Myat Thet Thitsar

Myat Thet Thistsar heads the Enlightened Myanmar Research Foundation, a nonprofit think tank in Myanmar conducting independent research. With support from the World Bank and others, she led research efforts to study the social impacts of the 2008 Cyclone Nargis, starting six months after the cyclone devastated parts of Myanmar and continuing 10 years after. This long-term study provided unique, local insight into village response and recovery; the role of international aid and how it can sometimes be well-intentioned but ineffective; and how other factors like climate change are slowing, or in some cases accelerating, recovery. EMReF continues to study social issues around developments, armed conflicts and COVID 19, alongside other topics such as livelihoods, gender equality and governance.

Selected links:
Tackling a known unknown: How post-disaster aid can provide what people really need - World Bank
Social Impact Assessments - EMReF

Myat Thet Thistsar holds a master's degree in International Relations and Affairs from California State University, Fresno.

She is featured in Focus On: Disasters, an Asia Research News resource for journalists to find stories and sources. EMReF is also featured in Asia Research News Magazine: 
Increasing gender equality in an evolving democracy
Sparking change through research