The UN refugee agency the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is one of the largest aid agencies helping displaced people in Myanmar, a crucially important body given the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the country.

UNHCR has been in Myanmar since 1993 and maintains an operational presence of over 200 staff at 10 locations nationwide. Today, the organization cares for the needs of over 1.2 million people of concern in Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan states as well as Bago, Magway, Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions.

In its work in-country UNHCR collaborates with partners such as sister UN agencies, international and local NGOs as well as local communities to help internally displaced people (IDPs). UNHCR plays a key role in the provision of life-saving interventions, particularly in the areas of assistance coordination and delivery of emergency relief in the form of non-food items such as shelter, blankets and household goods.

UNHCR does not just look after displaced people, its aim is for Internally Displaced people (IDPs) to be able to rebuild their lives in safety, dignity and peace. To this end it advocates for the fundamental human rights of IDPs and host communities and works towards sustainable solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build better futures in cohesive and resilient communities.

According to an official press release: “UNHCR works to understand the aspirations of those who may wish to return to places of origin, reintegrate within the communities they reside in or relocate safely elsewhere. We therefore collaborate with stakeholders to achieve lasting solutions for communities, through continuous and inclusive dialogue and provide appropriate support to ensure that no one is left behind.”

Since the February 2021 coup, UNHCR has continued its work in Myanmar and is determined to continue doing so. Reuben Lim Wende, the Chief of Communications of UNHCR Myanmar said: “Despite operational challenges, UNHCR continues to stay and deliver in Myanmar. As the UN Refugee Agency, we continue to communicate and engage with communities in need to understand the situation of IDPs and stateless people.”

He explained that the humanitarian situation in Myanmar is “precarious” and that fighting is hindering the ability of the population to seek safety and lifesaving assistance. Additionally, IDPs have become more vulnerable and insecure because of “the COVID-19 health crisis, disruptions to telecommunications, banking and healthcare systems, rising prices for fuel, food and other basic commodities, [and] loss of livelihoods.”

Explaining the problems now faced by aid agencies in Myanmar he added: “Humanitarian organizations face constraints in reaching those in most need, including access limitations, insecurity, as well as logistics and supply chain challenges in the delivery of much-needed assistance and protection services to people in need.”

When people are forced to flee their homes due to violence, they leave almost everything behind, including food, medicine and basic household belongings. Unfortunately, the places they flee to often lack such basics as reliable access to food, access to medical care, water and sanitation facilities as well as basic household materials, such as blankets, mosquito nets or kitchen sets. Often the IDPs do not even have a roof over their head.

To help such people UNHCR distributes relief items to affected communities across Myanmar and works with relevant stakeholders to facilitate access for humanitarian interventions. Relief items distributed by UNHCR include tarpaulins, ropes, blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, buckets, sleeping mats, sanitary kits, COVID-19 personal protective equipment, solar lamps, and winterization kits for adults and children. UNHCR is also setting up stockpiles of relief supplies in different areas in preparation for when more people will be displaced in the future.

At camps, villages and displacement sites UNHCR carries out rapid assessments to identify the needs and risks faced by IDPs and constructs shelters. It also implements camp-based activities designed to empower IDPs, such as getting them to represent their communities, mobilizing resources and facilitating community-led activities. It also implements protection-centred activities focusing on community-based protection, legal aid, citizenship and housing, and land and property rights.

UNHCR and its partners have installed an early warning system that can, according to UNHCR, “systematically identify changes, gaps and challenges on the ground.” This allows for a comprehensive analysis of the situations on the ground and their potential impact on vulnerable people, allowing UNHCR and its partners to tailor their responses to individual situations in a timely and appropriate way.

UNHCR intends to increase its emergency assistance in 2022. It has already started this in January with the establishment of a temporary base in the Shan State capital of Taunggyi, in response to an influx of IDPs from nearby Kayah State. Since mid-January, UNHCR and its partners have been supplying relief to Kayah IDPs in Taunggyi and the surrounding townships. So far, they have managed to help some 13,000 IDPs in Shan State and 2,000 IDPs in Kayah State.

According to Reuben Lim Wende, UNHCR estimates that it will need $56.7 million of funding for 2022, of which it has so far received only 8 per cent.

That funding is needed to supply lifesaving emergency assistance such as shelter materials as well as relief items such as mosquito nets, kitchen sets and jerry cans. It will also go towards paying for re-integration programmes for IDPs returning to their places of origin or integrating into their host communities. Funding is also needed to support the UNHCR’s work in Rakhine where there are 600,000 stateless people.

As of 8 March 2022, UNHCR Myanmar has received just 8 per cent of the $56.7 million it needs for 2022, though it expects this to rise in the coming months as donors pledge their support. UNHCR has long-standing partnerships with donor governments who provide the organisation with critical funding.

Unfortunately, in 2021 UNHCR Myanmar only received 52 per cent of the $62.6 million it needed for 2021 by the end of the year. Despite this, in 2021 UNHCR provided over 200,000 IDPs and stateless people with relief items, over 60,000 IDPs received shelters and over 400,000 individuals benefitted from camp-based activities.

Reuben Lim Wende said: “Lack of funding would result in the discontinuation of key programming which constitutes a lifeline to vulnerable populations in Myanmar.”

Despite all these problems and difficulties “UNHCR remains committed to advocating for and providing critical humanitarian assistance to those in need as well as facilitate access to services. We will continue to work with UN sister agencies and partners to carry out our mandate in the country, guided by the internationally recognized principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence,” according to Reuben Lim Wende.