Myanmar

Four years on from the military takeover, civilians in Myanmar are struggling to survive an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has upended the lives of millions across the country. Humanitarian needs have reached alarming levels, with an estimated 19.9 million people – more than a third of the population – in need of assistance. That is an increase of over 1 million compared to 2024.

Children are bearing the brunt of the crisis, with 6.3 million children in need of humanitarian assistance as a result of expanding armed conflict, widespread explosive ordnance and landmine contamination, climatic shocks, disease outbreaks, economic and political instability. Amid the ongoing violence, civilians face extreme protection risks, acute food insecurity, the near collapse of critical public services, and economic shocks driving up inflation and resulting in loss of livelihoods.

The humanitarian outlook for Myanmar in 2025 remains concerning, with conditions expected to deteriorate further. Expanding conflict, widespread explosive ordnance and landmine contamination, climatic disasters, disease outbreaks and economic collapse are all critical shocks contributing to the spiraling humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. The impact has been devastating for vast swathes of the population, who are faced with alarming levels of food insecurity, a health system in collapse, interrupted education, and soaring protection risks.

Women, girls, persons with disabilities and stateless Rohingya are among the groups most severely affected by the growing protection risks. The impact of disasters and disease outbreaks on vulnerable populations is likely to worsen in the absence of adequate resources. Poverty has regressed to levels seen 15 years ago, threatening development gains and leaving millions in urgent need of support.

The UN and partners are seeking US$1.1 billion to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to 5.5 million people prioritized for support in 2025. Timely funding is vital to address escalating needs and prevent further suffering.

Myanmar remains one of the world’s most underfunded humanitarian operations. In 2024, only 36 per cent of the required funding was received, leaving 1.4 million people without any assistance, and most of the projected 3.9 million people reached did not receive the full package of support needed to meet their needs.

For 2025, humanitarians will prioritize their response based on the severity of needs and operational capacity and focus entirely on emergency life-saving assistance. The efforts of aid workers, particularly local organizations on the frontlines, have been critical in reaching affected people despite immense challenges. To meet growing needs, increased funding, expanded access and a depoliticization of aid are crucial.