UNDP - Burma/Myanmar

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Title: Recovery and hope in Myanmar’s crisis
Description: "By United Nations Development Programme FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024 Three years on from the military takeover in Myanmar, stories across the country chronicle the danger and desperation that continues to mark each day for many. The deepening conflict and crisis has plunged the country’s economy into turmoil, taking incomes and jobs with it, and collapsing public services. The impact of it all is wearing on millions of people, as they struggle to make it through each day. The economy has entered a phase where the growth rate has reached rock bottom, showing no signs of recovery. The World Bank has downgraded the growth projection for 2024 from three percent to one percent. Farm incomes are hardest hit, and states and regions where the conflict has intensified are the worst affected. Migration is rampant, often the only lifeline for people who have exhausted all other options. For development and humanitarian agencies knowing where to focus their efforts, under such precarious circumstances, has become a challenge. Yet despite incredible hardship, Myanmar's people are resiliently pursuing ways to make life better for themselves and their neighbours -- from starting new businesses to fighting to protect the country's precious mangroves. UNDP is supporting their efforts, particularly among the most vulnerable. A joint UNDP and UN Women survey found that in this dire environment, women face a disproportionate share of negative consequences as incomes fall, employment opportunities decline dramatically, unpaid work burdens increase, and insecurity and fear rise. Daw Tin Mar Win, who even before the present crisis struggled to find enough work as a day labourer, has now branched out into goat farming and is already passing on her skills to her children. "UNDP's support has been a lifeline, providing me with a reliable job and income," she said. "I had no experience with goats and lacked confidence. UNDP's training boosted my confidence and taught me how to start my goat farm." Insecurity is both physical, due to widespread conflict, but it is also about the vulnerability that arises from the lack of social safety nets, money, and livelihoods. Without these, many are eating less, forgoing healthcare, taking on unsustainable debts, and selling assets. The country's small farmers have been grappling with additional challenges, particularly in Shan State, where most of Myanmar's food is produced. Among other things, seed and fertilizer prices have risen and supply chains have been disrupted. UNDP is working with farmers to provide the extra solar-powered irrigation needed for growing rice, garlic, tomatoes and chillies, and techniques to reduce the amount of fertilizer needed for healthy crops..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2024-02-28
Date of entry/update: 2024-02-28
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Title: Urban poverty in Yangon tackled in new UN project to build community resilience [EN/MY]
Description: "Yangon, 13 June 2023: UNDP, UN Women and UN-Habitat yesterday brought together representatives from local communities, NGOs, development partners and the private sector to discuss research on urban poverty and the innovative strategies being used in a new project building resilience in low-income urban communities. The event took place in Myanmar’s commercial capital, Yangon, where the compounded crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic and political upheaval resulting from the February 2021 coup have had a devastating impact on Yangon’s urban poor. “When confronted with turmoil across the country, the breakdown in the rule of law, the human rights abuses, the alarming numbers of people displaced by conflict and disasters, it is easy to overlook what is happening right here in Yangon. Life has always been hard for the urban poor, but now it is so much harder. Poor people are much poorer, and their numbers have grown significantly,” Titon Mitra, UNDP Myanmar’s Resident Representative, said in his opening remarks. “If we do not turn our attention to the urban poor and vulnerable, we may enable the conditions for a rapid deepening of intergenerational poverty.” The Urban Resilience Project (URP) aims to support those made most vulnerable by urban poverty in Yangon, including women and people living in informal settlements. It is a joint project between UNDP, UN Women and UN-Habitat, working in eight townships, five of which are under martial law, identified as the most socially and economically marginalized. It aims to strengthen residents’ resilience by supporting community-led groups to improve basic services and facilities; upgrade the physical environment of informal settlements; address gender-based violence; and promote livelihoods, skills and job creation. UNDP’s Myanmar Development Observatory presented the findings from the recently published report Helping communities weather the socio-economic downturn: Building urban resilience. The study shows people living in Yangon’s eight poorest townships earn 30 percent less than those in the rest of Yangon and that almost a quarter of the residents of these townships had often gone without a cash income in the past 12 months. Compared to the rest of Yangon, households in the eight URP townships are: more likely to live in an informal settlement (14.2% of URP households compared to 1.2% of households in the rest of Yangon); more like to have noticed violence against women by family members in their neighbourhood, (14.7% compared to 11.4%); less likely to have access to drinkable water in the dry season (88.9% of households compared to 97.3%); more likely to be unable to eat nutritious food (27.5% of households compared to 23%); and 1.8 times more likely to take their children out of school to earn money. During the panel discussion, Catarina Camarinhas, Country Programme Manager a.i. of UN-Habitat, highlighted that only 30 percent of Myanmar’s population resides in urban areas, which presents many opportunities for sustainable urbanization and poverty reduction. “Building resilience and promoting sustainable urbanization in Myanmar requires comprehensive initiatives and collaboration. By engaging multiple stakeholders and implementing effective local-level strategies, we are working towards sustainable development and climate change adaptation. Together with our partners, we aim to implement gender-responsive climate action in Myanmar,” she said. Jackie Appel, CEO and founder of the Step-in Step-up Academy, explained how her NGO has been providing vocational training to young people to meet specific job needs in Yangon’s workforce, including in healthcare, office work and hospitality. One young woman explained to the audience at the event how she took part in training to be a cashier and immediately was employed by Yoma Bank after graduating. Shihab Uddin Ahamad, WaterAid Myanmar’s Country Director, meanwhile discussed how the organization is bringing affordable clean water to low-income areas of Yangon through establishing bottling plants, and helping garment factory workers, who are almost all women, subsidize their incomes through food and hygiene product packages. Women and girls in Yangon’s urban areas are particularly vulnerable. Over 80 percent of women in the baseline study said rising food prices and loss of employment or revenues were their major challenges. And in a 2021 UN Women study in Yangon, two out of three women reported being extremely worried about becoming a victim of a violent crime. “We know 80 percent of women are working in informal employment in Yangon, that makes them vulnerable to economic downturn and provides hardly any social protection. On top of that, a lack of safe shelter and housing conditions increases the risk of sexual and gender-based violence,” said Karin Fueg, Country Representative a.i. of UN Women. “Under the URP, UN Women is leading a gender-responsive incubator and business accelerator to help women access business skills and finance, and to address gender norms through life skills, help accessing business networks and referrals to support services like legal aid, psycho-social support or gender-based violence services,” Ms Fueg said. The Urban Resilience Project’s community-based approach will create opportunities for resilience building, economic growth, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. By addressing the needs of the most vulnerable and fostering a sense of ownership, the