UNHCR’s operations in Asia and the Pacific encompass two of the world’s largest forced displacement crises, involving large numbers of children without access to quality education, deep poverty, significant statelessness and an ever-present threat of gender-based violence. Access to territory, asylum, and protection remain challenges across the region, where only 20 of the 45 countries and territories have acceded to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and only three States are party to both statelessness conventions. The total number of refugees, people in refugee-like situations, stateless persons, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees (both refugees and IDPs) and others of concern to UNHCR in Asia and the Pacific by mid-2023 stood at 14.3 million. This includes 23 per cent of the world’s refugees under UNHCR’s mandate (7.2 million of 30.5 million) and 57 per cent of the world’s recorded stateless population (2.5 million out of 4.4 million). “UNHCR will focus on the search for solutions in the Asia and the Pacific region. Too many refugees, IDPs and stateless persons in and from the region have been facing precarious situations for too long, generously hosted by countries and communities who have received too little support. The Global Compact on Refugees and the Global Refugee Forum give us a unique opportunity to turn the tide. It is time to broaden responsibility for protecting the displaced and stateless in the region and express solidarity through practical measures that concretely improve their lives”. Regional Director Indrika Ratwatte.

The humanitarian situation inside Myanmar has deteriorated further since February 2021 as a result of increased conflict within the country and its political upheaval. According to UN sources, about 3m people are displaced internally within Myanmar as of 1 May 2024, with the majority in the Northwest, in Rakhine State and in the Southeast, as well as in Kachin state in the Northeast. UNHCR is working as part of a wider humanitarian response to internal displacement inside Myanmar, though humanitarian access remains constrained in many areas. In addition to a growing number of IDPs in Myanmar, thousands of refugees are estimated to have sought safety in neighbouring countries since 1 February 2021. This new displacement comes on top of a protracted refugee situation in the region comprising of refugees from Rakhine State’s Rohingya community, of whom majority are currently protected in Bangladesh, with smaller numbers in Malaysia and India. Other refugees and asylum-seekers from Myanmar are also located in Thailand, Malaysia, and India. On this page you will find updates on UNHCR's work in support of all Myanmar IDPs and refugees. Links are also provided below for other resources and pages for the Myanmar situation response.