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UK Aid supports immediate Palestine refugee needs in Syria

09 July 2015

As the conflict in Syria continues into its fifth year, Palestine refugees in Syria are struggling to meet their most basic needs. The economy of Syria is near collapse and unemployment is soaring, reaching 58 per cent this year.  Against the backdrop of poverty, displacement and insecurity, cash assistance from UNRWA can make a critical and demonstrable difference to their daily lives.

Cash assistance means that Palestine refugees can replace their lost incomes and meet some of their minimum daily needs. In a recent UNRWA evaluation, 95 per cent Palestine refugees indicated cash to be the most useful form of humanitarian assistance. It gives beneficiaries the dignity to adapt their spending to address their most pressing needs.

In 2015, cash assistance remains the cornerstone of the Agency’s emergency response in Syria.  Last year, UK Aid gave UNRWA GBP 5.9 million (US$ 9.1 million) in funding for cash assistance, announcing an additional GBP 2.2 million (US$ 3.6 million) in support in December 2014. As a result, UNRWA was able to conduct one round of cash assistance between January and March of this year, providing US$ 64 per beneficiary to 446,502 Palestine refugees throughout Syria.

A second round of cash assistance commenced on 31 May. However, without significant additional funding, UNRWA will be unable to provide Palestine refugees in Syria with this critical support beyond August 2015. 

Five years of conflict have left the Syrian economy in a devastated state. In 2014, four in every five Syrians lived in poverty, and 64.7 per cent lived in extreme poverty and were unable to meet their minimum needs for survival. Khan Dunoun collective shelter, Damascus. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadFor Palestine refugees, the contraction of the economy has been exacerbated by repeated displacement. More than 280,000 of the 480,000 Palestine refugees remaining in Syria have been displaced at least once. Khan Dunoun collective shelter, Damascus. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadMore than 95 per cent of the 480,000 Palestine refugees remaining in Syria rely on UNRWA to meet their most basic needs. Cash assistance is a critical part of the UNRWA humanitarian response. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadAn UNRWA evaluation of the cash assistance programme found that it had a demonstrable impact on the health and well-being of Palestine refugee children. In the majority of households, meals provided as a result of cash assistance were able to ensure minimum calorific intake for children. Homs refugee camp. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadCash assistance allows recipients to take advantage of seasonal products and respond to the fluctuating market prices. The price of food has steadily increased over the past few years, with the price of rice rising by 434 per cent on average. Qabr Essit, Damascus. © 2014 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadMass displacement and destruction of homes mean that rental costs have soared across Syria and make up the majority of family expenditures. Qabr Essit, Damascus. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid MohammadIn the first half of 2015, UNRWA has only received enough funding to distribute two rounds of cash assistance. The Agency began a second round of cash assistance in June 2015. Without additional funding, the Agency will be unable to provide a third round of assistance this year. Khan Dunoun collective shelter, Damascus. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Taghrid Mohammad

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