In the Myanmar, HI supports people affected by humanitarian crises by facilitating access to the humanitarian needs. HI also prioritize urban and peri-urban areas with specific to Yangon and Southern Shan State on issues related to disability.
In the Myanmar, HI supports people affected by humanitarian crises by facilitating access to the humanitarian needs. HI also prioritize urban and peri-urban areas with specific to Yangon and Southern Shan State on issues related to disability.
In Myanmar, HI aims to provide services to the most vulnerable populations. Considering the country context, HI’s operations primarily focus on humanitarian responses for conflict-affected communities, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in camps as well as those residing in informal displacement sites. HI also works closely with host communities to address their needs and mitigate the additional pressures caused by displacement.
The program adopts a mixed implementation modality:
This approach enables HI to expand its operational reach and ensure more effective access to affected populations. Working with local partners has been particularly important for reaching communities in hard-to-reach areas, including locations with access constraints and restricted areas where international presence may be limited. Through this combined modality, HI seeks to ensure timely, inclusive, and context-sensitive humanitarian assistance for populations most in need.
Through static and mobile clinics, HI teams provide physical rehabilitation and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services to conflict-affected communities. Physical rehabilitation services include physiotherapy, provision of assistive devices, referrals for prosthetic services and specialized health care, as well as training and guidance for caregivers to support continued care at home. MHPSS services are delivered through both group-based and individual sessions to address the psychological and social impacts of displacement and conflict. For advanced or specialized care, beneficiaries are referred to external service providers.
In addition, HI supports vulnerable communities in meeting their basic needs through the provision of food, shelter assistance, non-food items (NFIs), and WASH materials including hygiene kits. Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) is also provided to enable affected populations to meet their most urgent needs in a flexible and dignified manner.
At the national level, HI contributes to strengthening inclusive humanitarian response by leading and supporting the development of standards, guidelines, and toolkits that serve as references for humanitarian actors to mainstream disability inclusion across sectors. Inclusive education is another key area of HI’s work in Myanmar, where HI provides technical assistance and capacity strengthening to both international and national education actors and community-based education actors to promote mainstream disability into educations services. With a specific focus on persons with disabilities, HI also facilitates access to livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities and households with members with disabilities, supporting their economic inclusion and resilience.
Given the high contamination of Explosive Ordnance (EO) and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) in many areas of the country, HI integrates Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) into its programming to raise awareness and reduce risks among affected communities.
The program maintains close coordination and collaboration with local authorities, international and national humanitarian actors, civil society organizations (CSOs), and communities to ensure effective and coordinated humanitarian response.
Myanmar has entered its fifth year of nationwide armed conflict following the February 2021 military takeover. Localized confrontations have evolved into a fragmented civil war marked by airstrikes, drone warfare, artillery shelling, and the collapse of public institutions. In 2026, over 16 million people around one-third of the population are estimated to require humanitarian assistance, while insecurity, access constraints, and underfunding continue to limit response capacity.
The crisis has been further compounded by natural disasters. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake in March 2025 caused widespread destruction of health facilities, transport infrastructure, irrigation systems, and markets in key agricultural areas. Severe flooding later in 2025 further displaced vulnerable communities and damaged livelihoods. The combined impact of conflict and disasters has deepened food insecurity and accelerated the breakdown of essential services, particularly in the Southeast.
Displacement remains the defining feature of the crisis. By early 2026, more than 5.2 million people were displaced internally and across borders—the highest level recorded. Many communities experience repeated, cyclical displacement due to air and artillery attacks, floods, and shifting frontlines, eroding assets and coping capacity. Meanwhile, the cost of a basic food basket has quadrupled since 2021, and an estimated 16.7 million people face acute food insecurity.
The changing nature of warfare has also altered injury patterns. Airstrikes, landmines, and explosive weapons have resulted in high numbers of complex trauma cases, including amputations and spinal cord injuries. With the public health system severely disrupted and rehabilitation services limited, treatable injuries increasingly lead to permanent impairments, reinforcing long-term disability and socioeconomic exclusion.
The 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) aim to deliver life-saving assistance and protection to 4.9 million people, prioritizing 2.6 million with the most severe needs. This plan requires US$890 million to reach all targeted individuals, or US$521 million to assist those in the worst conditions. The response will focus on hard-to-reach areas and rely heavily on local partners under the Humanitarian Reset agenda to ensure principled, inclusive, and efficient delivery.
HI is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.
HI is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.
