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Cash Assistance Mitigates Hardship of Palestine Refugees in Syria

31 March 2017

With the conflict entering its seventh year, the humanitarian response falls short of the growing needs of 450,000 Palestine refugees in Syria. The protracted situation has led to long-term displacement and a high unemployment rate. Families across the country struggle to make ends meet and rely heavily on humanitarian assistance.

To support the needs of Palestine refugees in Syria, UNRWA relies on generous donors to support its emergency cash assistance programme, which aims to cover the costs of housing, food and other necessary commodities. The European Commission for Humanitarian Operations (ECHO) – positioned at the top of the list of donors who responded to the UNRWA Emergency Appeal for the Syria Regional Crisis – contributes to the Agency’s first-line emergency and cash response.

During the first round of 2017, UNRWA increased the regular cash grant to US$ 96 per refugee, adding a one-time top-up assistance of US$ 32 to help Palestine refugees endure the winter. Through an effective local delivery system of banks and wire transfer companies, the Agency successfully reaches over 90 per cent of beneficiaries in every distribution round.

Since the conflict began, food and non-food item (NFI) prices have sharply risen and the value of the Syrian pound has plummeted, jeopardizing livelihoods. As a consequence, 95 per cent of Palestine refugees have become completely reliant on UNRWA humanitarian assistance. Neirab, Syria. © 2016 UNRWA Photo by Ahmad Abu ZeidoTo cover winter expenditures, UNRWA topped up its regular cash grant with an additional US$ 32 per person. Thanks to the generous donation from ECHO, up to 430,000 refugees received US$ 96 each during the first cash round in 2017, covering two months of needs. Damascus, Syria. © 2016 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadChildren are the most affected by the harsh, cold winter. Thanks to the contribution from ECHO, the Agency’s one-time cash assistance top-up of US$ 32 will allow parents to buy jackets and fuel to keep their children warm during the winter. Khan Dunoun, Syria. © 2016 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid Mohammad"UNRWA cash assistance provides me with the means to purchase basic goods on the local market and pay the rent for our apartment," says 65-year-old Rasmiyeh Hussein, who had to flee Yarmouk due to intense clashes in December 2012. Damascus, Syria. © 2016 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadPoverty among Palestine refugees in Syria has become acute and widespread. The increased living costs have forced many refugees into overcrowded and unsanitary rented accommodations. Khan Dunoun, Syria. © 2016 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadCash assistance brings additional support to Palestine refugee families in Syria. In a country where unemployment is close to 60 per cent, cash grants are used to help cover the costs of food and rent. Fayez, a 60-year-old refugee from Yarmouk, explains that he uses the assistance to put food on his table, as he has no other source of income. Damascus, Syria. © 2016 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadUNRWA runs the largest cash distribution operation in Syria. This method remains the most effective form of humanitarian assistance for Palestine refugees in the war-torn country. © 2016 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadECHO is a long-standing partner of UNRWA and a generous supporter of the Agency’s emergency response to the needs of Palestine refugees from Syria. Since 2012, ECHO has contributed nearly EUR 23.9 million (US$ 32.2 million) to the Agency’s Emergency Appeal for the Syria Regional Crisis

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