Yangon, Myanmar, 8 April 2026 — In Myanmar, where conflict and disasters have left communities displaced and vulnerable, the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) provides a vital lifeline to those in need.
Thanks to a project lasting more than three years, funded by the European Union from March 2023 to April 2026, the IRC and its partners have served more than 120,000 clients in 2025. Vital support includes life-saving primary healthcare services, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and support for survivors of gender‑based violence.
Sarah, health counsellor with the IRC’s mobile health team in Myanmar, said, "People living in displacement camps are anxious because they don’t have access to basic needs—food, income, or security. Their livelihoods have been destroyed, which creates intense stress as they try to survive."
In the wake of the earthquake in March 2025, which destroyed roads and infrastructure, entire communities are reliant on humanitarian aid to access basic services. As part of the earthquake response, more than 50,000 people were reached in 2025 with comprehensive EU‑funded support.
Mohammed Riyas, IRC Myanmar Director, said, “As we approach one year since the devastating earthquake of March 2025, it is clear that programmes like EU-funded mobile health clinics and Women and Girls’ Safe Space are critical for the survival of communities in Myanmar. The disaster served as a grave reminder of how humanitarian aid provides a lifeline to communities when they are in urgent needs.”
“Myanmar features prominently on the IRC’S Emergency Watchlist 2026 as a result of conflict, disasters and the withdrawal of foreign aid funding. It is critical that international donors step up their support for Myanmar to ensure civilians continue to receive the services they so desperately need.”
About the IRC in Myanmar
The IRC initiated an emergency response in Myanmar following Cyclone Nargis in 2008. The IRC has worked with local partners to expand its activities since then, serving people affected by conflict and disaster. The IRC currently works across multiple sectors in six states and regions of Myanmar, including providing emergency response to communities affected by the earthquake in March 2025.
About EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid
The European Union and its Member States are among the world’s leading donors of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity with people in need all around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by disasters and human-induced crises. Through the Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations of the European Commission, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflict and disasters every year. With headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the basis of humanitarian needs.
The International Rescue Committee partners with the European Union to provide life-saving support to people caught in conflict and disasters around the world. Our work funded by the EU enables people to survive, recover and rebuild their lives.