2020 oPt Emergency Appeal - West Bank - Emergency Cash Assistance

In 2020, UNRWA will seek to provide unconditional and non-restricted cash assistance through its e-card modality to 3,573 abject poor refugee households (around 25,330 individuals, 12,344 female and 12,986 male) in the West Bank inside and outside its 19 refugee camps. This modality provides cash to vulnerable refugees who live on less than two dollars a day, through bank debit cards in partnership with the Bank of Palestine. Beneficiaries are targeted following assessments by UNRWA social workers. The poverty level of the households is assessed using a Proxy Means Test Formula (PMTF). In addition to consumption levels, this formula takes into consideration other aspects of vulnerability, such as the presence of chronic diseases, housing characteristics, education and health characteristics, attachment to the labour force, as well as household composition (e.g. the number of elderly and persons with disabilities, and female-headed households). Each household identified receives 125 New Israeli Shekels (ILS) (approx. US$ 35) per person per quarter. Since the introduction of the e-card modality in 2016, UNRWA has improved the efficiency of the programme and has developed specific tools to monitor its implementation. According to the information collected through the Agency?s quarterly post-monitoring reports, emergency cash assistance has contributed to alleviating food insecurity amongst vulnerable households and has assisted in mitigating vulnerabilities. Feedback from beneficiaries has indicated that the new e-card modality provides for more freedom of choice and a protection of their dignity.