The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is seeking US $19.5 million to allow it to continue and expand its activities in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
Rakhine is one of the least developed of Myanmar's 14 states and regions, and is characterised by widespread poverty, weak infrastructure and a lack of opportunities for employment and income generation. This is frequently exacerbated by the state’s vulnerability to natural disasters and prolonged internal displacement as a result of communal violence. These conditions have contributed to a significant incidence of irregular migration from the state. As a result, IOM delivers its services with a focus on migration and mobility – including in the context of natural disasters.
IOM appeal - USD (April 2016 - April 2018)
TOTAL: US$ 19.5 million
Protection: US$ 3.5 million
Health: US$ 3 million
Community stabilization: US$ 5 million
Early recovery: US$ 8 million
See the full appeal text here.
The World Bank has estimated the poverty in Rakhine to be the highest in Myanmar at 78 per cent - double the national average. Many people from across all communities struggle to gain access to adequate food security, education, healthcare, clean drinking water, and other basic services. For example, Rakhine State has the lowest percentage of households with access to improved sanitation in the country (48 per cent compared to a national average of 84 per cent), as well as the lowest primary school enrollment rate (71.4 per cent compared to a national average of 87.7 per cent).
800,000 people without citizenship (UNHCR)
118,000 Internally Displaced Persons
416,000 people urgently need humanitarian assistance
1,300,000 people affected by floods and cyclones
IOM was involved in the response to Cyclones Nargis (2008) Giri (2010), and Komen (2015). The Organization deployed its Displacement Tracking Matrix and provided direct assistance to the affected populations. IOM Myanmar mainly works in Maungdaw, Myinbya, Pauktaw, Sittwe, and Myebon which are the most at risk to natural disasters and which also contain the highest number of Internally Displaced Persons. Farmers are affected by cyclones through damage to crops, fields, seeds and other assets. Similarly, fishermen lose vital equipmment or have boats damaged during cyclones and tidal surges.As well as provision of direct humanitarian assistance, IOM wants to train more people in livelihoods, particularly sustainable agricultural practices, with inclusive community decision-making. This would break the cycle of food insecurity and indebtedness which also drives irregular and dangerous migration.
The devastation caused by floods and landslides after 2015's Cyclone Komen showed the importance of disaster preparedness and community resilience.
IOM's current activities in Rakhine:
● Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM)
● Counter-trafficking and gender-based violence (GBV)
● Disaster risk reduction (DRR)
● Post-flood/cyclone Komen (2015) emergency response
● Health
● Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
● School reconstruction
● Shelter reconstruction
A lack of development and job opportunities in Rakhine State has led to an increase of feminization of labour within Rakhine State.
In addition to emergency response activities, IOM is active in delivering a comprehensive range of services in Rakhine State that addresses health, WASH, counter-trafficking, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), and shelter and school reconstruction.
IOM targets a total of 865,000 individuals over two years (April 2016 - April 2018)
IOM strives to build effective and productive partnerships with other organizations operating in Rakhine State, and government authorities at township, state and Union level. In doing so, it focuses on delivering an integrated programme that benefits both Rakhine and Muslim communities, which is often community-led in its approach. IOM adopts a "whole of state" approach addressing the specific vulnerabilities of both communities and provides support for all populations in a comprehensive way.
Due to lack of employment opportunities many in Rakhine are choosing to migrate abroad. Risky migration choices increase vulnerability to human trafficking cases for all communities in Rakhine State.
In 2015 alone, the Myanmar government in coordination with IOM, assisted over 1,000 trafficked Myanmar fishermen to return home safely. Many of these migrants found themselves recruited by brokers and then sold to human traffickers who exploit them as fishermen on boats off the coasts of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. One of the main reasons why these migrants left Myanmar was for job opportunities abroad.
For the Muslim communities who lack legal channels for migration, many have chose to engage migrant smugglers to assist them.
