Background
There are approximately 33,000 Syrian refugee families enrolled in UNHCR’s multipurpose cash assistance programme (MCAP). Through this large scale delivery of assistance, UNHCR aims to enable vulnerable refugee families to meet their most basic needs in a safe and dignified way. The cash programme is in line with the UNHCR basic needs approach which is designed with the goal to achieve longer term wellbeing and improved socioeconomic situation for vulnerable families.
By means of an econometric model, designed through data gathered during the annual vulnerability assessment of Syrian refugees (VASyR), monthly expenditure is predicted for each refugee household. In this way, the population of concern to UNHCR can be ranked according to their socioeconomic vulnerability. Families that have a predicted monthly expenditure below the Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket (SMEB) of 87 US$/capita/month are considered to be Severely Vulnerable and are targeted for MCAP. To maximize the use of limited resources, UNHCR targets the poorest families (i.e. those with the lowest predicted expenditures) in each area of operation covering Lebanon (Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, North and South Lebanon).
Assisted families are provided with an ATM card and PIN number through which they receive a monthly cash transfer equivalent to US$ 175. This cash transfer complements other sources of income including other types of assistance (namely food assistance from the World Food Programme, WFP) and any income from work. In this way, UNHCR supports poor families to reach expenditures equal to the SMEB and live a dignified life.
Objective and Methodology
The aim of UNHCR MCAP outcome monitoring (OM) is to track key outcomes of the programme by comparing the situation of households that benefit from the assistance (assisted families) to those that do not (non-assisted families). This report presents the findings of an OM exercise conducted on a sample of 763 Syrian refugee families.
Design and sampling
The following groups were surveyed:
1) Group 1: 412 families assisted by UNHCR MCAP
2) Group 2: 351 families not assisted by any MCAP
Both groups were selected from the pool of severely vulnerable families and both groups receive regular food assistance from WFP (US$ 27/person/month). The second group serves as the control group for this analysis. By selecting households within the same vulnerability category as those who are assisted, the effects of the cash programme can be better determined.
The survey took place in the form of face-to-face interviews at beneficiary homes. Data was collected between July and August 2018 by trained enumerators through UNHCR partner agencies across the country.