Formative research Consultant – Myanmar – Kayin At Première Urgence Internationale

Country / Region: Myanmar – Kayin (Kawkereik and Hpa-An townships)

Expected starting date : ASAP

General context

With a strong history of strife in Myanmar, Kayin State is not new to conflicts. Though Kayin has hosted displaced populations since the 1990s, the population continues to be displaced some as recent as 2018. In addition to land mines preventing IDPs return, camps and sites where the displaced populations reside are not conducive to durable solutions. Affected by numerous conflicts, Kayin remains largely underdeveloped and most of the water, sanitation, and health (WASH) systems have been destroyed. Government, Karen National Union (KNU) CSOs, and I/NGOs are providing assistance in camps. Dependence on food assistance keeps many families from leaving camps. Therefore, the displaced households can neither return to the villages, nor integrate where they are, nor move somewhere else. Yet the assistance they have been receiving is insufficient. The decades of ethnic armed conflicts in Myanmar resulted in Ethnic Armed Organizations having control over sizeable parts of the country, de-facto control and therefore implementation of welfare and economic services and systems is highly fragmented. The unstable security situation and peace agreements prevent social assistance workers to access the population, monitor the interventions, and assess their impact. The Multidimensional Disadvantage Index, based on Census 2014 data, indicates Kayin has observed to have striking levels of multidimensional deprivation. Kayin is among the states/regions with the highest stunting prevalence, a rate exceeding 35%. Since the 1st of February 2021 and the coup, all the efforts on peace process have vanished and conflict has restarted in several areas of Kayin State leading to important displacements of population within townships, from townships to townships and from state to Thailand (even if the border is closed and the displaced population are sent back to Myanmar when found by Thailand authorities).

Overarching objective

The formative research is aimed at understanding current hygiene practices in targeted townships of Kawkereik and Hpa An. The overarching objective is to inform and develop hygiene behaviour change packages aimed at promoting positive behaviour among communities, schools and health facilities. The research is also expected to contribute to the body of knowledge on the status of WASH and nutrition integration.

Specific objectives

The aim of the formative research is to answer four key questions:

1. Which specific practices are placing health at risk ?
2. What could motivate the adoption of safe practices ?
3. Who should be targeted by the programme ?
4. How can one communicate with these groups effectively ?

Indicators related to the expected results of the consultancy are as follow :

• 1 formative Research Report is produced by the end of the consultancy
• Training and promotion tools adapted for different audiences are created and tested through pilot sessions by the end of the consultancy
• A Hygiene Promotion Strategy and Curriculum for different targeted publics is produced by the end of the consultancy

For more information, please download the Terms of Reference.