UNICEF is calling on the international community to do more to help the people of Myanmar. The UN agency says in a report that nearly 20 million people, including 6.4 million children, will need humanitarian aid next year.

UNICEF has set a target of providing support to about 20 percent of them, including 3 million children.
The assistance will consist mainly of educational support and better hygiene conditions, such as toilets.
The agency puts the bill for this at 280 million dollars.

Describing the situation in Myanmar as "dire," UNICEF's regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, said there is a risk of the country losing attention on the global stage. "We're asking the international community to not overlook or forget Myanmar, especially the children," she said.

UNICEF says more than 3.4 million people have been displaced since the junta seized power in 2021.

As well as an armed conflict, Myanmar has also experienced severe climate events in recent years. Massive flooding in September is estimated to have affected more than 600,000 people.