iMAP Myanmar 2023 Internet Censorship Report | Page 11 According to the UN Global Human Development Indicators (HDI profile): o HDI score and ranking: With a score of 0.583, Myanmar ranks 147th out of 189 countries and is in the range of "medium human development". The country has seen a constant improvement of indicators, although the situation is different in war-affected areas. o Life expectancy: 67.1 years o Median age: 29.0 years o GINI coefficient: 30.7 o Gender Inequality Index: Myanmar ranks 118th, with a score of 0.478. o Unemployment: While the unemployment rate is very low at 1.6%, 59.1% of all people in the workforce is in vulnerable employment and 48.9% of the workforce is in agriculture. The percentage of youth between 15 and 24 who are neither in school nor in employment is 19.6%. Following the pandemic crisis, Myanmar has now undergone the political crisis for two years. The people of Myanmar are facing several social issues, including poverty, income inequality, and inadequate access to education, healthcare, and basic services especially in rural areas and conflict zones. The country is also grappling with ongoing conflict and displacement in some regions, impacting social stability and well-being. According to the 2023 UNHCR Report, more than 982,000 Myanmar citizens were displaced, forcing tens of thousands of refugees to flee into the neighbouring countries.1 There has been significant growth in violence and insecurity around the country following the events of February 2021. Numerous civilians have been killed and injured. Villages, including schools and religious infrastructures, were damaged particularly in the anti-SAC zones of Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Shan States and Magway, and Sagaing regions. The displaced populations have also been blocked from receiving humanitarian aid. UNHCR indicates that 1.35 million IDPs need urgent protection and humanitarian assistance.2 Civilians also face a greater information gap as the SAC has blocked access to the internet and media outlets, risking life and death. Political Landscape Myanmar (or Burma as it was previously known) has undergone significant political reforms in recent years. Here are some political milestones. Post 2010: Democracy Reforms The military generals ruled the country from the early 1960s until 2011. During military rule, there were regular arrests of activists who defended information access, freedom of expression, and human rights. In 2012, the country transitioned to democratisation which seemed to be the end of military rule. Thein 1 2 UNHCR. (2023). Global Appeal. UNHCR. https://reporting.unhcr.org/global-appeal-2023?page=10 UNHCR. (2023). Global Appeal. UNHCR. https://reporting.unhcr.org/global-appeal-2023?page=10