UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services)

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Description: "Security and Conflict Incidents   
Source/publisher: Center for Operational Analysis and Research, United Nations Office for Project Services
2023-10-31
Date of entry/update: 2023-10-31
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "LIFT/UNOPS response addresses immediate needs while also supporting longer-term development. Thousands of Myanmar families share a typical plight of being stuck in a cycle of conflict, rising levels of food insecurity and protracted healthcare crisis, and many have experienced multiple displacements, leaving behind their homes, crops, and livestock. For the first time, the number of displaced men, women and children in Myanmar has exceeded one million, including 700,000 people displaced by the conflict and insecurity since the military takeover in February last year. Host communities who were already struggling to sustain their livelihoods are also supporting those that have been displaced. The Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT), a multi-donor fund managed by the United Nations Office for Projects Services (UNOPS) delivers relief, livelihood and resilience programming to vulnerable communities across Myanmar aiming to sustainably improve household food security and community resilience to economic and climatic shocks and stresses. Below are several examples of how LIFT/UNOPS and its partners help support vulnerable communities and households through income generation and employment creation, strengthening of food systems and nutrition support, natural resource management, and community asset creation in a challenging environment. Support for community-based health services LIFT and partners work with local health practitioners, volunteers and ethnic health service providers to strengthen the community-based health services by providing a wide range of integrated health, WASH and essential nutrition services to more than 300,000 people including internally displaced people, the elderly, people with disabilities, migrants, pregnant and breastfeeding women and their children, and adolescent girls. Cash-for-livelihoods support 38-year old Ma Toe Lwin (name changed) from Mawlamyinegyun has what’s called a ‘strong business intuition’. Knowing that a high fishing season is approaching, she launched a fishing net weaving and repairing business, with cash-for-livelihoods support from LIFT’s partners. Having been in the fishing business since her early 20s, Ma Toe Lwin is able to distinguish the quality of fishing nets but it was the lack of capital that didn’t allow her to stock nets for trading before the fishing season. With cash support from LIFT, Ma Toe Lwin mobilised a group of women to produce about 100 fishing nets, in time for the upcoming fishing season so they can be sold to the fishermen. During high seasons, Ma Toe Lwin’s enterprise can employ up to 75 women allowing for a faster production chain. Proceeds from their sales are shared between the group members while a portion of earnings is saved for future investments. Agriculture development support “We keep using traditional growing methods and our planting has faced a lot of problems like pest infection and plant diseases. We did not know very well about the proper usage of fertilizers and pesticides, which caused us low yields”, said U Saw. Having struggled for years, U Saw sought knowledge of advanced agricultural techniques that would help him to improve his farm production and support better access to healthy food for his family. When the LIFT-supported project reached the village, U Saw eagerly joined the training on agriculture to learn small-scale agri-business, good agricultural practices, and plant protection techniques. The practical sessions led him to explore natural composting methods, soil preparation methods and soil pH measurements. “In the past, I used to apply ready-made pesticides on my farm. So, it was costly and I also didn’t wear any protection while I was using chemical fertilizers and I often suffered from nausea and vomiting”. Saw was convinced of the health benefits of organically grown crops, and he upgraded his farm to an organic farm. “The project supported me with a capital fund and black bamboos which are necessary in cultivating tomatoes. Tomato is the main crop I grow and I had an acre for purely organic cultivation this year. I applied all the agricultural techniques I learned from the training and the capital support of the project also helped me step up my farm. The yield this year has really increased as I expected. I am really happy that my earnings are pretty well and I can even repay all my debts,” said U Saw with a big smile on his face. The traditional farmer who used the chemical fertilizers in the past is now stepping up as a leading farmer in the area who shares with his peers on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) that he received from the training. “We need to protect our land and environment by reducing the usage of chemicals so we are introducing organic farming step by step”, a proud and dedicated farmer U Saw said. Support and assistance for internally displaced persons But as the COVID-19 crisis deepened, Khine Mar lost all sources of income. “It has not been easy for us since the pandemic hit. Some organizations provided us with assistance such as food and essentials, but travel and access restrictions made such support irregular”, he said. So he sought domestic work around his neighbourhood but there was little demand. He thought he had left such uncertainty behind when he fled his home village. Khine Mar was among other residents of the camp to receive a cash transfer of 65,000 MMK, provided by LIFT through its partners as a means to help IDPs cover their most basic food needs or purchase other basic items and services to protect themselves from COVID-19 and its