Key Facts & Figures Overview
45% of affected people were reached with effective access1 by humanitarian organizations
55% of affected people were either not reached by humanitarian organizations or were reached with difficulty, due to lack of travel authorizations
56% of displaced sites can be effectively accessed
0 applications by the UN to deliver assistance to people in need in areas beyond Government control have been approved since June 2016
Overview
In Kachin and northern Shan over 43,000 people have been temporarily displaced by fighting in 33 locations since January 2018, almost triple the number of people during 2017. Civilians have been displaced multiple times, increasing psychological trauma, especially for elderly people and disrupting children’s education. In addition to those who have been temporarily displaced, there are now over 106,000 people who have been living in 172 camps in Kachin and Shan since 2011, 36% of them in areas beyond government control. The United Nations has not been permitted by the Government to deliver assistance to people in need in areas beyond Government control since June 2016, during 2018 there were 21 applications to access these areas, none were approved. National partners continue to have access to most areas, but their access is unpredictable and complicated by delays and cumbersome procedures. Access to people within Government controlled areas continues to decline, and some national staff of UN agencies have been prevented from accessing people in need.
Almost 20,000 displaced people in remote areas cannot be effectively accessed in areas of great humanitarian needs due to a lack of quality food, nutrition, shelter, water and education. A lack of sustained humanitarian access is preventing much needed improvements to living conditions. Water facilities and latrines continue to deteriorate and over 8,000 families need new or renovated shelters. Restricted access is preventing humanitarian agencies from delivering much needed warm winter clothing, particularly to children and other vulnerable people. A lack of access is limiting humanitarian support to protect civilians in armed conflict. Effective humanitarian access has not been granted to 55% of displaced people as travel authorisations were not approved for non-Government controlled areas or approved with restrictions to main towns only in Government controlled areas. The United Nations continues to call on the Government and all parties to respect their IHL obligations to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for all civilians in need.