Myanmar Protection Analysis Update

The conflict in Myanmar has displaced approximately 3.5 million people and left around 19.9 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance amidst unprecedented suffering and pervasive human rights abuses. Ongoing fighting and armed clashes are intensifying across the country. Since the 2021 coup, people have continued to face diverse, widespread, and acute protection risks, driven by escalating conflict, systematic human rights violations, and a total disregard of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL), all of which are collectively are contributing to the deepening of the humanitarian crisis. Additionally, the effects of climate change and typhoon Yagi resulted in the deaths of approximately 433 people and impacted nearly 900,000 individuals with half of them living in IDP hosting locations.

People trapped in conflict zones are experiencing unprecedented levels of violence and  deprivation, including a lack of access to food, clean water, healthcare, shelter, and the collapse of essential services. The situation is further exacerbated by bureaucratic obstacles, military blockades, infrastructure destruction, socio-economic collapse, and a highly restricted humanitarian environment. Children and women face severe threats including violence, displacement, and exploitation, while the widespread presence of landmines further exacerbates their vulnerability, causing injury, death, and hindering their access to essential services.

Following the increased hostilities, the Rohingya in Rakhine are facing  renewed threats, including displacement due to attacks and arson of their villages,  and forced recruitement, including recruitment of children. Some 247,783 stateless persons mostly Rohingya, have been forced to flee their homes including an estimated 97,600 newly displaced in 2024, many of whom have been forced to seek refuge in overcrowded, under-resourced camps with limited access to services. This exposes them to heightened risks of malnutrition, disease, and psychological trauma. The surge in violence has further led to a renewed wave of displacement of an estimated 18,000-20,000 fleeing across the border into Bangladesh.

The protection risks requiring immediate attention in the period covered by this analysis are:

1. Attacks on civilians and other unlawful killings, arbitrary or unlawful arrest/detention.
2. Discrimination, denial of humanitarian access, unlawful impediments or restriction of movement, siege and forced displacement. 
3. Children’s physical and psychological safety and well-being threatened by compounding risks
4. Gender based Violence (GBV) including child marriage
5. Serious maiming and killing due to explosive Hazards