Myanmar, Union of — humanitarian situation

Myanmar's military regime continues to systematically target civilian populations in the southeast through arbitrary detention, torture, forced recruitment, and extrajudicial killings, tactics documented as collective punishment against communities KHRG. Recent reports detail cases where the Burma Army forcibly recruited young men from Yangon and Tanintharyi divisions, subjecting them to human rights abuses before some managed to escape from frontline positions in Taw Oo and Doo Tha Htoo districts. Forced recruitment operations persist, with individuals seized from vehicles and deployed to active combat zones. Southwest monsoon conditions continue to affect multiple regions, compounding challenges for displaced populations (AHA Centre). The Rohingya displacement crisis has now entered its tenth year, with over 1.3 million refugees remaining in Cox's Bazar camps in Bangladesh, including more than 1.2 million in protracted displacement (Islamic Relief, MSF). Children constitute more than half the refugee population and face deteriorating health conditions, arriving at medical facilities later and sicker with complex overlapping physical and psychological needs MSF. Food security has reached critical levels, with more than one in three refugees expected to face crisis-level hunger (Save the Children). During 2026 monsoon season, over 5,500 shelters were damaged by rainwater, strong winds, and landslides, forcing families to repair homes or relocate, though upgraded Temporary Safer Shelters provided by humanitarian actors demonstrated improved resilience IFRC. Inside Myanmar, food prices show concerning trends with rice prices rising 3.6 percent month-on-month and 10.1 percent year-on-year in July 2026, reaching levels 10.1 percent above the previous year IFPRI. Regional price disparities reflect differences in production conditions and market access constraints. Healthcare access remains severely constrained in southeastern areas, with Karen Department of Health and Welfare clinics reporting inadequate medicine supplies and referring patients elsewhere due to shortages KHRG. The humanitarian response faces a deepening funding crisis, with shrinking aid threatening to reverse years of progress in Cox's Bazar and placing additional pressure on already limited essential services (Oxfam). Rohingya-led organizations continue operating as first responders and community support providers but remain marginalized within formal humanitarian coordination structures ODI. The crisis risks becoming normalized as displaced populations enter a second decade without durable solutions for voluntary, safe return or viable livelihood opportunities.