Myanmar

In Myanmar, chronic poverty further complicates a humanitarian situation already compromised by exposure to natural disasters, food insecurity, armed conflict and inter-communal clashes, and mass displacement. An estimated 941,351 people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Since August 2017, worsening violence in Rakhine State has forced more than 650,000 Rohingya refugees to flee to Bangladesh. In Rakhine State, given the current circumstances including restrictions of movement and imposed regulations on NGOs by the government, it is impossible to determine precisely how many people still reside in the three communes of Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung, and what their needs are.

Action Against Hunger has worked in Myanmar since 1994, offering life-sustaining nutrition, food security, and water, sanitation, and hygiene support for vulnerable communities. Our current objectives are to improve access to treatment for acute malnutrition, assist populations affected by armed conflict, strengthen community resilience to natural disasters, and respond to chronic food insecurity and address undernutrition across Myanmar.

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We prevent and treat acute malnutrition among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women in Rakhine and Kayah states. We also work to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as mental health and infant care practices. We are also taking action to reduce the impact of natural disasters, primarily on the highly vulnerable coastal communities of Rakhine State.

In March 2018, the construction of a hurricane shelter was completed. Through advocacy work, we are also working to improve access to basic services of vulnerable groups, such as children under five, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and refugees or displaced persons. By participating in numerous conferences and forums, we promote the independence of international NGOs to resolve the situation in Myanmar.