Transforming pathways from vulnerability to resilience among internally displaced populations in Myanmar using a constructivist grounded theory approach

Abstract

Background: Following the Military coup in 2021, armed conflict, along with the recent earthquake, has exacerbated the vulnerabilities of displaced populations, leaving them with limited access to essential services and protection. Historically, support for internally displaced persons (IDPs) has predominantly focused on immediate humanitarian needs, such as food, shelter, and medical assistance, which are crucial; they often frame IDPs solely as vulnerable individuals requiring aid, thereby neglecting opportunities to foster resilience within these communities. Objective: To fill the gap in knowledge on how IDPs in Myanmar navigate prolonged crises, this research aims to develop a grounded theory framework that shifts the narrative from vulnerability-focused to resilience-oriented approaches. Method: A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted using purposive and snowball sampling, with in-depth interviews among 13 IDPs and 10 IDP support network representatives across Mon, Kayin, Kayah, and Eastern Bago regions between December 2024 and March 2025. Participants were eligible for inclusion if they were at least 18 years old and currently residing in an IDP camp or working with IDPs. Data were analysed through multi-stage inductive coding, constant comparative methods, and memo writing to construct a theoretical model of resilience-building. Results: Five interconnected dimensions emerged: (1) armed conflict, political instability, and climate change as primary displacement drivers; (2) Fears of airstrikes and heavy weaponry, insecurity, and economic hardship as contextual vulnerabilities; (3) internal motivation to rebuild their lives, resistance and persistence to injustice, adaptability, and mental strength enabled displaced individuals to rebuild agency and dignity as individual resilience factors; (4) macro-level policy and infrastructure, meso-level community action, and micro-level coping as multi-level strategic interventions for resilience; and (5) community solidarity, indigenous knowledge, and religious coping as enablers, while aid dependency, resource scarcity, and selective aid distribution as barriers for IDPs resilience. Conclusion: This study presents a constructivist grounded theory framework demonstrating that sustainable resilience among Myanmar’s IDPs requires conflict-sensitive, multi-level, community-driven interventions that move beyond immediate humanitarian relief toward long-term empowerment. The framework offers evidence-based guidance for policymakers, INGOs, and humanitarian practitioners to redesign programming through a resilience-oriented, decolonising lens.