This regular update, covering humanitarian developments up to 8 November, is produced by OCHA Myanmar in collaboration with the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group and UN agencies. Response figures are based on self-reporting by organizations to clusters. The next humanitarian update will be issued end of November 2023.

HIGHLIGHTS & KEY MESSAGES

• A combination of active conflict, monsoon floods, and access barriers is worsening the humanitarian situation facing vulnerable communities nationwide.
• A new front of conflict has intensified in Northern Shan where fighting between Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) and the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF) has displaced almost 50,000 people since 26 October.
• More than two million people are now internally displaced nationwide, many of them multiple times, eroding their coping capacity with each move.
• Relentless monsoon floods, especially in the Southeast, have caused severe economic and agricultural losses, exacerbating an already critical humanitarian situation as a result of conflict.
• Administrative and physical restrictions are amplifying suffering by delaying or forcing the cancellation of aid deliveries.
• Local and international humanitarian partners remain committed to staying and delivering, reaching at least 2.5 million people by end of September 2023.
• The combined US$887 million Humanitarian Response Plan and Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeals remain critically underfunded, with only 28 per cent of the required funding received.
• Immediate additional financial assistance and the easing of access restrictions are imperative for the humanitarian community to address urgent needs.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Active conflict, monsoon floods, underfunding and restrictions on humanitarian activities are contributing to deteriorating living situations for vulnerable communities, including internally displaced people. More than two million people remain internally displaced nationwide, with many having experienced repeated displacement. Displaced families are enduring precarious conditions while they are on the move, often seeking refuge in the jungle without proper shelter. Almost half of the country’s population is estimated to be living in poverty and an estimated 12.9 million people are estimated to be severely or moderately food insecure. Affected people are facing heightened protection risks, particularly due to contamination by explosive ordnance, including landmines.

This multifaceted crisis has not only deepened the needs of vulnerable groups but has also severely restricted their access to essential services and humanitarian assistance. Relief efforts of both local and international humanitarian organizations have been obstructed. In the face of these formidable obstacles, partners remain resolute in their commitment to assisting those in need. By the end of September, they had reached at least 2.5 million people, responding to escalating needs through diverse and flexible access approaches, including growing numbers of people in the Northwest and an expanded proportion of IDPs. However, despite escalating needs, the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) and the Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal remain severely underfunded, leaving thousands of desperate communities without the vital support they require.

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