File photo of displaced people who arrived in Lashio last year. ELEVEN MEDIA/ANN Photo

YANGON – Food insecurity and malnutrition are at an alarming level in Myanmar, with 55 per cent of children living in poverty, UNICEF Myanmar has announced.

Myanmar has been grappling with a range of escalating conflicts for four years now, with the situation taking its toll on children the most, with violence, displacement and disruption of essential services such as health and education posing a serious threat to the survival and well-being of children, UNICEF Myanmar said.

About a third of those displaced are children, forced from their homes and communities, and now face an uncertain future. In 2024, 750 children were killed or injured in the conflict, and the number continues to rise, according to UNICEF Myanmar.

In addition, the public health care system, which was already weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now being severely damaged by conflict, insecurity and the mass exodus of health workers, leaving many children without access to essential health care. More than a million children are missing out on vital vaccinations, making Myanmar one of the countries with the highest number of unvaccinated children in the world, UNICEF Myanmar said in a statement.

Nearly five million children are missing out on education, missing out on learning opportunities, and facing serious risks, including forced recruitment by parties to the conflict, use as child labor, forced early marriage, and exploitation, UNICEF Myanmar said.

Meanwhile, food insecurity and malnutrition are at alarming levels, with 55 per cent of children in Myanmar living in poverty, many displaced families struggling to meet basic needs, and children with disabilities and their families being the most vulnerable due to the collapse of social safety nets and the inability to afford specialised care, UNICEF Myanmar reported.

In addition, Cyclone Ragi in 2024 affected more than 300,000 children and destroyed many schools, and overcrowded refugee camps and vulnerable communities are facing severe water-borne diarrheal diseases and dire living conditions, with impacts expected to continue into 2025.

Only 25 per cent of the US$208 million needed by 2024 has been received, leaving many children without access to critical assistance. UNICEF needs $286 million by 2025 to provide life-saving and emergency services to 4.1 million of the most vulnerable children and families across Myanmar. Without this funding, children could face malnutrition, outbreaks of disease, lack of access to clean water, and loss of education. – Eleven Media/ANN