IOM will assist IDPs and vulnerable communities affected by conflict or natural hazards with tailored food assistance based on identified needs. IOM will provide in-kind food assistance in contexts where this is an identified preference of communities, where IOM has a comparative advantage in terms of access, such as hard-to-reach areas in the Northwest and Southeast, and with consideration of the appropriateness of alternative modalities, such as cash, by reviewing market affordability, availability, and accessibility.  

IOM will provide multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) as part of a mixed-modality approach, enabling flexibility to switch to cash-based assistance where this is the preference of communities, and where there is market accessibility, functionality, and affordability of key items identified as part of needs assessments. All assistance will be preceded by context-specific risk analysis and market feasibility assessments. The specific distribution modality – whether mobile money, cash-in envelopes, or vouchers – will be determined in consultation with communities and based on the availability of service providers by conducting a cash feasibility assessment. The value of cash will be guided by the (survival) minimum expenditure baskets developed by the Cash Working Group. Based on IOM experience, MPCA is feasible across multiple areas of Myanmar, with an increasing preference for cash due to challenges with transporting goods and the high mobility of affected populations.

IOM will distribute key emergency shelter and non-food items (NFI) to affected populations when a preference for in-kind support is expressed and/or market and risk assessments do not support the distribution of MPCA. NFIs will be tailored based on the needs of communities and market assessments and distributed to conflict- and disaster-affected communities with consideration of the varied realities of displaced populations, including some facing repeated short-term displacement. IOM will distribute shelter materials and household items, and provide material, technical and/or financial assistance for self-recovery, including information, education, and communication (IEC) materials, trainings and demonstrations, and/or support to Build Back Better (in coordination with disaster risk reduction experts). Market-based interventions, including cash to access NFIs and shelter, as well as to support community infrastructure at the settlement level will also be supported where feasible and appropriate. IOM will also support the repair of collective sites through cash-for-work initiatives, technical support, and capacity-building support in camp management and maintenance for focal points and volunteers in camp-like settings and out-of-camp locations, to ensure maintenance, as relevant. IOM will further work in coordination with the Shelter, NFI and CCCM Cluster to ensure complementary approaches, as well as adherence to cluster-led prioritization initiatives. These initiatives will be for conflict and disaster-affected communities in Rakhine, the Southeast and Northwest, and other areas highly affected by conflict or disaster.

IOM will provide emergency health care services directly and through partners to populations affected by crises and disruptions to regular health services. This will be implemented through mobile clinics and support to static facilities, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. The aim is to provide integrated life-saving and essential services to communities affected by conflict and natural hazards. IOM’s approach to preparing and providing assistance is anchored in IOM’s Health, Border and Mobility Management (HBMM) Framework. The framework links an understanding of population mobility and health response along mobility corridors, particularly in border areas. The framework also links population mobility with disease surveillance and provides a platform to develop interventions. The continuity of essential integrated health services will be supported, including communicable diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tuberculosis (TB), and malaria, as well as sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health services, and comprehensive, rights-based GBV support and referral pathways. Communities will also benefit from awareness-raising on health, mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), and well-being. Community health workers and volunteers will be supported to provide continuous engagement with affected communities for the provision of primary healthcare services. Individuals identified as requiring life-saving referral services to hospital facilities will be supported with transportation, treatment, and hospitalization costs to ensure that they can access essential medical treatment. IOM partner organizations will provide case management for these individuals until they can be released from the hospital.

IOM will expand the provision of MHPSS by building the capacity of partners and humanitarian actors, in coordination with the health and protection clusters, and the MHPSS technical working group (TWG). Capacity-building will be conducted through formal training as well as on-the-job trainings for partners to ensure quality services at static facilities and in communities, as well as ensuring minimum standards as established by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings are adhered to.

IOM will deploy psychosocial mobile teams (PMTs) to mobile and static locations, which will be capacitated to provide community-based MHPSS services, such as MHPSS awareness-raising, sociorelational and cultural activities, and group well-being sessions as well as lay-counselling to re-build supportive social networks of affected populations, aligned with the IASC pyramid of intervention and IOM’s Manual on Community-Based MHPSS in Emergencies and Displacement. IOM will work with the protection and health clusters as well as the MHPSS TWG in the establishment and/or strengthening of referral systems and procedures concerning protection and medical cases to ensure that beneficiaries have received adequate multilayered psychosocial support.

