UNHCR Jordan Cash Assistance Post Distribution Monitoring Report 2017: Protecting the Most Fragile and Supporting Resilience

As the conflict in Syria enters its eight year, with no evidence of an immediate end, more than 620,000 refugees and asylum seekers continue to be hosted by the cities, towns and communities in Jordan. In long term exile, refugee families and their children are living in increasingly precarious environments. Savings at this stage have been depleted, and most salaries from legal work opportunities for refugees sit at the abject poverty line. Resettlement opportunities previously an option for some of the most vulnerable, have been restricted due to new political realities. UNHCR’s focus is on protecting those who are dependent upon social protection - the non-autonomous population who are unable to work due to disabilities, old age, or single female headed households. For this margin of the population, receiving cash assistance is a literal lifeline.

Cash assistance is one of UNHCR’s most important social protection tools in the humanitarian response. It enables refugees to pay rent, utilities, food, and has a parallel benefit of being effective at reducing harmful coping mechanisms such as withdrawing children from school, child marriage, child labour, begging, and other survival tactics. Jordan’s approach to cash assistance provides an opportunity to document lessons-learned and best practices, from the use of technology for processing payments, the common vulnerability assessment, and the use of a strong monitoring platform. This provides an opportunity to engage with, and strengthen national social protection systems in Jordan.