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Rakhine State
Mobilising states and regions for children
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- English
- မြန်မာ
What we do
Rakhine State is the most western state in Myanmar and has a population of three million.
100,000 predominantly ethnic Rakhine people were displaced in 2020 when conflict between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar Armed Forces intensified.
The conflict paused in 2021, but 130,000 mainly Rohingya people are still in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps – where they have been since 2012. Another 600,000 people are still in their villages, but they have no real freedom of movement – or basic services.
An estimated 100,000 people in seven townships are also affected by the severe impact on service-delivery.
Key results in 2020
- Health and nutrition: Integrated health and nutrition services were delivered to fixed and mobile clinics in 20 IDP camps, 39 IDP sites, 52 village tracts and 161 villages in nine priority townships in central and northern Rakhine.
- Nutrition: Despite the pandemic, integrated nutrition services in Rakhine State were increased from 159 locations to 185, including 39 new IDP camps and across nine conflict-affected townships.
- Learning: 2,037 out-of-school children completed a Learning Together programme to strengthen social cohesion; this programme targeted 40,500 students in 163 schools in 11 townships.
- WASH: UNICEF delivered 472 recreational kits and WASH supplies to 163 schools as they prepared to reopen, including hygiene kits, menstrual hygiene management kits and water purification devices. In partnership with the World Food Programme, UNICEF distributed soap to more than 210,000 people in central and northern Rakhine State.
- Social protection: maternal and child cash transfers reached more than 167,000 beneficiaries with UNICEF support.
- Child protection: Community-based and adolescent-led activities were updated to address issues of mental health, violence and abuse exacerbated by the pandemic.