IOM will adapt and distribute MHPSS IEC materials, targeting the needs of adults, children, adolescents, and frontline workers, on coping and stress management to promote their psychosocial well-being and maintain their mental health. IOM will mainstream MHPSS across IOM activities, including in the health, protection, CCCM, education and shelter sectors, to ensure all IOM programming takes account of the MHPSS needs of affected communities.

IOM will enhance equitable and inclusive access to protection services, informed by context-specific vulnerability and needs assessments. IOM will provide specialized assistance to vulnerable groups such as victims of trafficking, exploitation, or abuse and gender-based violence (GBV) survivors, through the provision of case management services, psychological first aid (PFA), legal aid (including assistance with court appearances, documentation and with remedial action against trafficking, exploitation, and abuse) as far as the context allows, counselling, parenting support (which includes a set of activities or services aimed at improving positive parenting given Myanmar’s crisis context where negative coping mechanisms are prevalent) linked to reintegration packages, cash and material supporting including NFIs and dignity kits, and other victim assistance. Additionally, IOM will provide protection case management (PCM), which is a tailored step-based process targeting individuals with specific, complex, or multiple vulnerabilities to address protection risks by ensuring meaningful access to urgent services and information through referral pathways, while building protection-based capacities of affected populations. Specialized protection activities in integrated projects – such as GBV case-management and management of trafficking in persons cases and other sensitive protection cases – will be done in coordination with protection actors and the Protection Cluster. Short-term cash-for-protection, informed by safety audits and market feasibility assessments, to complement PCM and reduce further exposure to risks will also be provided. 

Support will also include implementing awareness-raising activities on GBV and trafficking, in close coordination with, and complementing activities implemented under the outlined health activities, as well as awareness-raising activities on the prevention of trafficking in persons. Further, IOM will strengthen and mainstream human trafficking response capacity and measures among humanitarian actors, particularly local partners, including through the protection cluster, the GBV and child protection Areas of Responsibility (AoRs), and the MHPSS Technical Working Group. IOM will also mainstream explosive risk ordinance awareness-raising into response activities through the provision of training and distribution of key messages.

Protection will be mainstreamed across all IOM interventions to ensure that the delivery of direct assistance and services meets the protection needs of affected populations, including through referrals. Mainstreaming will include thematic guidance on protection across all IOM programmes to ensure they are safe, accountable and participatory; training and capacity-building of staff, implementing partners and stakeholders to enhance capabilities to prevent, mitigate and respond to protection risks and needs; and outreach and communication on protection-focused messages whereby communities will be engaged and empowered to prevent, mitigate and respond to protection risks and needs. For example, IOM will ensure that staff and partners distributing direct assistance in the form of NFIs, cash or food are trained on protection mainstreaming, risk mitigation, safe and ethical reporting and referral, and PFA. IOM will also support awareness-raising activities on GBV management and disclosures in an ethical and safe manner, and trafficking – where it is appropriate - while strengthening the capacity of CSOs, IDP site focal points and humanitarian actors to prevent, respond to and mitigate risks of trafficking, exploitation, and abuse. Additionally, IOM will map and strengthen referral pathways in areas of intervention.

IOM will distribute critical WASH supplies – including hygiene kits, menstrual hygiene management kits, water kits, jerry cans, and water purification tablets – along with hygiene promotion activities, including production and distribution of materials and community outreach in conflict- and disaster-affected communities and displacement sites. Hygiene promotion and awareness sessions will ensure community members improve their hand-washing practices and thus general hygiene. Prepositioning will also be supported where feasible to support emergency preparedness efforts and to enable IOM and partners to quickly respond to urgent needs due to conflict or disasters. These interventions will support communities and IDP sites in Rakhine, the Northwest, and Southeast, as well as border areas and areas of high mobility.