project lays a foundation for long-term success and positive change. -ENDS- Find out more! Read the report: https://www.undp.org/publications/helping-communities-weather-socio-economic-downturn-building-urban-resilience Explore the Myanmar Development Observatory: https://www.undp.org/myanmar/projects/myanmar-development-observatory The Urban Resilience Project The Urban Resilience Project aims to address urban poverty in eight of Yangon’s poorest peri-urban townships. It focuses on providing access to sustainable sources of safe drinking water, improving health and sanitation services, supporting climate-resilient basic urban infrastructure, including drainage and access roads, and supporting micro and small enterprise development and work opportunities to more than 450,000 people. UN Women UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. UNDP UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. It helps countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Its work is concentrated in three focus areas: sustainable development, democratic governance and peacebuilding, and climate and disaster resilience. UN-Habitat The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, is the agency of the United Nations dedicated to promoting socially and environmentally sustainable development of human settlements in an urbanizing world, with the goal of providing safer and inclusive human settlements..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme, UN Human Settlements Program, UN Women
Date of publication: 2023-06-13
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.07 MB
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Title: UNDP begins recovery after Cyclone Mocha
Description: "The tropical storm devastated coastal communities in Rakhine State, destroying homes, infrastructure and livelihoods. Cyclone Mocha was one of the strongest cyclones ever recorded in Myanmar when it made landfall in Rakhine State on 14 May, causing widespread devastation. At its fiercest, windspeeds reached more than 250 kilometres per hour. Almost 7.9 million people are estimated to have been in the cyclone’s path, which caused severe damage as it moved inland to the country’s northwest. The humanitarian community in Myanmar has launched a Flash Appeal to raise US$333 million to assist 1.6 million people. The scale of the work needed to recover is immense. The communities hit hardest were already among the most impoverished and disadvantaged in Myanmar, suffering years of conflict, displacement, and economic marginalization. Rakhine has the second-highest poverty rate in the country, with two-thirds of people living below the poverty line. In Rakhine State, some 1.9 million people have been affected. The de facto authorities report that at least 145 people died in the cyclone, although other sources put this higher. The storm surge and winds in Sittwe, the state’s capital, damaged almost every building. Bridges collapsed, fishing boats were left in ruins, and healthcare facilities and schools were destroyed. About 1,182 square kilometres of land were flooded, killing livestock, and contaminating drinking water and farmland. Prices of food and the supplies needed to repair damaged homes and infrastructure have soared. UNDP is responding to immediate needs, reaching more than 44,000 people so far. We are focused on helping communities recover as quickly as possible and supporting people to rebuild their livelihoods so they can get back on their feet. The first order of business is to repair infrastructure and clear roads. This enables businesses to stay open, aid to be delivered and essential services to resume. UNDP provides people carrying out this work an income, with most of the participants being women and people from internal displacement camps. Ma Mya Win, who fled fighting to a camp in Sittwe in 2019 and participated in UNDP’s debris clearance, said; “I have become jobless as the tailor shop I used to work in was destroyed by the cyclone. The building collapsed to the ground. The owner has been trying to rebuild it, but it is complicated as the price of the construction materials is double what they used to be. “I am thankful I found this job while waiting to be back to my tailoring job. I will use this money to buy food for my family. As you know, the food price in Sittwe doubled, and it is difficult for us to feed the children. And the back-to-school season is coming soon [in June] and that money would really help me buy stationery and pay tuition fees for my child.” Our teams are also distributing seeds and organic fertilizer to provide families with both food to eat and sell, as well as supplies to fix their homes before the monsoon rains come. With drinking water ponds inundated with salt water and mud, UNDP is drilling new boreholes, and cleaning wells. This is vital to prevent the spread of waterborne diseases. UNDP has also brought people together through community kitchens in Sittwe, covering food and labour costs while local residents cook for as many as 1,000 people. UNDP is well-placed for both short- and long-term recovery, with a well-established presence in Rakhine State and a wide network of trusted partners. As soon as possible, we will also begin repairing critical infrastructure such as the bridges and village embankments that protect agricultural land. Other plans include providing support to fishers and farmers to restart their work, helping small businesses to gain access to markets and cash, and ensuring that women have equal employment opportunities. “The road to recovery for those affected by Cyclone Mocha will be long, but UNDP is ready to meet people’s critical and immediate needs,” said Titon Mitra, UNDP Myanmar Resident Representative. “We will help people rebuild their livelihoods as quickly as possible so they can earn a stable income and be more resilient to future disasters. We are committed to helping communities rebuild stronger, and ensuring support is sustainable for the weeks, months and years ahead.”..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Development Programme (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-06-06
Date of entry/update: 2023-06-06
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Title: Myanmar at a Crossroads: Past trends of human well-being and a future outlook, April 2023
Description: "Executive Summary: Myanmar is likely to be in a protracted state of crisis for some time. Consequently, the crisis is also very likely to derail the steady progress the country was making in sustained high GDP growth, poverty reduction, creation of employment including that of women, increasing exports and overall, getting closer to achieving many of the SDGs. Myanmar will be challenged in arresting the rising vulnerabilities of the people from lost jobs and lost or diminished livelihoods, providing widespread access to basic services and social safety nets, creating the necessary fiscal space, and curbing the conflict spreading throughout the country resulting in growing insecurity of civilians. The crisis is posing a serious, and possibly generational threat to the well-being of the people. With extremely limited domestic and international resources available, and an extremely complex and dynamic operating context, the challenge is to try to understand the nature and pace of the southward slide of all conceivable metrics of progress and determine how best to target interventions for maximum impact. The main purpose of this empirical analysis is to provide that information base. First from 2005-2017 – a period of high progress at the national level and well-captured by comprehensive datasets – followed by estimates of regression post 2020, due to the crises based on smaller but frequent surveys in the absence of any comprehensive national level datasets..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2023-05-24
Date of entry/update: 2023-05-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 3.48 MB (62 pages) - Original version
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Title: Helping Communities Weather the Socio-economic Downturn: Building Urban Resilience
