From 16-17 May 2019, the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) held a workshop in Yangon to discuss the findings of a new MRCS Assessment on Migration and Displacement. The workshop was an opportunity for the new MRCS Task Force on Migration and Displacement to discuss and input into the draft assessment findings. The workshop also included the first ever meeting of the Red Cross Movement Task Force on Migration and Displacement. The workshop was led by the MRCS Director of the RFL Department, Daw Su Su Lynn, with the support of IFRC (including the IFRC Country Office, the IFRC Regional Migration and Displacement Coordinator and the new IFRC Myanmar Migration Delegate – Amanda Aye). The workshop was also supported by the British Red Cross.

The workshop follows on from the MRCS National Strategic Dialogue on Migration and Displacement held in November 2018 and the resulting 10-point Action Plan on Migration and Displacement.

The assessment findings include:

• Trends and dynamics related to migration and displacement in and from Myanmar, especially related to asylum seekers and refugees, IDPs, persons who have been trafficked, migrant workers and undocumented migrants;
• Humanitarian needs at different stages of migration and displacement;
• The role and activities of key stakeholders, including the Government of Myanmar;
• The existing programmes and activities of MRCS related to migration and displacement

The workshop participants included MRCS Madame President, Executive Committee members, Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and members of the MRCS Migration and Displacement Task Force including Directors from Disaster Management, Health, Restoring Family Links, First Aid Safety and Security (FASS) and the Southeast Project.

Presentations were delivered by representative from MRCS departments including Rakhine Operations, South-East Project, as well as external agencies – UNHCR, IOM, ILO.

Immediately after the workshop, Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) chaired the inaugural Movement-wide Migration and Displacement Taskforce meeting. At this meeting, the MRCS Taskforce presented the findings and discussion points from the workshop to the Movement-wide Task Force including ICRC, IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Migration & Displacement Coordinator, American Red Cross, Asia Pacific Migration Network (APMN) Secretariat, British Red Cross, Danish Red Cross, German Red Cross and Swedish Red Cross.

The needs assessment report will be finalised and will function as a guiding document and baseline report for next actions of MRCS,  including the development of a Migration and Displacement training programme, an MRCS Migration Policy, and for future programming initiatives.