WASH interventions will also aim to improve access to regular and sufficient safe water for drinking and domestic use by supporting the mitigation of water shortages in the dry season through improved accessibility and quantity of safe drinking water from shared community-managed ponds. This will be achieved through the improvement and expansion of ponds, and training and guidance on the use of pond water and water trucking if needed and feasible. The provision of water tanks and other items for water storage and distribution in camp-like settings or collective centres will also be an IOM priority. Further, IOM will support the rehabilitation of key WASH infrastructure, including latrines and water points, at IDP sites or in communities, as well as increasing the availability of handwashing stations in cyclone- and conflict-affected areas. Solid waste cleaning campaigns through cash for work, when appropriate, will complement this activity. WASH interventions will be accompanied by guidance and training on the use of items, water conservation and hygiene practices.

To support individuals and communities at risk of natural hazards, IOM aims to enhance the emergency preparedness of local communities with a view of increasing their ability to prepare for and initiate emergency response to the impacts of natural hazards. As such, IOM will support the establishment or strengthening of community-based disaster preparedness and response committees, providing capacity-building to these committees. Further, IOM will work with communities to implement periodic disaster preparedness, response and recovery exercises – including evacuation drills, training, and awareness-raising – and support communication systems and infrastructure for enhanced disaster coordination. Communities will be supported in the selection of safe evacuation sites, routes and transportation of vulnerable individuals. Wherever feasible, IOM will preposition relief items to be able to quickly respond to affected populations. IOM will also improve the preparedness and capacity of communities to respond to further disaster-related shocks through training and involvement in the selection of safe sites for shelters and WASH-related interventions.

IOM will continue to support coordination and localization efforts by providing services to the humanitarian coordination system in Myanmar. This will include, in close collaboration with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the provision of translation and interpretation services for coordination meetings, including cluster and working group meetings as well as ad hoc meetings related to the humanitarian response in Myanmar. The provision of these services allows for better inclusion of national and local partners and increased participation of those not fluent in English and is also part of the localization efforts in the country. IOM will also explore additional support to strengthen efforts to improve the coordination and implementation of humanitarian programmes in Myanmar to reduce risks and avoid duplication.

IOM will address drivers, tensions and risks related to complex and protracted conflicts and the impacts of environmental degradation, climate change, and increasing competition over scarce resources. IOM will also strengthen social cohesion by fostering communication and collaboration, constructing and rehabilitating community infrastructure, increasing access to services, and providing livelihood opportunities and access to agricultural assets for sustainable solutions. Activities under this activity area are also expected to support durable solutions for displaced populations.

IOM will support participatory community-led prioritization and planning of projects through community committees, which will take the lead in the implementation and oversight of interventions. Areas of focus will include ensuring access to safe education, markets, health, and WASH services, including through the repair and construction of roads, bridges, public buildings, medical centres, and schools, as well as through the installation of solar-powered lighting and the rehabilitation or construction of WASH infrastructure to support access to/conservation of water, promoting food security and agricultural sustainability. For returning populations, this will also include the undertaking of surveys on the intentions of displaced households and individuals with regard to return, resettlement and local integration, and the implementation of community-based activities in communities of return, resettlement or local integration. Where appropriate, cash-for-work approaches will be adopted to support the injection of cash into the local economy and to provide short-term work opportunities. Projects supporting youth and women’s empowerment will be supported through the creation of dedicated spaces and provision of supplies, as well as capacity-building support in running and managing these groups. Support will be provided to CSOs and CBOs to implement art and cultural projects (such as mobile theatre, poetry readings and peace concerts).

IOM will also provide organizational and capacity development support to CSO partners, as well as technical and financial support to sustain and strengthen existing community-based mechanisms that promote access to services.

IOM will support the socioeconomic empowerment of conflict- and disaster-affected mobile populations and communities and durable solutions for displaced populations through the strengthening of employment and livelihood interventions. This will include:

• Skills development.
• Cash-for-work.
• Business and entrepreneurship development.
• Job-matching. 

These activities will target both populations potentially seeking to migrate internally and internationally, as well as mobile populations returning to communities of origin. Livelihood interventions will be evidence-based and market-driven, recognizing the benefits of both technical and soft skills as part of the migration experience, and the knock-on benefits these can have in terms of income generation, remittances, food security, welfare, and resilience of households. Wherever feasible, IOM plans to provide individual or household level support to the most vulnerable displaced populations who have returned, resettled, or intend to locally integrate to increase their access to livelihoods, such as vocational training, business startup grants, and similar assistance, based on identified priorities and available value chains. This will complement efforts to support livelihoods assistance, such as skills building, business coaching, grants, and targeted agricultural support in locations with protracted displacement and/or where there is relative stability in terms of conflict dynamics.