Description: "Yangon has always faced challenges associated with rapid urbanization. Following the twin crises of COVID-19 and military takeover, the city’s inhabitants face unprecedented new pressures. The poverty rate in Yangon was projected to triple — from 13.7 percent in 2017 to 41.9 percent in 2022 — with the city set to be resident to some of the largest numbers of poor people while needing the highest level of resources to lift people out of poverty. In addition, men and women in Yangon must contend with poor legal protections, limited economic opportunities, inflated costs of living and an unhealthy environment. To better understand the experiences, challenges and emerging needs of households in Yangon, UNDP and UN Women conducted a baseline survey comparing households in eight townships of Yangon with the remaining townships in Yangon. The study was undertaken to gather empirical evidence to ensure the anticipated activities of the Urban Resilience Project – URP are appropriate, and to provide a baseline for future programme monitoring and evaluation. The survey, conducted over the phone with interviews lasting approximately 20 minutes, involved 3,000 respondents. The survey comprises questions on household finances, employment and livelihoods, safety and security, access to basic services, including health and education. The report provides comparisons between the 8 URP townships and the rest of Yangon. This baseline survey is one of the benchmarks to help measure the impact of URP. It captures the situation as it currently stands and confirms the priorities for urban interventions focused on responding to the growing needs and vulnerabilities of households. In future years, a follow-up survey may be undertaken to re-evaluate the socio-economic situation in the eight townships compared to the rest of Yangon, permitting impact analysis of any interventions to support households within the townships..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme and UN Women
Date of publication: 2023-01-16
Date of entry/update: 2023-01-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Format : pdf
Size: 2.07 MB (Original version) - 57 pages
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Title: Regressing Gender Equality in Myanmar: Women living under the Pandemic and Military rule
Description: "New UN study says fear, violence, and isolation prevents Myanmar women from accessing income and healthcare Bangkok -- Rising violence and insecurity are forcing women in Myanmar to stay away from jobs and healthcare services, says a new UN survey of over 2,200 women, which signals a deterioration of development gains in the country. "Regressing Gender Equality in Myanmar: Women Living Under the Pandemic and Military Rule", which launched today on International Women's Day, finds that women are losing ground on development gains, due to fear of violence. The survey conducted in December 2021 found that one-third of women are afraid of walking in their neighbourhoods, even during the day. This is a sharp departure from what women in Myanmar said in 2019, when only 3.5 percent of women reported feeling unsafe during the daytime, in their communities. Half of the women surveyed said they do not feel safe outside their neighbourhoods, and a full third reported feeling unsafe in their own homes, at night. "The survey sends a clear and chilling message that the fear of violence is preventing the women of Myanmar from living a normal life. This must be addressed right away," said Kanni Wignaraja, UNDP's Director for the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. The pandemic and heightened insecurity from the military takeover has gravely impacted women's finances and health. Without investments in their safety, agency, and capacities, women will be unable to take ownership of their lives and take care of their families. This will have a direct adverse effect on future generations and on the overall prosperity of Myanmar." The survey also paints a bleak view on the economic front. Nearly seven out of 10 women report that household income has fallen since the coup, exacerbated by the pandemic. Women living in rural areas are experiencing a continual decline in their incomes. With shrinking household incomes, women report skipping meals, taking out loans, and selling off anything valuable to make ends meet. This drastic fall in economic prosperity for women must immediately be halted and the wider health and welfare of women in Myanmar must be prioritized for the country to rebound following COVID-19. "The women of Myanmar have played a key role in the development of their country," said Sarah Knibbs, Officer-in-Charge for UN Women Asia and the Pacific. "Women drove the response to Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and the transition to democracy after 2012. They rushed to the front lines to help battle waves of COVID-19, and now they have been leading the peaceful movement demanding a return to democracy. They are the future of this country, as this report shows, and we need to give priority to their needs and concerns." Women's health is also affected by the rising insecurity in Myanmar. Half the women reported that access to healthcare services is becoming more difficult. One out of ten pregnant or breastfeeding women had a pregnancy or childbirth issue for which public or private health services could not be accessed. This is an extremely troubling statistic for infant mortality and maternal health in Myanmar. The report adds that the compounding effects of COVID-19 and the political unrest on women's security, finances, and health will not disappear quickly. Women are likely to face setbacks for years to come. It is important to reverse this trend quickly to recoup the gains that were being made towards gender equality..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme and UN Women via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2022-03-08
Date of entry/update: 2022-03-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Size: 1.51 MB (Original version), 1.36 MB (Reduce version) - 70 pages
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Title: Myanmar Situation Update (7-13 June 2021)
Description: "Myanmar’s ousted State Councilor, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi faced her second in-person court hearing on 7 June in Naypyitaw that court announced the charges filed against her will finish within 180 days. Media also reported on Thursday the junta charged her under the anti-corruption law, bringing to seven the number of legal cases brought against her since the military coup on 1 February, 2021. UNDP estimates that the poverty level is increasing rapidly which is 48.2% at present, and assumes reasons were COVID19 pandemic and the military takeover. This was not seen since 2005. Almost a quarter of all factories in the Japan-backed Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Yangon have suspended operations amid post-coup turmoil. The protests continued in different parts of Myanmar despite the brutal crackdown by the military junta and the unsettled situation continued even in the fifth month after the coup. The clashes between military and the civilian resistance forces and ethnic armed organizations also emerged in several places in Myanmar, such as in Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Chin, Bago, Magway, Shan, Mandalay, Sagaing and Yangon States/Regions. Three Indian states including Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland are currently sheltering around 16,000 people from Myanmar, civil society groups and government officials estimate, with the number expected to rise in coming months as the situation in Chin state has not improved over the last couple of months. Five DVB journalists who were charged and convicted for illegal entry to Thailand were reported to have arrived in a “third country” to seek asylum. There were intense fighting reported in Demoso, Loikaw and Hpruso townships during this week. The Junta has carried out airstrikes on civilian resistance fighters and used artillery on civilian areas. It has also brought hundreds of reinforcements into Kayah State. The Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), which is over 60 years old, is backing the civilian resistance of the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF) and People’s Defense Force (PDF). According to Progressive Karenni People Force (PKPF), 50 civilians were killed from March 19 to June 11 in Kayah State following the coup According to the aid groups, more than a quarter of a million civilians in seven regions of Myanmar have been displaced by clashes between the military and militias or fighting between ethnic armies. IDPs in Kayah and Chin States are in shortage of food supplies and medicines as the junta blocked all the routes to Kayah and Mindat of Chin State, destroying supplies of rice and medicine intended for IDPs. The United Nations calls on the security forces in Myanmar to allow safe passage of humanitarian supplies and personnel and to facilitate