In recent years Myanmar has witnessed considerable economic and political instability, leading many young people, particularly the higher-skilled, to consider migrating abroad for improved prospects. We employ an innovative method to quantify migration intentions among high-skilled youth by...

We examine the relationship between violent conflict and the willingness of potential migrants to accept lower skilled work (occupational downgrading). We develop a theoretical model of migration decisions, which we test using an innovative survey module administered to high-skilled youth in...

Die existentielle Not der Menschen im Gazastreifen prägt derzeit außen- und sicherheitspolitische Debatten. Dort ist die Lage der Zivilbevölkerung besonders dramatisch. Doch auch anderswo - von der Ukraine über Sudan und Myanmar bis zur Demokratischen Republik Kongo und Haiti - haben Kriege...

The impacts of the March earthquake are continuing to disrupt lives and livelihoods, exacerbating the already very difficult economic conditions. The World Bank estimates that economic output losses attributable to the earthquake will be equivalent to around 4 percent of gross domestic product...

This budget brief is part of a series of reports summarizing developments' in Myanmar's public finances. The report relies on new information published by the authorities, including the recently published reports of Ministry of Planning and Finance (MOPF), and other publicly available sources....

Die existentielle Not der Menschen im Gazastreifen prägt derzeit außen- und sicherheitspolitische Debatten. Dort ist die Lage der Zivilbevölkerung besonders dramatisch. Doch auch anderswo - von der Ukraine über Sudan und Myanmar bis zur Demokratischen Republik Kongo und Haiti - haben Kriege...

We examine the relationship between violent conflict and the willingness of potential migrants to accept lower skilled work (occupational downgrading). We develop a theoretical model of migration decisions, which we test using an innovative survey module administered to high-skilled youth in...

In recent years Myanmar has witnessed considerable economic and political instability, leading many young people, particularly the higher-skilled, to consider migrating abroad for improved prospects. We employ an innovative method to quantify migration intentions among high-skilled youth by...

Economic conditions have deteriorated further in the past six months, with recent devastating floods adding to ongoing challenges associated with armed conflict and macroeconomic volatility. In conjunction with heavy monsoon rains, Typhoon Yagi, which struck Myanmar in early September, triggered...

This report takes stock of poverty and labor markets in Myanmar through 2024 prior to the earthquake, assesses the short-term poverty impact of the recent earthquake-which is expected to compound existing vulnerabilities-and highlights the long-term generational income losses resulting from...

This study assesses the evolution of gender equality between 1973 and 2019 under military and non-military regimes in Myanmar. Gender inequality remains a significant barrier in Myanmar: women have participated in major political events since 1974 but have failed to gain equality in politics,...

The existential catastrophe faced by the population of the Gaza Strip currently looms large in the foreign policy and security debates. The plight of civilians there is par­ticularly acute. Yet, severe crises persist elsewhere too - from Ukraine and Sudan to Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of...

The existential catastrophe faced by the population of the Gaza Strip currently looms large in the foreign policy and security debates. The plight of civilians there is particularly acute. Yet, severe crises persist elsewhere too - from Ukraine and Sudan to Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of...

This paper investigates whether social media access is associated with increased probability or intensity of ethnic conflict in Myanmar. In this context most people use mobile phones, and particularly the Facebook app, to access the internet. To distinguish the effects of social media from those...

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state, trends, and disparities in education access in Myanmar, using data from Myanmar Living Conditions Survey 2017 (MLCS 2017), Myanmar Subnational Phone Survey (MSPS) 2023, and MSPS 2024. Despite the recent disruptions to the...

Extremely severe cyclonic storm Mocha made landfall as a Category 4-equivalent cyclone in the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale on Sunday May 14, 2023, at 07:07 UTC (14:07 local time) around Sittwe city, the capital of Rakhine State, Myanmar. Given the fragile and conflict-affected situation...

This study examines whether the adoption of the 'Burmese Way to Socialism' philosophy by Myanmar's military regime affected employment opportunities in non-agriculture sectors and created jobs equitably for the Burmese majority and other ethnic minorities. The econometric analyses of two...

This paper investigates whether social media access is associated with increased probability or intensity of ethnic conflict in Myanmar. In this context most people use mobile phones, and particularly the Facebook app, to access the internet. To distinguish the effects of social media from those...

This report on the Availability and Pricing of Essential Medicines in Myanmar relies on multiple assessments (2021 - 2023) conducted jointly by the World Bank and World Health Organization as well as other publicly available information. This report provides an overview of findings from a...

This report provides an analysis of access to essential health services in Myanmar from 2021 to 2023, based on publicly available sources of information as well as multiple assessments conducted jointly by the World Bank and World Health Organization during this timeframe. Myanmar faces a...

Myanmar's economy continues to face significant challenges in 2024. Economic activity has been constrained by elevated conflict, increased macroeconomic volatility, and a challenging business environment. In addition to its ongoing impacts on household livelihoods and agricultural production,...

This budget brief presents a summary of developments in Myanmar's public finances. This report includes three sections that cover the aggregate fiscal update, public finance developments in states and regions, and core service ministries. The report relies on data from published reports of the...

Economic conditions in Myanmar have deteriorated in the past six months, with the signs of recovery observed in the first half of 2023 proving to be fragile and short-lived. Conflict has escalated across much of Myanmar since October causing displacement, labor shortages, and increased logistics...

Following the significant volatility that characterized much of 2022, economic conditions in Myanmar have shown tentative signs of stabilization in the first half of 2023. The parallel market exchange rate remained broadly stable between January and May, albeit 27 percent lower against the US...

Myanmar's economy has been affected by numerous internal and external shocks since 2020. This report takes stock of the effect of these shocks on Myanmar's workers and their well-being using a reliable new source of household data. The report compares employment indicators from 2017 and 2022 to...