2020 oPt Emergency Appeal - Gaza - Emergency Food Assistance

Access to food in Gaza remains a challenge for a majority of refugees struggling with deteriorating socio-economic conditions. To mitigate food insecurity, UNRWA will provide emergency assistance to around 1,000,000 Palestine refugees (approximately 200,000 families) who lack the financial means to cover their basic food needs, including around 40,000 persons with disabilities and 17,000 female-headed households. Within this caseload, UNRWA will assist around 620,000 abject poor refugees living on less than US$ 1.74 per person per day, and around 380,000 absolute poor refugees living below the US$ 3.87 poverty line. Eligible refugee families will receive a food basket every quarter which includes a range of basic food commodities. Quantities of each item are determined by the poverty status category and household size. Rations will be distributed through ten UNRWA distribution centres across the Gaza Strip. In 2020, logistic and programme staff will continue to be needed to ensure an effective and timely distribution to all refugees in need. The UNRWA Monitoring and Evaluation team, in close coordination with the Relief and Social Services Programme (RSSP), will continue to regularly monitor the quality of the food distributed to bene?ciaries, including through focus group sessions and regular communication with bene?ciaries. Eligibility for emergency food assistance is determined through a poverty assessment survey (PAS) conducted by Agency social workers during family home visits. This system captures essential household characteristics such as age, gender, housing conditions, household composition, health and education characteristics, attachment to the labour force, and asset ownership. UNRWA targeting also pays attention to vulnerable groups that may not be able to access emergency food assistance through regular channels, such as wives in polygamous marriages, divorced, separated, or abandoned women. In 2020, in light of the increased caseload and constrained funding environment, UNRWA will review its methodology for assessment, eligibility for and monitoring of food assistance. Possible modifications to this intervention will be explored as appropriate to better respond to the increased demand and ensure that most vulnerable Palestine refugees continue to receive the necessary support to meet their vital needs.