"Situation in Numbers 5,600,000 children in need of humanitarian assistance 17,600,000 people in need (HRP 2023) 1,329,700 Internally displaced people after 1 February 2021 (UNHCR) 52,000 People displaced to neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021 (UNHCR) 330,400 people living in protracted displacement before February 2021 (OCHA) Highlights By the end of February 2023, Myanmar reported more than 1.6 million people displaced across the country including over 1.3 million people who have been displaced since February 2021. Recent new displacement is particularly concentrated in northwest and southeast regions due to ongoing hostilities. UNICEF joined the interagency missions in northern Rakhine, and distributed hygiene kits to 1,034 families and other hygiene, education and recreational materials to 6,389 displaced people in southern Shan state. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) reached 288,684 individuals. UNICEF requires US$169.6 million to respond to the multisectoral humanitarian needs of children in Myanmar. Funding Overview and Partnerships UNICEF Myanmar Country Office is appealing for US$169.6 million in 2023 to address the needs of the 2.8 million people targeted, including an estimated 1.9 million children. During the reporting period, UNICEF secured US$9.4 million, comprising US$ 1.8 million received in 2023 and US$7.6 million carried forward from the previous year. UNICEF has been given generous support by the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission (ECHO), the Government of Japan, the Government of Norway, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the World Health Organization (WHO) and through global humanitarian thematic funding. UNICEF and its partners continue to deliver much-needed services covering nutrition, health, HIV/AIDS, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, child protection, gender-based violence in emergencies, protection against sexual exploitation and abuse, social protection and cash-based programming, accountability to affected populations (AAP), humanitarian leadership and cluster coordination. The programmes hope to scale up services to the targeted populations, especially to children in need, with continued support from donors. UNICEF expresses its sincere appreciation to all private and public sector donors for their contributions to supporting the children of Myanmar. Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs The general situation remains volatile with continuous widespread and intensified armed conflicts across Myanmar, particularly in the southeast and northwest where there is regular heavy fighting, air strikes, artillery shelling and the destruction of civilian properties. As of 27 February, more than 1.3 million people had been displaced across Myanmar since February 2021 according to United Nations figures.1 During the reporting period, 154,400 people werenewly displaced, primarily in the regions of Sagaing, Magway, Thanintharyi, and Bago East, as well as Mon and Kayin states due to intensified fighting between the Myanmar Armed Forces (MAF), Ethnic Armed Organizations and the People’s Defence Forces. On 2 February 2023, the State Administration Council (SAC) declared martial law in 37 additional townships across Myanmar and, on 22 February, in 3 more townships in Sagaing region. These include 26 townships in the northwest (14 in Sagaing, 7 in Chin, 5 in Magway) and 14 in the southeast (5 in Bago, 4 in Kayah, 2 in Kayin, 2 in Thanintharyi and 1 in Mon). This brings the total number of townships under martial law to 47. This imposition of martial law affecting the service delivery in those areas by adding additional bureaucratic layers, security checkpoints and curfew. Humanitarian access remains severely constrained in most states and regions, mostly due to bureaucratic impediments, movement restrictions, insecurity, and landmines. There are severe restrictions on sending humanitarian supplies to most townships in the northwest and southeast. However, in Rakhine State restrictions on travel have been lifted including to six officially off-limit townships, though the domestic transport of supplies remains limited. Nationally, the lead time necessary for transport is prolonged due to the approval requirements, the complex security situation and the presence of multiple checkpoints. Some transport routes are affected by the presence of different parties to the conflict. Beyond domestic access constraints, restrictions and delays have hampered the import of humanitarian supplies for more than a year. Additionally, some supplies which used to be tax exempt, such as micronutrient tablets, ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) and other medical supplies, are now taxed. In the northwest and southeast, humanitarian partners are often unable to reach people in need, particularly in Sagaing, Magway and Kayin because of stringent restrictions on movement and supplies, the use of landmines and explosive ordinance and threats to humanitarian workers. The situation of people, including children, remains unknown in some areas. Internally displaced people in Kayah State (particularly those from eastern Demoso) are suffering from acute water shortages. Kachin state, which has been affected by conflict for several decades, and the impact of the recurrent and heavy conflicts is still severe. Despite no major displacement was reported during the first two months of 2023, local General Administration Department (GAD) met with camp leaders in Kachin to encourage the displaced people in protracted camps to return to their place of origins by the end of March without a viable plan for rehabilitation. Three options were discussed: (i) return to place of origin; (ii) move to a resettlement site (iii) the displaced people to make their own plans to move out of the camps. This forced return was reported in Shan and Rakhine States as well and this has led to increased anxiety among camp communities as most of their home villages may be contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) or occupied by active military forces. Although travel restrictions have been eased in Rakhine State, the local General Administration Department (GAD)still does not permit access to all areas, particularly to villages in remote rural areas, and camps in towns have increased the vulnerability of the displaced populations. Most service providers were unable to assist populations in dire humanitarian need. In early January, UNICEF joined an inter-agency Mission in 4 townships of southern Shan State, distributing 2,834 hygiene kits, 68 school bags, 806 soap bars, 516 water buckets, 2 school kits and recreation kits to 6,389 displaced people in 46 camps. In the middle of January UNICEF distributed 1,034 hygiene kits to 1,034 families at 8 sites for displaced people in Buthidaung and Rathedaung, Rakhine State as part of a joint Mission led by the United Nations..."