socio-economic impacts. “It’s the first time I receive such significant support and it was timely and helpful”, said Khine Mar of the cash transfer. He used part of the payment to buy food for his children and is cooking more nutritious meals for his children. By scaling up multi-purpose cash transfer assistance, food assistance in kind and vouchers, cash/food for work schemes, psychosocial support and counselling services for trauma and gender-based violence, LIFT and partners have reached over 131,000 vulnerable people with social protection programmes in 2021 alone. Supporting small-scale community enterprises “We all joined a dry fish (snakehead fish) production training and learned how to cut fish by removing skin and bones and preserve it without using chemicals. We sell our product locally and online, and then share the profit while keeping 5 per cent of earnings in our group’s saving fund,” said Daw Myint. It takes the group seven to ten days for a full production cycle - from purchasing raw fish to selling the ready product. Each member’s profit is sufficient to cover their household expenses such as food, education and healthcare while savings are planned for investing into other businesses. “Dried fish production is a seasonal business, and we are thinking of launching some farming enterprises too”, concluded Daw Myint. Relief & Resilience response across Myanmar, including people living with disabilities In 2021, 30 of LIFT’s partners from different thematics and geographic regions utilized $11.6 million USD for Relief & Resilience response to reach about 900,000 vulnerable people including internally displaced persons and people living with disabilities in different states and regions of Myanmar with multi-sectoral emergency aid. It is the hand-in-hand collaboration with partners that enabled LIFT-funded support to help restore and boost resilient livelihoods while strengthening the food security of vulnerable groups. Nutrition and WASH awareness In Kachin and Northern Shan, over 12,000 women from the most vulnerable households have been part of LIFT-funded nutrition-sensitive activities which included nutrition and WASH awareness, training in home gardening and in-kind support (food and WASH items). Improving working conditions for women garment factory workers Everyday, hundreds of unskilled women come from rural areas to cities to work in one of over 400 garment factories. Working in a garment factory is often the only possibility for young women from rural areas to earn money and become economically independent, and the income they generate is also used to support the families they’ve left behind. However, working in a garment factory also poses several challenges for these young women: while trying to navigate life in a new city without their family, friends and support network, the women also face harsh working conditions in the factory every day. In an effort to improve working conditions for women workers at garment factories, LIFT’s partners initiated a pilot to collaborate with a factory to upgrade its infrastructure by building or renovating canteens, toilets and healthcare facilities as well as installing cooling systems to provide some basic comfort and amenities as well as to create a space where the women are able to interact with each other. Though at its very early stage, the pilot has already proved success as workers appreciated improvements and it resulted in higher productivity and higher incomes..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Office for Project Services via United Nations Myanmar
2022-06-23
Date of entry/update: 2022-06-23
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Description: "Yangon - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the UNOPS-managed Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) have just launched a cash assistance programme for most vulnerable communities in conflict-affected areas as they continue coping with the impact of COVID-19 in Myanmar. Through technical support from WFP, LIFT has recently provided one-time, 65,000 Myanmar Kyat (appr 36 USD) cash transfers to over 46,000 households, including internally displaced people and poor families in conflict-affected communities in Kachin, northern Shan, Rakhine and Chin states. The assistance targeted families whose lives and livelihoods were shattered by the coronavirus pandemic, providing them with the resources they desperately needed to meet their basic needs, including food and health care. “Cash transfers will support families to avoid adopting negative coping mechanisms and support access to nutritious food at a time when most vulnerable households are impacted by the loss of income and amidst multiple socio-economic challenges,” said Sara Netzer, LIFT’s Fund Director. The assistance was delivered directly to the beneficiaries through WFP’s cash transfer mechanisms already used in its operations in Myanmar. “WFP is proud and pleased to do its part to facilitate LIFT’s cash transfers for vulnerable households in four states reeling from the impact of successive COVID waves,” remarked Stephen Anderson, WFP’s Country Director in Myanmar. “The LIFT cash transfers complement WFP efforts to scale up food and nutrition assistance for the most food insecure communities across Myanmar.” LIFT’s previous emergency cash transfers, which were top-up payments to mothers, pregnant women, people with disabilities, migrant workers and the elderly, empowered people with choices when addressing their essential needs. The support also enhanced people’s purchasing power and stimulated local economies. LIFT’s cash assistance is provided thanks to the financial support of the United Kingdom, the European Union, Switzerland, Australia, the United States of America, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland and Norway. With donor support, LIFT has reached more than 2.9 million people in response to COVID-19 since the onset of pandemic..."
