This report provides a detailed analysis of the evolving challenges faced by garment sector workers in Myanmar following COVID 19 and the military takeover in February 2021. Drawing on 1,600 (1,200 female and 400 male) interviews, including current and former garment sector workers as well as firm owners, focus group discussions, and field-based assessments, it captures the lived realities of a predominantly young, female, and migrant workforce as they navigate worsening economic insecurity and declining workplace protections.

The study highlights how prolonged political instability, factory closures, and shrinking global demand have severely undermined livelihoods. Workers report stagnant or reduced wages, excessive working hours, increased reliance on informal employment, and limited access to grievance mechanisms or legal redress. Livelihoods Hanging by a Thread offers critical insight into the coping mechanisms adopted by workers, their shifting migration intentions, and the urgent need for coordinated, gender-responsive interventions to safeguard employment, dignity, and basic rights within the sector.