Humanitarian organisations must seize the opportunity to improve their response in Myanmar

30 October 2007

Humanitarian organisations working in Myanmar should reassess their existing programmes and seek new ways of working together to better serve the people of Myanmar. This is the message from a key group of humanitarian organisations working in Myanmar, resulting from deep concern over the recent events that have taken place.

The group of NGOs, which includes the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, is appealing for increased efforts to:

  • strengthen public sector policies that better respond to the humanitarian needs of vulnerable people, including increased public expenditure in health, education and sustainable livelihoods
  • improve the operating environment for local and international humanitarian organisations
  • significantly scale-up international humanitarian assistance to directly address the needs of the poor.

The organisations believe that recent events are intrinsically linked to the deteriorating humanitarian situation faced by so many in Myanmar and they are urging all parties to increase their efforts to address the underlying causes.

The recent increase in fuel prices which triggered the events has further exacerbated the already fragile living conditions facing the people in the country. Current social and economic policies have led to conditions which have pushed many people below subsistence levels. This is compounded by the lack of investment at the scale needed to meet the needs of the people.

Public expenditure in the health and education sectors is extremely low even while people continue to have little access to basic affordable services in many parts of the country. In the absence of social services, civil society groups have attempted to respond to local needs but are constrained in their ability to operate formally. Coping mechanisms of local communities are also being increasingly weakened.

International humanitarian assistance has increased in recent years but the level of support is still insufficient and programmes are narrowly defined. Although international non-governmental organisations have been able to develop and expand projects, there are limitations placed on the geographical and sectoral coverage of their programmes and operations.

It is the combination of these factors that the group of NGOs believes has led to the existing humanitarian crisis which sparked the recent protests.