Understanding Humanitarian Crises and Mental Health Coping Strategies: A Case Study on Myanmar Refugees in Mizoram State, India, Post-Myanmar Military Coup

The Myanmar military coup in 2021 and subsequent conflict escalation have resulted in the forced displacement of over 3 million civilians within the country. This has led to a significant number of refugees seeking asylum in India, with over 78,731 refugees as of 2023. This seminar presents a qualitative study that investigated the experiences and coping strategies of Myanmar refugees through in-depth interviews with six refugee camps in Mizoram, India. The findings of this study reveal that Myanmar refugees suffer from inadequate humanitarian support to cover basic daily needs, limited livelihood opportunities, and limited access to health services. This condition affected their mental health, which had already been negatively impacted by the war on their native land. The study found that they primarily adopted religious coping strategies and social gatherings to overcome their sadness, as no mental health support groups were available in their refugee camps. The results of this research emphasize the pressing need for immediate humanitarian aid, including COVID-19 vaccinations and mental health support, which is vital for Myanmar’s refugees and asylum seekers.