the direct provision of relief assistance by the UN and its partners to all those in need in Kayah, as well as other states and regions across the country where there are urgent humanitarian needs while the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet stated this week that credible reports indicate that security forces have used civilians as human shields, shelled civilian homes and churches in Loikaw, Phekon and Demoso in Kayah state and blocked humanitarian access. According to the information compiled by ANFREL, at least 37 bomb blasts happened across Myanmar in the past week. It was reported that at least 9 people were injured. The most high-profile interaction between the Myanmar military and China took place this week during talks in Chongqing, China between Southeast Asian foreign ministers and China. Junta’s appointed foreign affairs point person Wunna Maung Lwin attended the meeting involving the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and also the meeting with the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation group, the body that China and the five Southeast Asian countries part of co-chaired by China and Myanmar. Following the G8 Summit last week, the Myanmar community across the world has increased the number of protests in different parts of the world calling from the world leaders for their support to fight against the military junta that staged the coup on 1 February. Around 400 Myanmar people who live in the UK joined a protest against the Myanmar coup in Cornwall where the G7 summit is being held and some more were held in USA, Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Belgium, Australia, Netherland, Canada, Finland, Norway, Ireland and Czech Republic on 12th and 13th of June. The Burma Spring Benefit Film Festival, which features more than 30 films from or about Myanmar, will run until June 20 aiming to draw attention to Myanmar’s political crisis while raising money for groups inside the country striving to restore democracy and alleviate hardship. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), as of 13 June, 863 people were killed by the junta. 4,863 people are currently under detention and 178 are sentenced. 1,936 warrants have been issued. 31 were sentenced to death, 14 people to three years, 39 people to 20 years, 5 people to 7 years imprisonment. There were at least 21 deaths after bodies were returned to families bearing the marks of torture, although the exact number is unknown. Among them were active members of the National League for Democracy (NLD), election officials, pro-democracy activists and young people..."
Source/publisher: Asian Network for Free Elections (Bangkok)
Date of publication: 2021-06-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-23
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Title: Lines, tokens and money brokers: Myanmar’s crumbling economy runs low on cash
Description: "If you need cash in Myanmar, you have to get up early. Queues start forming outside banks at 4 a.m., where the first 15 or 30 customers are given a plastic token that will allow them to enter the bank when it opens at 9:30 a.m. and withdraw cash, according to more than a dozen people who spoke to Reuters. If you do not get a token, you either have to queue for hours for the few functioning cash dispensing machines outside or go to black-market brokers who charge big commissions. The cash crisis is one of the most pressing problems for the people of Myanmar after the Feb. 1 military coup. The central bank, now run by a junta appointee, has not returned some of the reserves it holds for private banks, without giving any reason, leaving the banks short of cash. The banks themselves have been closed or open only intermittently as many staff have gone on strike to protest against the coup. Meanwhile, internet outages make online transactions difficult and international transfers have largely stopped working. That presents problems for Burmese people and small businesses as they try to navigate an economy rapidly crumbling under the country’s new leaders and the collapse of tourism, one of Myanmar’s fastest-growing sectors. The Burmese kyat has dropped some 20% in value since the coup. “It’s now very difficult to operate a business,” said Hnin Hnin, an entrepreneur in her mid-20s who supplies shampoo and bedsheets to high-end hotels. “Traders don’t accept bank transfers now. They want cash. So we need to find the cash.” As a result, Hnin Hnin, who agreed to be identified only by a part of her name to discuss sensitive matters, has been one of the thousands of people queuing daily in front of the few functioning cash machines in major cities. Some people band together in groups of five, she said, so one person can take out money for the whole group. She has also been forced to figure out ways to pay her suppliers overseas, by making an agreement to swap money with a partner holding cash in an account in Thailand. Under the agreement, the partner gives Hnin Hnin access to her Thai baht account, so she can pay suppliers in Thailand, and Hnin Hnin pays her back with physical kyat notes in Myanmar. The central bank and the junta did not respond to requests for comment. Reuters put questions to Myanmar’s four largest private banks, including Kanbawza Bank and CB Bank. They also declined to respond. It is now almost impossible to get hold of U.S. dollars or other overseas currency at regular exchange centres in Yangon, a dozen people told Reuters. Black-market traders will take online transfers in exchange for physical notes in various currencies, they said, but add a commission of up to 10%. Myanmar's private banks were in trouble long before this year’s coup, at least partly because of their habit of lending money to well-connected customers who rarely bothered to pay them back, at least four bankers, including then-deputy central bank governor, told Reuters in 2017. The coup and the protests against it now mean there is no functional banking system, according to Richard Horsey, an independent political analyst specializing in Myanmar. “You have a three-pronged hit to the banking system,” said Horsey. “The pre-existing problems with the banks, which will be all the more difficult to resolve now; you have the economic impact of the coup which has produced a virtual hard stop to the economy without any kind of ability by the regime to manage that or inject stimulus; and then you have the banking sector strike itself.” People want to withdraw cash now to buy food and other essentials, said Horsey, and also because they fear the banking system will collapse. POVERTY RATE COULD DOUBLE The cash crisis is the most immediate sign of much deeper economic problems facing Myanmar, some experts said. Financial research firm Fitch Solutions said in April it expected Myanmar's gross domestic product to shrink 20% in 2021. The United Nations Development Programme said last month that Myanmar faces economic collapse due to the combined effect of the new coronavirus and the coup, which in its worst-case analysis could put nearly half the country’s 54 million people into poverty, compared to about a quarter in 2017. “If the situation on the ground persists, the poverty rate could double by the beginning of 2022,” said UNDP in its report. "By then, the shock from the crisis will have resulted in significant losses of wages and income, particularly from small businesses, and a drop in access to food, basic services and social protection." Millions are expected to go hungry in the coming months, the United Nations’ World Food Programme said in an analysis published in April. Some workers have trickled back to resume their jobs at banks in the past few weeks, but financial analysts see no immediate alleviation of the cash shortage. In Yangon, the country’s commercial capital, an egg and cooking oil trader who identified herself as Khin told Reuters the flow of eggs, oil and other agricultural commodities had slowed substantially and was no longer sufficient, forcing her to raise prices by 25%. While groceries are available in markets and in shops, some country analysts said they worry that farmers will not have access to seeds or credit to buy them before the monsoon planting season around June. “Farming in rural areas has already slowed down and the impact will be huge in the next season," said Khin. "Beans suppliers and chicken farm owners aren't sure if they can start another cycle." The commercial chain has been grinding to a halt, a major rice trader who works with hundreds of Myanmar farmers told Reuters. That trader said he lacks the cash to buy rice from farmers, which means in turn the farmers do not have money to buy equipment or pay workers to produce the rice. Many of the private banks’ loans were collateralised against real estate in Yangon, where property prices have collapsed since the coup, according to Myanmar economy analysts. Private banks in Myanmar are required to deposit a certain percentage of their customers’ money with the country’s central bank, as a way of protecting savings. Two bankers told Reuters their banks had deposited more than is required, but were denied permission by the central bank to withdraw any surplus, leaving them short of cash to dispense to customers. A banker at a major Myanmar bank said the closure of branches in the first two months after the coup prevented a run on the banking system with a rush to withdraw savings. “It was a good thing that the branches haven’t been open,” said the executive. “If the branches were open, we wouldn’t have enough cash to pay out..."
