Stitches of Struggle and Hope: The Realities of Garment and Apparel Workers in Myanmar

This report builds on UNDP’s 2022 study Livelihoods Hanging by a Thread to provide an updated picture of Myanmar’s garment workers, four years after the military takeover. Based on 667 interviews in Yangon and Bago, it captures how living and working conditions have further declined for a predominantly young, female, and migrant workforce. Most workers still earn below subsistence levels—averaging less than USD 100 per month—and regularly work long hours under insecure and often unsafe conditions. While many are considering migration abroad, a majority indicate they would remain if wages and protections improved. The report proposes updated wage benchmarks and calls for urgent, coordinated action to protect worker rights, raise pay standards, and support resilience in one of Myanmar’s most vulnerable yet vital sectors.

Download full report in English.

Download executive summary in Myanmar.