New York Times published an opinion piece stating that more than politics, Myanmar needs a fresh path to democracy. Free and fair elections (and respect for the results) are essential. But also essential is the transformation of a society shaped by decades of dictatorship, international isolation, brutal armed conflict, racial and religious discrimination, extreme poverty, and widening inequality. IFPRI's survey, Poverty, food insecurity, and social protection during COVID-19 in Myanmar (project MAPSA) was cited. According to the survey, the percentage of the population making less than $1.90 a day rose from 16 percent in January 2020 to 63 percent in September 2020, with more than a third reporting no income that month.