Source/publisher: World Food Programme and United Nations Office for Project Services via United Nations Myanmar
2022-03-25
Date of entry/update: 2022-03-27
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Description: "UNOPS-managed Livelihoods and Food Security Fund estimates that one in six Myanmar workers in low-skilled employment is in a situation of forced labour Yangon, Myanmar - In the first major study on the prevalence of forced labour in Myanmar since 2015, the UNOPS-managed Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) shows that one in six workers in low-skilled employment is in a situation of forced labour due to multiple gaps in existing labour protection frameworks. The LIFT-funded report From the Rice Paddy to the Industrial Park: Working Conditions and Forced Labour in Myanmar’s Rapidly Shifting Labour Market assesses the practical experiences of over 2,400 low skilled workers in relation to freedom of association, wage protection, equal treatment of women, access to justice and other key labour rights. The study reveals that despite advances being made in increasing workers’ rights, 91 percent of interviewed workers had no formal contract and 93 per cent of workers had no access to social security. This is largely attributed to the decades under neglect - leading up to 2000 - when workers in Myanmar were left without access to basic rights and unprotected by an outdated legislative framework. While reforms to labour governance were initiated in 2010, the labour market itself has continued to be dominated by informality and poor working conditions. The research findings showed an alarming prevalence of the two elements of forced labour, ‘involuntary work’, experienced by a staggering 63 per cent of workers and ‘threat or menace of penalty’ among low-skilled workers reported by 19 percent of respondents. Not being told about dangerous working conditions (32 per cent), working for very low wages (25 percent), degrading living conditions in employer-provided housing (16 per cent) and a job that differed to what was agreed upon (11 per cent) are named as the most common forms of involuntary work. These and other findings suggest a high prevalence of exploitative employment practices and a lack of decent work opportunities for workers which are compounded by considerable practical restrictions on freedom of association and collective bargaining as well as by limitations in the reach or effectiveness of available assistance. The study also provides evidence of the informality of the labour market information system, with over 50 per cent of workers reporting having found jobs by word of mouth and 47 per cent securing their employment through direct hire by the employer. Only (1 per cent) of workers interviewed were recruited through a labour broker (pwe sar in Myanmar language). The COVID-19 pandemic further accentuated workers’ vulnerabilities with the survey finding that nearly three-quarters of low-skilled workers (73 per cent) reported some reduction in income during COVID-19, while (43 per cent) lost their jobs entirely. Following the 1 February military takeover of government and the current COVID-19 third wave there has been a further dramatic rise in unemployment amounting to up to 1.2 million job losses in the second quarter of 2021. The sectors hardest hit are those that are the focus of this study, construction, garments, tourism and hospitality. All indications are that the unfolding political and socio-economic crisis will roll back years of hard-fought gains made in expanding labour protection during recent years, particularly through the suppression of trade unions and labour organisations. “The study provides a critical line in the sand for the status of working conditions before the military’s declaration of a state of emergency and the outbreak of the third wave of COVID-19,” remarked LIFT Fund Director Katy Webley. “The situation of forced labour in Myanmar was significant before 1 February, but there were many individuals and organisations working together to create a momentum of change; the past few months however have seen the situation deteriorate dramatically.” Mass loss of employment and increased desperation for income will increase the vulnerability of Myanmar’s workers to exploitative labour practices and forced labour both in Myanmar and abroad. The impact of the political situation on workers in Myanmar must continue to be monitored closely with decisive actions taken to ensure that fundamental labour rights are safeguarded from abuse. LIFT’s donors remain committed to supporting the resilience and sustainable livelihoods of poor and vulnerable groups in Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Office for Project Services (Denmark) via "Reliefweb" (New York)
2021-08-06
Date of entry/update: 2021-08-06
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Topic: Food and Nutrition, Health, Protection and Human Rights
Topic: Food and Nutrition, Health, Protection and Human Rights
Description: "In the wake of Myanmar’s military coup on February 1, 2021, the UNOPS-managed Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) signals a warning on food and nutrition. In the wake of Myanmar’s military coup on February 1, 2021, the UNOPS-managed Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) signals a warning about the rapidly deteriorating food and nutrition security of thousands of migrant workers and their children in impoverished peri-urban Yangon. As the political crisis continues to unfold, families, who were already surviving on the edge prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, are now living in growing insecurity, facing the complete loss of or reduced income, limited access to food amidst skyrocketing food prices and barriers to accessing health services. The threat of an emerging nutrition and health crisis in peri-urban Yangon is real as thousands of people, women and children in particular, can no longer meet their basic food and healthcare needs. Even before the arrival of COVID-19, only 40 per cent of the Myanmar population could afford a diet that met their nutrient needs.