To support aspirant migrants with their migration plans, returning migrants and communities with reintegration, and migrant-sending households in maximizing benefits from remittances, IOM will support increased access to sustainable sources of local micro-finance through community-managed revolving funds and savings groups. The Organization will also work to build capacity on financial literacy to enable enhanced household finance and remittance management.

IOM will continue to work through a wide range of localized mechanisms to promote safe, informed, and beneficial migration. This includes through Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs), local networks, including CSOs and CBOs, ethnic actors, and community-based volunteers, in border areas and communities of high mobility in Shan, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Kachin, Ayeyarwady and Tanintharyi. Information and services on safe migration will be provided including counselling, referrals, pre-migration and pre-decision outreach and training, pre-departure orientation, support in accessing ethical recruitment and employment services, and support in redress against complaints and abuse. This support will target the full migration spectrum, including returning migrants, aspirant migrants, and migrant-sending families and communities, to reduce the risks of unsafe migration practices and harness the positive benefits of migration as a means of socioeconomic empowerment and resilience.

Using mobile health clinics and support to static clinics, and in line with the UN Transitional Cooperation Framework, the UN interim framework in place of a UN Strategic Development Cooperation Framework, IOM will aim to expand access of all populations in Myanmar to primary and secondary healthcare services. This will include ensuring quality essential health care for maternal, newborn, and childcare including adolescents and ensuring essential sexual and reproductive health services. Moreover, targeted efforts will strengthen overall awareness of GBV concepts and referral pathways, including through training of youth peer educators to raise awareness of sexual and reproductive health, as well as GBV. IOM will also expand coverage of TB, HIV, and malaria programs using regular delivery channels such as health facilities and mobile clinics as well as community-based approaches and adapted service delivery models. IOM will scale up rapid case finding to identify cases missed during the ongoing crisis and accelerate TB and HIV services, and efforts towards the prevention and control of malaria, working with partners to scale up coverage. IOM provides capacity-building to healthcare workers and partners by providing technical training on key topics across the sectors of implementation and organizational development for partners such as on monitoring and evaluation, and reporting. 

These activities will be reinforced by ongoing efforts to disseminate health and MHPSS messages and promote awareness of communicable disease outbreaks and prevention.       

To contribute to preparedness measures related to public health threats in communities, at border areas, and along vulnerable mobility corridors, IOM will train mobile health teams, community-based health workers, village health committees and community support groups (including youth groups, CSOs and CBOs, and mothers’ support groups), to strengthen community-based health services to ensure essential health services reach those in need in affected areas and contribute to the development of local health care capabilities that ensure continuity of services even during disasters and conflict. The community support groups and partners will be supported to develop local health emergency preparedness plans to ensure that health systems are prepared for a range of emergency situations including disasters and disease outbreaks. Relatedly, IOM will support existing disease surveillance systems, including community event-based surveillance, particularly in border communities, migrant-dense areas, and displacement sites. IOM will also work to strengthen data collection on public health risks and mobility dynamics to inform preparedness and response plans, while coordinating with relevant stakeholders to ensure migration and mobility are adequately considered in preparedness planning.

To support communities in Myanmar at high risk for natural hazards, IOM will promote prevention and risk management measures that are selected and owned by communities. Using community-based disaster risk management to foster resilience and improve the ability of communities to sustainably prevent and respond to the impacts of cyclones and flooding, as well as other natural hazards, IOM will focus on strengthening knowledge and capacity for an effective community response to climate-related shocks, while enhancing resilience through strategic infrastructure interventions. These efforts will include support to hazard monitoring and vulnerability assessments to identify local risk conditions and capacities; the promotion of participation in disaster management and preparedness planning, including the establishment of roles and responsibilities of local disaster preparedness organizations or committees; supporting evacuation planning and risk mapping; preparing transportation arrangements, evacuation sites and stockpiling; and distributing disaster risk reduction boxes and supplies. Strategic infrastructure support that will mitigate the impact of disasters on communities will be included in community action plans developed under social cohesion activities and complement disaster risk reduction capacity-building activities.