistance
- 18,600,000 People in need of humanitarian assistance
- 3,243,200 Internally displaced people since 1 February 2021
- 277,500 People displaced before February 2021
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
The situation of children in Myanmar continues to worsen amid escalating conflict, climate shocks, public health emergencies widespread explosive ordnance and landmine contamination, and security deterioration. Civilians face extreme protection risks, acute food insecurity, the near collapse of critical public services and inflation with the loss of livelihoods. Throughout 2024, the conflict between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) and various armed groups persisted, affecting 12 of the country’s 15 regions and states, with escalating fighting involving heavy weapons, airstrikes, drone attacks, artillery shelling, particularly in Rakhine and in the northeast, northwest and southeast of the country. Myanmar ranked as the second most conflict-ridden country in the first half of 2024 and as the fourth most dangerous country for civilians, with 43 per cent of the population exposed to conflict. According to the INFORM Risk register for 2025, Myanmar ranks eleventh out of 191 countries, with its ‘very high’ risk classification driven by extremely high scores for hazards and conflict intensity.
By the end of 2024, the total number of internally displaced persons reached more than 3.5 million, an increase of nearly one million from the past year (2.6 million in December 2023) with figures projected to rise to 4.5 million by the end of 2025. Many displaced people remain in temporary shelters, informal camps or jungles, facing severe shortages of food, clean water, protection assistance and health care. Additionally, more than 1.3 million people from Myanmar have sought refuge in neighbouring countries, making this a regional crisis that demands urgent attention. Humanitarian needs in Myanmar are increasing to unprecedented levels, with nearly 20 million people, more than one third of the population, including 6.3 million children, in need of assistance in 2025.
Inflation and soaring prices for basic commodities have placed significant burdens on people, while banking and communication disruptions, infrastructure damage, border closures and transport blockages have compounded the crisis. Restrictions on cash withdrawals, access constraints, insecurity and bureaucratic impediments, and the severe funding shortage, continue to hamper the timely provision of humanitarian assistance.
In 2024, seasonal flooding severely exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities. Flooding in June 2024 affected more than 230,000 people in Kachin, central Myanmar, the southeast, Yangon and Ayeyarwaddy regions, causing significant damage to infrastructure and agricultural land. The humanitarian situation was further exacerbated by flooding caused by Cyclone Yagi in September 2024, affecting an estimated one million people in 70 townships across various regions and states. The flooding led to substantial losses in livelihoods, household assets, critical infrastructure and essential services, and exacerbated the spread of waterborne diseases such as acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), dengue fever, malaria and cholera.
The conflict has increased children’s vulnerability to violence, family separation, sexual abuse and exploitation and neglect. Between January and September 2024, more than 3,200 protection-related incidents and nearly 5,900 human rights violations reportedly affected more than 194,900 people, 39 per cent of them children. The proliferation of landmines and explosive ordnance in Myanmar reached critical levels, with 889 casualties nationwide (28 per cent of them children) in the first nine months of 2024, representing 85 per cent of the total casualties reported in 2023. Myanmar had 1,052 landmine casualties in 2023, the highest number in the world.
The lack of access to functional health facilities for life-saving treatment is leading to unnecessary loss of life and is further burdening an already weak health system. Disruption of services for the early detection of diseases and immunization pose a significant risk of deadly disease outbreaks, which could impact the entire region. There are 1.2 million zero-dose children aged under 5 years who are at high risk of catching vaccine-preventable diseases.
By the end of 2024, nearly 94,000 children were at risk of dying from preventable causes if they did not receive life-saving therapeutic feeding for severe acute malnutrition (SAM). By the end of 2024, approximately 4.7 million children needed educational support because of disruption to safe learning opportunities. More than half of the children (579,000) of internally displaced persons, returnees and stateless people could not access formal education in the 2023-24 school year, largely due to conflict-related school closures. Limited access to education has led to increased protection risks, such as child marriage, sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), child labour and human trafficking.
It is estimated that more than 6.9 million people require urgent water, sanitation and hygiene assistance in 2025. WASH needs are highest among non-displaced stateless people and internally displaced persons, with insufficient drinkable water and lack of sanitation facilities. Cholera outbreaks were confirmed in nine states and regions: Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Bago, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Mon, Rakhine and Tanintharyi. There are approximately 10,000 reported cases and as, instability continues, the situation could be similar in 2025.