[1] In some pockets of the country, including peri-urban Yangon, the nutrition context before 2020 reflected particular vulnerability including a high rate of child wasting (9.3%), stunting (28.8%) and maternal underweight (13.7%) while the coverage of essential nutrition and health services was low in Yangon’s informal settlements. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically worsened the nutrition situation with estimations suggesting an additional 110,000 children under-five have become wasted. The ongoing political crisis will certainly trigger a further stark increase in hunger and child malnutrition, particularly among a growing number of vulnerable households in peri-urban townships. Access to food is becoming harder The widespread closure of markets, shops and grocery stores has limited access to food, especially for the most vulnerable families. Where food is available, prices are rising, particularly for staple foods such as rice, oil and fuel which have already gone up on average by 10-15 per cent and continue rising, intensifying the food insecurity of the poorest families. Many families struggle to afford basic foodstuffs, let alone all those other food products that make up a diverse, nutrient-dense diet. This puts nutritionally vulnerable groups, particularly young children, adolescents and women of reproductive age at greater risk of undernutrition. A mother of a six-day old infant in Shwe Pyi Tar said, “I really want to have meat sometimes, but it is not affordable for me.” Loss of income is widespread At the same time, workers in peri-urban Yangon are facing significantly reduced income.“None of my family members has a job now. My husband used to drive a sand truck before... We are not financially secure at the moment,” said a mother of a fifteen-month-old in Shwe Pyi Tar. Many of the factories that sustain peri-urban families have shut down due to reduced orders and supply chain issues; while others face significant cash flow issues. This has led to significant numbers of workers (primarily migrant women) losing their employment altogether with many factories refusing, or unable, to pay outstanding wages. Facing food shortages, loss of work, and increasing violence, many of the migrants previously employed in the industrial sector have left Yangon, affecting incomes of many smallholder urban vendors. For those who remain, there are further challenges to livelihoods as many are facing debt or have had their assets destroyed. For those who have managed to save money in bank accounts or who are reliant on social protection schemes, there are challenges in accessing cash, as most bank branches are closed. Khin is the head of a twelve person household (with 9 adults and 3 children), which relies on the salary of two adults. She said that although they can purchase food now, they cannot access their money, as banks are closed and ATMs are not reliable. Reductions in income coupled with movement restrictions further hinder people’s access to healthcare, medicine and other basic needs. Nutrition and health services are at standstill In many parts of the city, health facilities are either not functioning or performing at reduced capacity. Difficulties crossing townships mean that health professionals cannot reach patients; this is a particular problem for midwives unable to provide safe and sanitary conditions for pregnant women to deliver their babies and HIV-positive individuals who face challenges accessing HIV services and antiretroviral medication. Even where facilities do function, lack of or reduced resources, military occupation of public hospitals, and restrictions in movement lead to limited or lack of access to routine and emergency nutrition and health services including pre and postnatal care, treatment of malnutrition, breastfeeding counseling, and immunizations, among other services. A mother of a six-month-old child reported that, “due to the political situation, we are afraid to go to clinics and hospitals now.” Rise in violence against women With many peri-urban townships under martial law, communities are facing aggression and random acts of violence on the streets, at workplaces, and increasingly in their homes. Women garment workers have taken a predominant position in demonstrations against the military. In addition to facing the violent crackdown of such demonstrations, there is an increase in incidents of gender-based violence and sexual harassment, which poses another threat to women and children’s nutrition security. Insecurity is causing spikes in psychosocial stress Escalating violence affects women’s health and caregiving capacity. Moreover, children’s mental health and wellbeing is a major concern, as children have now been out of school for one year and are surrounded by an increasingly insecure context. A young mother in Yangon’s industrial zone said, “I feel depressed due to shortage of money. Adults are scared and my baby cries all the time because of the noise at night.” Coordinated nutrition response is required for peri-urban Yangon To prevent the sharp increase in hunger and malnutrition, the Livelihoods and Food Security Fund (LIFT) is engaging with partners to scope out immediate needs and respond in close coordination with the Access to Health Fund and the Humanitarian Assistance and Resilience Programme Facility (HARP-F). Partners are mobilising to support a series of social protection interventions such as in-kind transfers, vouchers and/or cash transfers, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support and treatment of severe acute malnutrition in the absence of functional public services. Response will also focus on ensuring widespread access to safe water and sanitation services and facilities to safeguard health and nutrition. Wherever possible, Social Behaviour Change Communication will continue to support the adoption of positive nutrition, health and hygiene behaviours. This will be combined with legal counseling, psychosocial support and child protection interventions, such as counseling services to women, children, youth and others who have been exposed to physical or emotional trauma. Where available, shelter accomodation will also be offered to the most vulnerable..."
