Improving Cash-based Interventions
Multipurpose Cash Grants and Protection Enhanced Response Capacity Project 2014–2015
$1. Background information
1.1 Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
By May 2015, UNHCR had registered more than 1.07 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon. According to the initial ndings of the assessment done by Inter-Agency Targeting Task Force in 2014, at least 29 percent of this population was living below the minimum survival basket of USD 435 per family per month. In addition, the 2014 Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees (VASyR) indicated that 74 per cent were food insecure to some degree. For most refugees, family savings have been drained by years of economic hardship and limited access to income opportunities. Those who are just arriving from Syria have been displaced internally at least once, with the majority having already depleted their own resources while internally displaced in Syria.
Lebanon is a thriving free-market economy where many of the refugees’ basic needs – such as food, hygiene items, fuel, and shelter – are available through the local market, and where ATM bank services are easily accessible. In this context, cash assistance serves as a viable alternative to in-kind assistance and distribution of core relief items, while supplementing other forms of assistance that cannot or should not be monetized (e.g. protection services) that continue to bene t the refugee population at large.
1.2 UNHCR cash assistance in Lebanon
Multiputpose Cash Assistance Programme (MPAP)
UNHCR’s regular Multipurpose Cash Assistance Programme (MCAP) started in late August 2014, targeting 7,000 refugee families in Lebanon. UNHCR progressively increased MCAP’s bene ciary targets by an average of 850 families every month for the remainder of the year. By May 2015, 12,807 families were receiving the multipurpose cash assistance through ATM cards issued by CSC.
Winter Cash Assistance programme
Starting in November 2013, an inter-agency Winter Cash Assistance Programme began providing around 60 percent of all refugees from Syria (including Palestinians), Lebanese returnees, and some vulnerable Lebanese families with cash; tools for improving shelters; non-food items (NFI), such as blankets, children’s clothing, and stoves; and heating fuel. As part of the cash transfer component, UNHCR provided cash assistance through ATM cards to about 66,000 Syrian refugee families. The goal of the Winter Cash Assistance Programme was to help bene ciaries stay warm, dry, and healthy during the cold, wet winter months.
CSC-cards
In November 2013, UNHCR signed a “pre-paid card issuance agreement” with CSC Bank SAL (CSC) to issue cards (CSC-cards) which have been used for both the regular Multipurpose Cash Assistance and the Winter Cash Assistance Programmes. According to the agreement, UNHCR is the sole responsible for designating the individual bene ciaries of CSC-cards, while CSC’s role is to issue non-branded cards to the designated individuals and to provide all the support necessary for the CSC-cards to function properly and in a secure and reliable environment. CSC-cards can be used in all ATM network in Lebanon. The agreement de nes terms and conditions, including fees structure and reporting. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Multipurpose Cash Assistance Programme de ne the procedures for CSC-card and PIN distribution, for generating upload lists, nance procedures and for reviewing banking reports.
1.3 WFP voucher assistance to refugees in Lebanon
Since late 2013, WFP has been providing food assistance through electronic vouchers (e-cards) to vulnerable Syrian refugees who cannot meet their food needs. Each month, e-card bene ciaries receive transfers, which can be exchanged for food of their choice in over 410 WFP-contracted shops across the country. Since 2013, 200,000 e-cards have been issued to Syrian refugees.
In December 2014, in partnership with the Lebanon Cash Consortium (LCC)4 WFP rolled out the OneCard, a single electronic card with a POS and an ATM wallet activated. The OneCard allows bene ciaries to receive food assistance using POS terminals at selected retailers, as well as cash assistance through ATM cards. The OneCard works through a platform made available by the Banque Lebanese Française (BLF) and managed by WFP, bene tting 8,500 refugee families.