Myanmar

On 18th March 2025, a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, causing unimaginable destruction. Entire communities were destroyed, thousands lost their lives or suffered severe injuries, and the healthcare system has been overwhelmed. The disaster unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing civil unrest, further hindering rescue and relief efforts.

In August 2017, a deadly crackdown by Myanmar's army on Rohingya Muslims forced hundreds of thousands to flee across the border into Bangladesh. The harrowing accounts of rape, murder and mutilation shocked the world. On 1st February 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the democratically elected government, undoing a decade of progress and plunging the country into further chaos. As of 22nd March, 2022 the U.S. formally determined that the atrocities committed against the Rohingya people by Myanmar military forces are acts of genocide.

Throughout 2024, Myanmar experienced intense and widespread conflict, pushing the number of internally displaced people beyond 3.5 million. An estimated 19.9 million people - over a third of the population - require humanitarian assistance.

With widespread fighting consuming vast regions, nearly 15.2 million people face acute food insecurity, desperately seeking ways to feed themselves and their families. Education and health services are severely disrupted and on the brink of collapse, leaving millions of children without access to learning and medical care. Meanwhile, Myanmar remains one of the world’s most underfunded humanitarian crises, leaving millions without the urgent support they need.

As a result, the past four years have brought unprecedented challenges, creating a profound ‘polycrisis’. Political instability, entrenched conflict, economic turmoil, severe human rights violations and worsening environmental degradation have reshaped every aspect of life.

The Impact on Women and Girls

An estimated 9.7 million women and girls are in urgent humanitarian need due to the ‘polycrisis’. These fragile conditions significantly increase the risk of gender-based violence, with many survivors unable to access essential services, including medical and psychological support, or legal justice.

Rates of child marriage have soared in conflict-affected areas, increasing by 20% as families in crisis force young girls into early marriages for perceived protection and survival. Meanwhile, more and more children are being pulled out of school, further limiting their futures.

Women and girls with disabilities are even further marginalised, facing at least two to four times higher risk of violence than other women. With vital services crumbling, their access to support and protection is rapidly diminishing.

The ongoing crisis in Myanmar is deepening gender inequality and threatening the safety, health, and futures of millions of women and girls. Urgent action is needed to provide life-saving assistance and ensure they are not left behind. 

In the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, education is a beacon of hope for Rohingya children who have endured displacement and hardship. Yet, without essential school supplies, many struggle to access learning opportunities. Recognising this urgent need, Women for Women International, in collaboration with our partner, worked to procure and distribute vital educational materials to six community-based organisation (CBO) run schools, ensuring that refugee children can continue their education.

Women affected by conflict often go unheard in decisions that shape their futures. At Women for Women International, we believe their voices must be at the heart of solutions.

That’s why, as part of our global consultation project “Amplifying the Voices of Women Survivors of War”, we worked with our local partner to gather critical data from women in Myanmar and Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Their experiences and insights have contributed to our global advocacy efforts, culminating in the presentation of key findings at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2024.

In August 2024, Women for Women International and our local partner conducted 228 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and 29 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) across conflict-affected regions.

In total, we reached 228 women through individual surveys in Myanmar and 268 women through FGDs, surpassing our original target and ensuring that more women had the opportunity to share their perspectives.

The collected data was submitted to our team for in-depth analysis on 14th August, 2024, feeding into the ‘#SheDares. Will You?’ campaign and the global consultation report, “From Asking to Action”, presented at the UN General Assembly in September 2024. Some key findings from this report include:

• 81% of the women consulted are hopeful and expectant that their circumstances will improve in the next 5 years.
• Only 27% of the women said they always feel safe participating in community activities.
• 96% of the women reported violence impacting women in their communities.
• 71% of the women recognised the key role that women have to play in both conflict prevention and response.
• Only 25% of the women we spoke to reported having received some form of relief and recovery assistance.

By ensuring that the voices of women survivors of war are heard at the highest levels, we are not just listening - we are driving action for change. That is the power of women, for women.