YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar’s people are amid an unprecedented political, economic, human rights, and humanitarian catastrophe, with needs growing drastically since the military took power and a severe COVID-19 third wave.
According to a UN Humanitarian Needs Overview published by OCHA on Friday, the upheaval is expected to push over half of the population into poverty by 2022, erasing the substantial advances made since 2005.
The situation has deteriorated since the military took control of the country at the start of the year, deposing the democratically elected government. The critical threshold for acute malnutrition is now estimated to be reached in 14 of the 15 states and regions.
According to the analysis, 14.4 million people, or about a quarter of the population, will require assistance in the coming year. 6.9 million males, 7.5 million women, and five million children make up the total.
Price increases, COVID-19 travel limitations, and continued instability have prompted the most disadvantaged to resort to emergency buying tactics to obtain food and other essentials.
The cost of essential commodities has risen dramatically, making some foods expensive. Reduced crop prices, rising input prices, and limited loan access have also impacted agricultural incomes.
“Unrelenting stress on communities is having an undeniable impact on the nation’s physical and mental health, notably the psychological well-being of children and young people,” according to OCHA.
Human trafficking risk and incidence, which were already on the rise in 2021, are predicted to rise even more.