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Source/publisher: "Reuters" (UK)
Date of publication: 2021-05-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-15
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: COVID-19, Coup d'Etat and Poverty: Compounding Negative Shocks and Their Impact on Human Development in Myanmar
Topic: Agriculture, Health, Protection and Human Rights
Topic: Agriculture, Health, Protection and Human Rights
Description: "Pandemic and political crisis could result in half of Myanmar’s population living in poverty by 2022, UNDP says The combined effects of the two crises could put over a decade of progress on poverty reduction in the country at risk Yangon – After more than a decade of hard-won gains in the fight against poverty, the number of poor people in Myanmar could double as a result of the combined impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing political crisis, according to new research released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The study, entitled “COVID-19, Coup d’état and Poverty: Compounding Negative Shocks and their Impact on Human Development in Myanmar” warns that, if unchecked, the combined effect of these two crises could push up to 12 million people into poverty. That could result in as much as 25 million people - nearly half of Myanmar’s population - living below the national poverty line by early 2022, a level of impoverishment not seen in the country since 2005. The analysis indicates that, by the end of 2020, 83 per cent of households had reported that their incomes had been, on average, slashed almost in half due to the pandemic. With these unprecedented circumstances, the number of people living below the poverty line in Myanmar is estimated to have increased by 11 percentage points as a result of the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis. And according to the projections outlined in the report, the worsening security, human rights, and development situation in Myanmar since February 2021 could cause another sharp rise in the country’s poverty rate – driving it up by an additional 12 percentage points by early next year. “In the space of 12 years, from 2005 to 2017, Myanmar managed to nearly halve the number of people living in poverty. However, the challenges of the past 12 months have put all of these hard-won development gains at risk,” said UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner. “Without functioning democratic institutions, Myanmar faces a tragic and avoidable backslide towards levels of poverty not seen in a generation.” According to the study, women and children are projected to bear the heaviest brunt, with more than half of Myanmar’s children projected to be living in poverty within a year. Urban poverty is expected to triple, and the worsening security conditions have continued to fracture supply chains and hinder the movement of people, services, and commodities including the provision of agricultural goods. Small businesses, which provide the majority of jobs and incomes for the poorer segments of the urban population, have been hit hard. The pressure on the country’s currency, the Kyat, has increased the price of imports and energy. At the same time, the country’s banking system remains paralyzed, resulting in shortages of cash and limited access to social welfare payments. It also prevents much-needed remittances from reaching hard-pressed families. “We are witnessing a compounding crisis of unprecedented severity and complexity. Myanmar had managed to halve poverty, and with its democratic transition was showing signs of firming up fragile human development gains. Now it feels like a push-back to 2005. The combined effects of COVID-19 and the political crisis have caused a systemic shock which could lead to a long-lasting disruption in Myanmar’s development trajectory, unless addressed and resolved soon,” said Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. As the situation in Myanmar continues to worsen, UNDP joins the United Nations Secretary-General in condemning, in the strongest terms, the killing of civilians, and in calling for a firm, unified and resolute international response to the crisis. Link to the report: https://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/library/democrati... About UNDP UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Development Programme (New York) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
Date of publication: 2021-04-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-05-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Double crises of coup and Covid could push half of Myanmar's population into poverty, UN warns
Description: "Almost half of Myanmar's population could be forced into poverty by the end of the year as the country teeters on the brink of economic collapse caused by the double shock of a bloody military coup and the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new United Nations report. Rising food costs, significant losses of income and wages, the crumbling of basic services such as banking and health care, and an inadequate social safety net is likely to push millions of already vulnerable people below the poverty line of $1.10 a day -- with women and children among the hardest hit. Analysis from the UN Development Program (UNDP), published Thursday, warned that if the security and economic situation does not stabilize soon, up to 25 million people -- 48% of Myanmar's population -- could be living in poverty by 2022. That level of impoverishment has not been seen in Myanmar since 2005, when the country was an isolated, pariah nation ruled by a previous military regime, it said. UNDP administrator Achim Steiner said it is clear "we are contending with a tragedy unfolding." "We have fractured supply chains, (disrupted) movement of people and movement of goods and services, the banking system essentially suspended, remittances not being able to reach people, social safety payments that would have been available to poorer households not being paid out. These are just some of the immediate impacts," Steiner said. "The protracted political crisis will obviously worsen this." Myanmar had made solid progress in reducing poverty, particularly since the start of a democratic transition from military rule in 2011 that prompted economic and political reforms. Over the past 15 years, the country effectively halved its poverty rate from 48.2% in 2005 to 24.8% in 2017, according to the report. It was still considered one of the poorest countries in Asia, however, with an estimated third of the population subsisting on such a low or precarious income it was one economic shock away from being thrown back into poverty. For many, that shock came in the form of the global coronavirus pandemic. Lockdowns and containment measures disrupted supply chains, so businesses -- especially in retail, manufacturing and exports, as well as smaller businesses, market sellers, hairdressers and tailors -- suffered. By December last year, more than 420,000 migrant workers had returned home. By the end of the year, 83% of households in Myanmar reported their incomes had been slashed by about half due to the pandemic, the report found. The second shock came in the morning of February 1, when armed forces commander in chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing seized power, overthrowing the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party and installing a military junta. The following months have seen ongoing protests against his rule and the rise of a Civil Disobedience Movement in which thousands of blue- and