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Projects
Contribution to UNHCR's winterization assistance for Syrian refugees in Jordan 2022-2023
Short Description:
Overall goal
The programme aims to provide urgent winter support to Syrian refugees in Jordan, as part of UNHCR's Regional Winterization Assistance Appeal 2022-2023. The contribution will serve to implement vital cash assistance
transfers for vulnerable refugee households, helping to address refugees' most basic needs during the harsh winter months.
Expected results
Vulnerable Syrian refugees in Jordan can meet basic needs during the winter months thanks to UNHCR's seasonal cash assistance.
Target group / Beneficiaries
With the Austrian contribution of EUR 2 Mio., the ICRC will be able to reach around 16,000 Syrian refugees. The total number of beneficiaries the whole programme aims to reach is 391,400 Syrian refugees, including 121,400 refugees living in Jordan's refugee camps of Azraq and Zaatari and 270,000 refugees living outside of the camps in urban areas
Activities
As part of its winterization assistance plan, UNHCR will target a total of 391,400 vulnerable persons living either in camp settings or in urban areas with much-needed cash support. The cash assistance will include around EUR 367 per refugee family, in an effort to help refugees overcome the difficult winter period and address an increase of basic needs. In Azraq and Zaatari camps, all registered refugees will benefit from the winterization support through blanket assistance. For refugees living out of the camps, UNHCR will determine the profiles of the eligible families based on their vulnerabilities and in an effort to avoid duplication in coordination with the Winterization Task Force under the Jordan Basic Needs Working Group, which includes key partners, such as other UN entities as well as local and international NGOs. The cash will be delivered by UNHCR through refugee-owned mobile wallets and biometric-linked virtual accounts. At the conclusion of the programme, UNHCR will conduct a post-distribution monitoring exercise to evaluate the use of the cash programme in meeting the most pressing needs.
Context
With a population of around 10 million - including over 762,000 refugees registered with UNHCR - Jordan is the second largest refugee-hosting country worldwide per capita, providing asylum to Syrians and refugees of other nationalities. Jordan has been an exemplary host since the beginning of the Syria refugee response, and has gradually allowed refugee inclusion in critical areas, including in education, healthcare and universal access to the national COVID-19 health response and vaccination programme. Due to the Ukraine conflict and rising commodity prices, Jordan’s overall economy is again deteriorating. The global increase in the price of fuels, wheat and other grains is already affecting access to, and availability of, food for the most vulnerable populations in Jordan. As a result, people of concern to UNHCR continue to face destitution. Access
to employment remains low and restricted. Women and girls face multiple forms of gender-based violence (GBV). COVID-19 has only compounded economic vulnerabilities and thus, negative coping strategies and protection risks. UNHCR’s most recent quarterly needs assessment confirms that vulnerabilities are on the rise. Average refugee households’ income decreased to 240 JOD in Q3 2022, a 7%
decline since Q2 2022. The recent quarterly analysis indicates that households spent on average JOD 69 more than they earned during the past quarter, meaning that refugee reliance on debt further increased. About half of the total household expenditures was spent on food, rent, and health-related costs. Overall, nearly 9 out of 10 households were in debt in Q3 2022. For some Syrian refugees in Jordan, the current winter period represents the 12th consecutive winter in displacement, and many continue to face additional hardships during these months, including due to the rise of expenditures. UNHCR’s cash programme intends to alleviate the burden to some extent, helping the most vulnerable refugees meet urgent needs for them and their families.