Myanmar & Thailand Earthquake: Protect Girls Now

One year after a powerful earthquake struck Myanmar, many children and families are still recovering from the loss of their loved ones, homes, livelihoods and essential services. The earthquake claimed the lives of at least 3,768 people, injured more than 5,100 people and left 38 missing, disrupting the lives of more than 17.2 million individuals across Myanmar. Although reconstruction efforts have begun, many families remain in temporary shelters and continue to face significant humanitarian needs. The earthquake destroyed or severely damaged at least 50,000 homes, yet only about half of affected households have started rebuilding. Extreme heat between March and May places further strain on families living in temporary housing. The rainy season that will follow risks worsening living conditions and exposes people to waterborne diseases.

The earthquake has had serious impacts on girls and women. The lack of privacy in temporary shelters increases their risk of experiencing gender-based violence, while disruptions to healthcare limit access to maternal and reproductive services. The disaster disrupted children’s lives and learning, damaging schools and leaving many school children studying in temporary or damaged facilities.

Supporting children’s wellbeing, protection and access to safe learning environments remains a critical priority for recovery. Since the earthquake, Plan International Myanmar has supported more than 219,000 people, with a strong focus on reaching girls, women and vulnerable families. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, we delivered live-saving assistance (including food and shelter items), psychosocial support and helped restoring water and sanitation facilities.

As the response evolved, our work increasingly focused on education (through temporary learning spaces), child protection, disaster risk reduction and climate resilience, as well as cash assistance to help families restore livelihoods. Despite progress, recovery is far from complete. Continued international support is essential to help families rebuild safely, restore livelihoods and ensure children can learn, recover and thrive

Plan International will continue working with communities and local partners to strengthen protection systems, restore education and support sustainable recovery for children and families. We will continue to prioritize girls and young people throughout our activities, ensuring they can access healthcare, safety and opportunities for a better future.