Source/publisher: United Nations Office for Project Services (Copenhagen) "Reliefweb" (New York)
2021-04-19
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-26
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Description: "The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is to mount a new food assistance operation, targeting up to 2 million vulnerable people in the poor townships in Myanmar’s main cities and other areas where population displacement has recently taken place. With the triple impact of pre-existing poverty, COVID-19 and the current political crisis, hunger and desperation are rising sharply across Myanmar. WFP estimates that within the next six months, up to 3.4 million more people will be hungry, particularly those in urban centres. “More and more poor people have lost their jobs and are unable to afford food,” said WFP Myanmar Country Director Stephen Anderson. “A concerted response is required now to alleviate immediate suffering, and to prevent an alarming deterioration in food security.” Already, there are signs of families in and around Yangon being pushed to the edge, skipping meals, eating less nutritious food and going into debt, just to survive. WFP’s response in Yangon will target 10 of the poorest townships, many of which are home to large informal settlements. WFP is also monitoring the situation in other parts of the country, and is ready to provide assistance to affected communities, including those newly displaced by armed conflict, if required. The latest WFP market monitoring shows that in Yangon and across the country, the average rice price has increased by 5% since January, and the average cooking oil price has increased by 18% since February. In Yangon, an up to 25% increase in cooking oil price was also recorded. The increases are particularly high in some border states including Rakhine, Kachin and Chin. In Kachin state, for example, rice prices have risen by up to 43% in some townships, and cooking oil by 32%. The price of fuel has increased by roughly 30% nationwide. Despite the volatile situation, WFP has maintained its humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people and other vulnerable populations affected by long-running conflict. In March, WFP assistance reached 374,000 people in conflict affected areas of southern Chin, Kachin, Rakhine and northern Shan states. In the coming months, the number of people WFP assists will nearly triple – from 1.3 million to 3.3 million. To do this, US$106 million is required urgently. “To prevent a large-scale humanitarian crisis unfolding in front of our eyes, we must step up. We count on the international community to continue standing with the people of Myanmar,” said Anderson..."
Source/publisher: World Food Programme(Rome)
2021-04-22
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-24
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Description: "1.Myanmar was elected as a member of the UN Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS (United Nations Development Programme/ United Nations Population Fund/ United Nations Office for Project Services) for 3 - year term of 2022 - 2024 during the United Nations Economic and Social Council - ECOSOC meeting held in New York on 20 April 2021. Myanmar will serve as a member of the Executive Board for three years starting from 1 January 2022..... 2. In order to actively participate in international relations and diplomatic affairs with the countries around the world, the elected civilian government led by President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has put sustainable and continued efforts..... 3. Not only to promote national interests in international relations, by actively participating in the United Nations Agencies, Myanmar is trying its best to contribute to socio-economic development of all nations..... 4. With these efforts, Myanmar was elected as a member of the UNESCO Executive Board in 2019.In 2017, Myanmar presented its candidature for a seat on the Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS for the period 2022-2024. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations reached out to the member states of the Asia-Pacific region group to support Myanmar’s candidacy. With the consensus of the Asia-Pacific countries, on 28 January 2021, Myanmar was endorsed by the group to be elected as a member of the Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS. As a result, Myanmar was elected by the members of ECOSOC as a member of the Executive Board for three years..... 5. The National Unity Government of Myanmar wishes to reaffirm that as a member of the Executive Board of UNDP/ UNFPA/ UNOPS, Myanmar under the elected civilian government led by President U Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, will actively participate in and perform its duties and responsibilities in the Executive Board for the benefits of the people in the region and the world..."
Source/publisher: National Unity Government of Myanmar
2021-04-21
Date of entry/update: 2021-04-21
Grouping: Individual Documents
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