Political isolation has left Myanmar the poorest country in South-East Asia. With a quarter of the population living below the poverty line, the challenges for children and youth are immense. Myanmar lacks an effective child protection system, putting millions of children at risk of trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation. There is widespread acceptance of working children; over a third of children aged 7-16 are estimated to be working. Poverty is the main driver of child labour, with many families relying on wages earned by their children for basic needs like food and shelter. ChildFund Australia is working through local partners in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) to address the needs of vulnerable children and youth, including street children, trafficked children and children living with HIV and AIDS, particularly in the areas of education, health and child protection.
Related Items
Download ChildFund Myanmar country report 2015/2016
