KEY HIGHLIGHTS
1.6M people assessed for cash assistance in 2018 so far
428,310 individuals reached in 2018 so far, with USD36.5 million distributed.
Over 5,000 referrals to protection services from cash assesments in March.
USD373M needed to address funding gaps, including >USD 60M in Jordan to ensure programming beyond June.
REGIONAL INDICATORS
Some 1.6 million people have already been assessed and found eligible for cash assistance in 2018 across the region. This figure will increase during the year as more families are reached to asses their vulnerability.
Needs are generally high, with three quarters of Syrian refugee households across the region having expenditures below the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB), meaning they struggle to make ends meet. The assessment process is continuous, with thousands of people are assessed each month. Assessment methods differ across the region but are based on the same fundamental principles of identifying vulnerability and risk. For example, in Lebanon, persons of concern are ranked and scored using a desk formula to measure their socio-economic vulnerability. Most countries also have a formal appeal process in place where people can dispute the assessment – an important tool for accountability. In March, some 3,106 appeals were made, of which 135 (4.3%) were considered positively and consequently people were found eligible for cash assistance.
UNHCR has provided cash assistance to almost 430,000 people across the region so far this year, disbursing over USD 36.5 million, including approximately USD 14.4 million in March alone. Some 31,192 people have been reached in Syria, 1,237 in Turkey, 205,473 in Lebanon, 127,980 in Jordan, 3,149 in Iraq and 59,279 in Egypt. Over 364,000 Syrian refugees have been reached, while over 63,000 refugees and Internally Displaced Persons of other nationalities (including Iraqi) have been reached.
In March alone, almost 5,000 referrals to cash management by UNHCR cash assessment teams. This means that people could access specialized protection services offered by UNHCR and partners, including psychosocial support, referrals to health services, or for Sexual and Gender Based Violence related issues. More broadly, through the cash programme, UNHCR increases the systematic interface between UNHCR staff, refugees, and the services they need to address protection risks. For example, over 22,000 inquiries were received by UNHCR in March, affording staff the opportunity to detect risks and vulnerabilities at the earliest opportunity and ensure the people get the follow-up assistance they need.
While UNHCR plans to reach over two million people with cash assistance across the region (last year UNHCR reached 2.1 million individuals), there are currently over 1.7 million people who we will not be able to reach with cash assistance due to underfunding. This is particularly acute in Lebanon and Jordan, where majority of Syrian refugees live below the poverty line. Cuts in assistance will further reduce the ability of families to pay rent, meet daily household needs, and cover essentials like health care and education. In Jordan in particular, UNHCR’s cash assistance programme is only funded until June, putting hundreds of thousands of families at risk.