- Environmental degradation: As agriculture and forestry forms a large national economic base, environmental sustainability is a high priority. Approximately 47% of the landmass is covered by natural forest, but this is rapidly diminishing due to human-induced deforestation for shifting cultivation and firewood plantations. Extreme weather events and climate change also pose a threat as forest fires, landslides and storm surges consistently plague the natural environment.
- Malaria: According to the World Health Organisation, the rate of malaria is 2.4/ 1000 people. This equates to more than 500 000 cases every year, accounting for approximately half of malaria death in all of South East Asia. Significant reductions in mortality have been achieved since insecticide-treated nets (ITN) have been mass distributed in line with millennium development targets. Nevertheless, only 20% of households now have a ITN.
- Education – A high value is placed on education in Myanmar so participation in the primary schooling system is high with literacy rates exceeding 95%. However, the nation’s pursuit of universal primary education has been slow as less than 75% of children complete grade 5. With limited skills, many children turn to the informal economy where they are exposed to abuse, crime and exploitation. Some minors are recruited into the armed forces of various political and guerilla groups despite legislation prohibiting it.
Sources:
CIA WorldFact Book - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html
United Nations Population Fund – www.unfpa.org
United nation Development Reports - http://hdr.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/IND
http://www.mm.undp.org/content/myanmar/en/home/mdgoverview/overview/mdg7/
World Health Organisation - http://www.who.int/malaria/publications/country-profiles/profile_mmr_en.pdf?ua=1
