Myanmar

During the reporting period, the UN Women Myanmar Country Office (MCO) contributed to the Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan 2023, outcome 1.2, and the UNOCHA Cyclone Mocha Flash appeal. This engagement led to a significant integration of a gender perspective into the country's humanitarian response and strategy, specifically targeting emergency assistance for marginalized women and girls in Rakhine state. Cyclone Mocha, striking on May 17, 2023, intensified the crises in Rakhine, Chin, and Kachin states, raising vulnerabilities for the affected population to 4.5 million (of which, 1.1 million were the focus of the humanitarian response- 55% women and 18% children). As part of the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) and national cluster coordination, UN Women actively participated in response planning, providing gender-specific technical support to the humanitarian cluster. UN Women contributed by sharing the Myanmar Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines and Gender Tipsheets, enhancing early warnings, assessments, and prioritization strategies and swiftly deployed national personnel in collaboration with UNOCHA for rapid assessments. Additionally, UN Women took a leadership role in Gender in Humanitarian Action, conducting a joint Rapid Gender Assessment and Analysis, known as the "Observation Review," in collaboration with UNFPA and CARE International Myanmar. This informed the Cyclone Mocha Flash Appeal and the 2024 Humanitarian Needs Response Plan. Furthermore, Crisis response by MCO facilitated fast-tracked emergency funding in Rakhine, providing life-saving services to 4,716 individuals, of which 2,557 women. Cyclone Mocha-affected households received support through the Gender Integrated Disaster Recovery and Rehabilitation Response, including 7-day food rations, toilet construction, and emergency items provided by local WCSOs and women groups in collaboration with Oxfam and LWF. UN Women's strategic grants from 2021 to 2023 to Myanmar WCSOs through the Women�s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) yielded impactful outcomes. Ten grantees benefitted 48,337 people directly (2,350 girls, 38,539 women, 353 boys, 7095 Men) and 1,975,914 indirectly through relief and recovery programs. Despite global attention being diverted to other crises, WCSOs from Myanmar achieved significant recognition, particularly through their advocacy at CSW 67, garnering extensive coverage in global news publications including Associated Press, Diplomatic Insight and a press conference organised by the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations. Furthermore, MCO�s participation in the technical committee of the Myanmar Humanitarian Funds brought notable changes in the knowledge and practices of humanitarian actors, enabling more effective engagement with WCSOs. Importantly, MCO�s financial and technical support directly contributed to the survival of all supported WCSOs (26 out of 26) in 2023, despite the ongoing conflict and challenging operating context.