Humanitarian WASH assistance for populations in protracted IDPs sites of Rakhine State, Myanmar Following the military coup on February 1st, 2021, Myanmar humanitarian situation has severely worsened due to a combination of economic breakdown, third wave of Covid-19 and escalating tensions and clashes between Myanmar’s Armed Forces (MAF) and a variety of Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAO) and People Defense Forces (PDF), leading to massive population displacements, increased level and severity of needs and widespread violations of human rights. 

In Rakhine State, the post-coup situation initially resulted in a status quo between the MAF and the Arakan Army (AA). Tensions escalated in 2022 leading to intense but localized clashes in the second and third quarter of the year. While Sittwe township has remained rather shielded from clashes, population in protracted camps of Sittwe townships has been impacted by the overall Myanmar and Rakhine context, with access restrictions for humanitarian actors due to purposeful bureaucratic obstacles or security-related access constraints (checkpoints, tight scrutiny regarding flow of goods, Travel Authorization’s refusal or delays) and decreasing funding for protracted crisis. This situation comes on top of structural vulnerabilities of population living in Rakhine protracted camps, a context marked by lack of livelihood opportunities, limited access to basic services, high exposure to water-borne diseases, widespread violation of human rights, high protection concerns, absence of freedom of movements etc. 

Regarding Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), 76 % of displacement sites in Rakhine still have hygiene gaps according to the WASH Cluster 3W analysis of September 2022. Project targeted sites of Sittwe townships will have an immediate risk of hygiene kits’ gaps starting in January 2023.Such gaps could lead to the adoption of unsafe hygiene practices, particularly in the absence of credible alternatives to such distribution, due to the particular settings of the camps and the restrictions affecting their population. Such scenario would lead to a sharp increase of the risks of a waterborne diseases outbreak during what is already the peak season for such risk. 

Considering the gaps and the overall context mentioned above, SI intends to provide a coordinated and lifesaving WASH assistance to decrease health risks and related mortality/morbidity in protracted IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) camps of Sittwe. Within the framework of the proposal, SI aims to reach 117,564 beneficiaries (26,076 men, 29,967 women, 31,093 boys and 30,428 girls) in 21 protracted sites of Sittwe (Rakhine State) through 2 outcomes, meeting vital needs and building durable solutions and community resilience for protracted crisis. 

 Outcome 1 – aiming at improving community knowledge and practices in terms of hygiene. SI will monthly distribute 16,072 hygiene kits (HK) to IDP’s of all genders and diversities (total of 48,216 units for 3 months). In parallel, SI will take this opportunity to promote community engagement towards WASH services to 117,564 beneficiaries. 
 Outcome 2 - aiming at engaging men and women communities to support great accountability of local duty-bearers in coordinated efforts. SI will use its influence as a Rakhine Sub National WASH cluster co-leader to support dialogues on environment, community-based and conflict sensitivity approaches. Resilience and community empowerment will also be supported by providing an inclusive access to accountability mechanisms to 117,564 beneficiaries.