white-collar workers including doctors, teachers, civil servants and factory workers have gone on strike with the aim of disrupting the economy and unseating the general. Security forces have brutally suppressed the protests with deadly and systematic crackdowns in which police and soldiers have shot dead people in the streets and arbitrarily detained perceived opponents. More than 750 people have been killed by security forces since the coup, and more than 4,500 arrested, according to advocacy group Assistance Association of Political Prisoners. The compounding economic crises of the pandemic and military takeover risk completely wiping out the progress Myanmar has made in reducing poverty, the report said -- and the number of people in poverty in the country is likely to double by next year. The impact of the pandemic alone would have raised Myanmar's poverty level from 24.8% to 36.1%, the UNDP estimated. If the massive economic and social disruption of the coup continues, that increases further to 48.2%. "By then, the shock from the crisis will have resulted in significant losses of wages and income, particularly from small businesses, and a drop in access to food, basic services and social protection," the report said. Urban poverty is expected to triple as the towns and cities have been hardest hit by Covid-19 and remain the focus of the most severe military crackdowns. According to the study, women and children will bear the heaviest brunt. Myanmar already has high child poverty rates and the combined crises are "putting an entire generation in peril," the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said. Rising poverty means children are less likely to stay in school and the loss of key services in education and health care, for example, will lead to "profound physical, psychological, educational and economic impacts." Women-led households are more vulnerable, the report added, as women are more likely to be employed in sectors affected by the coronavirus, such as the garment industry. And women disproportionally bear the burden of household chores associated with Covid-19, such as caring for the sick or home-schooling children, which forces many to drop out of the labor market, the report said. The two crises are not independent of one another. The overthrow of the civilian government has already amplified the impacts of the coronavirus -- Covid-19 testing has collapsed since the coup, doctors say. Meanwhile, the takeover has "derailed" any hope for a post-pandemic recovery, the report said. The deteriorating security conditions have seen a further breakdown of supply chains already disrupted by Covid. Key ports are paralyzed as customs agents, dockworkers, lorry drivers and rail workers halt work. Some shipping firms have temporarily stopped services to the country, the report said. About 80% of Myanmar's trade is seaborne, and the UNDP estimated trade in ports dropped by up to 64% in the two months after the coup. About 70% of Myanmar's population are employed inthe agricultural sector, according to the World Bank. Similar disruptions to transport and the movement of labor and goods, as well as pressure on the country's currency, the kyat, has also hit Myanmar's agriculture industry, which 70% of the population depend on for their livelihoods. "Across Myanmar society this is a major setback, not only in development but also in terms of inequality and vulnerability," Steiner said. "People will struggle to survive." A humanitarian crisis is unfolding as a result. The UN World Food Program last week warned "hunger and desperation" are rising in Myanmar and predicted that up to 3.4 million people will be suffering across the country in the next six months. "Overall, Myanmar is on the brink of economic collapse and risks becoming Asia's next failed state," the UNDP report said. To reach its conclusions, the UNDP used a range of sources, including published data from the World Bank, the Brookings Institution, reports from other UN agencies, media reports and household surveys from Myanmar. Because real-time data is difficult to obtain, the UNDP said if the multiple crises of Covid-19, human rights, democratization and security extend even further, the estimates may be worse than predicted -- especially for vulnerable groups such as ethnic minorities and internally displaced people. "Much will depend on what's happening in Myanmar over the next two months," Steiner said..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-04-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-30
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Title: Myanmar approaching point of economic collapse: UN report
Sub-title: The turmoil following the military coup in Myanmar, coupled with the impact of COVID-19 could result in up to 25 million people – nearly half of the country’s population, living in poverty by early next year, a United Nations report said on Friday.
Description: "That level of impoverishment has not been seen in the country since 2005, and the economy is facing significant risks of a collapse, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in its report, COVID-19, Coup d’état and Poverty: Compounding Negative Shocks and their Impact on Human Development in Myanmar. “In the space of 12 years, from 2005 to 2017, Myanmar managed to nearly halve the number of people living in poverty. However, the challenges of the past 12 months have put all of these hard-won development gains at risk,” Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, said. “Without functioning democratic institutions, Myanmar faces a tragic and avoidable backslide towards levels of poverty not seen in a generation.” The study also noted that as economic, health and political crises affect people and communities differently, vulnerable groups are more likely to suffer, a fact particularly relevant for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and ethnic minorities, in particular, the Rohingya community.....Multiple shocks: According to the report, by the end of 2020, 83 per cent of Myanmar’s households reported that their incomes had been, on average, slashed almost in half due to the pandemic. As a result, the number of people living below the poverty line was estimated to have increased by 11 per cent points. The situation worsened further with the 1 February military takeover and the ensuing security and human rights crisis, with projections indicating a further 12 per cent point increase in poverty as a result. In the nearly three months since, over 750 people – including children – are reported to have been killed by security forces in a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests, countless more have been wounded and thousands arrested. Furthermore, clashes between Myanmar security forces and regional armed groups have resulted in fresh displacements in several parts of the country, as well as forcing many to seek refuge outside its borders. Prior to the latest crises, nearly a million people in Myanmar (identified at the start of 2021) are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.....Women, children, small businesses hit hardest: According to the study, women and children are feared to bear the heaviest brunt, with more than half of Myanmar’s children projected to be living in poverty within a year. Urban poverty is also expected to triple, as worsening security situation continues to effect supply chains and hinder the movement of people, services and commodities. Small businesses, which provide the majority of jobs and incomes for the poorer segments of the urban population, have been hit hard, UNDP said. It also added that pressures on the country’s currency, the Kyat, has increased the price of imports and energy, while the volume of seaborne trade is estimated to have dropped by between 55 and 64 per cent. At the same time, the country’s banking system remains paralyzed, resulting in shortages of cash, limiting access to social welfare payments, and preventing much-needed remittances from reaching hard-pressed families.....Corrective actions urgently needed: The report also noted that without rapid corrective actions on economic, social, political and human rights protection policies, Myanmar’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 could be derailed. As a dire and complex situation unfolds – characterized not only in humanitarian terms but also as a deep crisis in development, democratization, and human rights – and circumstances worsen, international support will play an important role in safeguarding the well-being of the Myanmar population, it added..."
