Livelihoods and welfare: Findings from the eighth round of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey (October – December 2024)

The eighth round of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey (MHWS), a nationally and regionally representative phone survey, was conducted between October and December 2024, with a recall period covering July to December. It builds on seven rounds implemented since December 2021. This report presents key findings on the livelihood and welfare dynamics during the second half of 2024. Key Findings: Between 2023 and 2024, household welfare measured by median real household income per adult equivalent declined slightly by 0.8 percent, but real income in 2024 is 15.8 percent lower than two years ago. The poverty headcount rate rose to 70.5 percent in the second half of 2024, slightly lower than 71.7 percent in 2023 but significantly higher than 65.2 percent in 2022. Wage-earning households remain the most vulnerable, with the lowest median real daily income and the highest poverty levels, particularly in conflict-affected states such as Rakhine, Chin, and Kayah. Urban poverty increased by 6.9 percentage points over the past year and 15.2 percentage points over the past two years, while rural poverty fell by 4.3 percentage points in the past year and rose by 1.5 percentage points over two years. Falling wages and access issues were key challenges for wage and salaried workers while high input costs and low supply affected enterprises and crop producers. Market access and transportation issues were challenges for crop sales. Recommended Actions: Facilitate safe and productive migration opportunities and strengthen remittance systems to enhance household resilience and keep families out of poverty, as remittance income reduces the likelihood of poverty by 20 percentage points. Establish and expand social protection systems and safety nets to support vulnerable households, addressing the welfare impacts of escalating conflict, macroeconomic challenges, and the lack of critical state-provided services.