Source/publisher: UN News
Date of publication: 2021-04-30
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: National Unity Government: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Announcement No.1/2021 - အမျိုးသားညီညွတ်ရေးအစိုးရ နိုင်ငံခြားရေးဝန်ကြီးဌာနက ကြေညာချက်အမှတ် (၁/၂၀၂၁) ကို ထုတ်ပြန်
Description: "1.Myanmar was elected as a member of the UN Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS (United Nations Development Programme/ United Nations Population Fund/ United Nations Office for Project Services) for 3 - year term of 2022 - 2024 during the United Nations Economic and Social Council - ECOSOC meeting held in New York on 20 April 2021. Myanmar will serve as a member of the Executive Board for three years starting from 1 January 2022..... 2. In order to actively participate in international relations and diplomatic affairs with the countries around the world, the elected civilian government led by President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has put sustainable and continued efforts..... 3. Not only to promote national interests in international relations, by actively participating in the United Nations Agencies, Myanmar is trying its best to contribute to socio-economic development of all nations..... 4. With these efforts, Myanmar was elected as a member of the UNESCO Executive Board in 2019.In 2017, Myanmar presented its candidature for a seat on the Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS for the period 2022-2024. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations reached out to the member states of the Asia-Pacific region group to support Myanmar’s candidacy. With the consensus of the Asia-Pacific countries, on 28 January 2021, Myanmar was endorsed by the group to be elected as a member of the Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS. As a result, Myanmar was elected by the members of ECOSOC as a member of the Executive Board for three years..... 5. The National Unity Government of Myanmar wishes to reaffirm that as a member of the Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS, Myanmar under the elected civilian government led by President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, will actively participate in and perform its duties and responsibilities in the Executive Board for the benefits of the people in the region and the world..."
Source/publisher: National Unity Government of Myanmar
Date of publication: 2021-04-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: In Tanintharyi, an indigenous alternative to Big Conservation
Sub-title: Communities in biodiverse Tanintharyi Region are spurning big, top-down projects and seeking recognition for their own approach to conservation.
Description: "From its forested borderlands in the east, to vast mangrove forests and hundreds of island ecosystems in the Andaman Sea to the west, Tanintharyi Region is a bastion of nature and biodiversity. The region is home to one of the largest remaining expanses of intact low-elevation evergreen forest in Southeast Asia, a stronghold for endangered and endemic species including tigers, tapirs and pangolins. Indigenous communities have managed this landscape according to local knowledge and practices for generations, and have mobilised to protect it from the large-scale oil palm and mining projects that have expanded across the region. Inter-linking territories connect to form an indigenous-conserved landscape – one that presents an alternative to top-down conservation projects proposed by the government and international conservation organisations. “Our lands are threatened both by expanding agribusiness and mining projects on one side, and national parks and conservation on the other,” said Saw San Ngwe, a community leader and director of the Myeik-based Southern Youth Development Organization. “Our communities have been conserving this area for generations; it’s time for their efforts and initiatives to be recognised and supported.” Tanawthari Landscape of Life , a new report by Conservation Alliance Tanawthari, a coalition of Karen community-based groups working in the region, outlines the interconnected conservation initiatives of indigenous communities throughout the landscape. This “landscape of life” testifies to the joint efforts of communities to forge a new future that centres on the peaceful interconnections between indigenous communities and nature..."
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Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2020-05-22
Date of entry/update: 2020-05-22
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Ooredoo Myanmar and UNDP collaborate to promote climate resilient farming practices while enhancing and diversifying income by leveraging innovation technology
Description: "Ooredoo Myanmar and UNDP Myanmar today signed a Partnership Agreement to support the implementation of the Sustainable Enterprises and Agricultural Development (SEAD) Project. The project aims to establish an inclusive and sustainable rural development model in Myanmar’s Dry Zone leveraging Ooredoo’s advanced mobile technology and UNDP’s experience in promoting climate resilient farming practices in the Dry Zone region of Myanmar. 130 target villages in Myingyan and Nyaung U townships are expected to directly benefit from the 15 months project. This partnership marks an important milestone for the Ooredoo Myanmar-UNDP partnership in Myanmar. The SEAD project will provide an agricultural support package to vulnerable farming communities in the dry zone to promote income diversification and resilient livelihoods. It will also provide virtual climate advisory services and promote sustainable agricultural and livestock breeding practices in partnership with key government counterparts. Finally, the project will help match supply with the demand for sustainable farming and related inputs and services; support value addition in the agriculture and livestock sectors; and connect farmers to markets and credit (through use of mobile money)..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme (UNDP) (New York) via Reliefweb (New York)
Date of publication: 2019-12-17
Date of entry/update: 2020-01-08
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Protecting livelihoods and nature on Inle Lake
Description: "The fear that haunts Ko Than Htoo, who is the main breadwinner for his five-member family, is that Inle Lake will one day dry up. He has been a boatman for over 25 years. Only two years ago he had to leave nearby Pekon Lake after the water level went down to the point of his boat running aground. Enlisted as a Ramsar site and a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve, Inle Lake is the second largest in Myanmar. It has long hosted a rich diversity of bird and fish species. However that is under threat by deforestation, pollution, unsustainable agriculture and tourism. “My livelihood is attached to this lake. I am concerned about its future because I have witnessed the impact of decreased water level in the other lake. The people never stopped cutting down trees up in the hills and every time there was rain, all the mud and silt from upstream would flow down to the lake,” says Ko Than Htoo. “We should do something to keep this lake alive so that it keeps us alive.”..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme (UNDP) (New York)
Date of publication: 2019-11-13
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Protecting livelihoods and nature on Inle Lake
Description: "The fear that haunts Ko Than Htoo, who is the main breadwinner for his five-member family, is that Inle Lake will one day dry up. He has been a boatman for over 25 years. Only two years ago he had to leave nearby Pekon Lake after the water level went down to the point of his boat running aground. Enlisted as a Ramsar site and a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve, Inle Lake is the second largest in Myanmar. It has long hosted a rich diversity of bird and fish species. However that is under threat by deforestation, pollution, unsustainable agriculture and tourism. “My livelihood is attached to this lake. I am concerned about its future because I have witnessed the impact of decreased water level in the other lake. The people never stopped cutting down trees up in the hills and every time there was rain, all the mud and silt from upstream would flow down to the lake,” says Ko Than Htoo. “We should do something to keep this lake alive so that it keeps us alive.”..."
Source/publisher: UN Development Programme (UNDP) (New York)
Date of publication: 2019-11-13
Date of entry/update: 2019-12-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Recovery takes root in Myanmar
Topic: Climate Change Myanmar, Sustainability
Topic: Climate Change Myanmar, Sustainability
Description: "In July 2018, Myanmar experienced severe monsoon floods and landslides, which devastated several states including Kayin, Mon, Tanintharyi and Bago. At least 20 people died, 268,438 were displaced, and infrastructure damage was estimated at US$3.6 million. Farmers were especially hard hit. “Our paddy fields were completely destroyed. Since the roads were damaged, we could not work in the fields or go to the market to sell our produce,” says Daw Yi Htwe, a mother of seven who ekes out a living growing rice. “The children couldn’t go to school and had to stay at home.” Daw Yi Htwe’s children range from nine to 30 years in age, the eldest having left the town for work in Thailand. She wants them to be educated and have a better future. Paddy farming forms the backbone of Myanmar’s agriculture. Mon state has approximately three million acres of arable land, most of it rice paddies. When monsoon flooding hit 90 percent of the crop damage was in the paddies, and small-scale farmers were hardest hit. Ah Hta Ya village, with its unpaved roads and wooden houses with sloping roofs, sits next to the Attran river that elegantly snakes through the landscape. Picturesque as this might seem, and despite the benefits for agriculture and rearing livestock, the river’s proximity can wreak havoc during the monsoon..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (USA)
Date of publication: 2019-10-29
Date of entry/update: 2019-11-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: National Environmental Policy of Myanmar - မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ အမျိုးသားပတ်ဝန်းကျင်ထိန်းသိမ်းရေမူဝါဒ
Description: "Myanmar is blessed with diverse ecosystems, rich biodiversity and bountiful natural resources. The health of these ecosystems is essential for the country’s development and the people’s wellbeing, given that all economic and social sectors depend on its natural capital. Yet many of our country’s natural resources and environmental assets are under pressure due to a number of different causes. Deforestation, mangrove loss, illegal wildlife trade, unregulated mineral extraction and environmental quality deterioration are just some of the ongoing threats to Myanmar’s natural capital. Without sound environmental governance, rapid economic development could further exacerbate these existing environmental problems. As a result of the opening of the country’s economy, increasing foreign and domestic investment is contributing to an intensification of industrial activity and rapid urban expansion....မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ အမျိုးသားပတ်ဝန်းကျင်ထိန်းသိမ်းရေမူဝါဒ.."
Source/publisher: UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
Date of publication: 2019-06-05
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Greening the Dry Zone of Myanmar (Short)
Description: "People living in Myanmar's Dry Zone are facing the impact of climate change on their lives. The project, Addressing Climate Change Risks on Water Resources and Food Security in the Dry Zone of Myanmar aims to reduce vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity of the dry zone communities through improved water management, crop and livestock adaptation programme in five of the most vulnerable townships of Myanmar’s Dry Zone. The Adaptation Fund project is being implemented by UNDP in collaboration with the Government of the Union of Myanmar. Category..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: UNDP Myanmar
Date of publication: 2017-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-03
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Title: Greening the Dry Zone of Myanmar (Long)
Description: "People living in Myanmar's Dry Zone are facing the impact of climate change on their lives. The project, Addressing Climate Change Risks on Water Resources and Food Security in the Dry Zone of Myanmar aims to reduce vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity of the dry zone communities through improved water management, crop and livestock adaptation programme in five of the most vulnerable townships of Myanmar’s Dry Zone. The Adaptation Fund project is being implemented by UNDP in collaboration with the Government of the Union of Myanmar..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: UNDP Myanmar
Date of publication: 2017-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Greening the Dry Zone of Myanmar (text)
Description: "People living in Myanmar's Dry Zone are facing the impact of climate change on their lives. The project, Addressing Climate Change Risks on Water Resources and Food Security in the Dry Zone of Myanmar aims to reduce vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity of the dry zone communities through improved water management, crop and livestock adaptation programme in five of the most vulnerable townships of Myanmar’s Dry Zone. The Adaptation Fund project is being implemented by UNDP in collaboration with the Government of the Union of Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: UNDP Myanmar
Date of publication: 2017-03-01
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: WATER IN MYANMAR'S DRY ZONE
Description: "Their village of Sin Ka in Chauk Township, in the Magway Region, has only one well that serves 700 people. It is a 20 minute walk away and costs US$0.60 to fill a 200 litre barrel. This is a serious burden on Daung Yi and her husband, who look after a family of 12, including children and grandparents. Many landless people in Myanmar’s Dry Zone work as seasonal farm labourers, migrating to urban areas during non-planting time to find temporary employment. Chronic poverty is directly correlated with the effects of drought and climate change..."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
Date of publication: 2016-09-08
Date of entry/update: 2019-08-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
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