The update covers 16 operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in which cash-based interventions (CBIs) are currently implemented.

Download Report: https://bit.ly/2GpxneM

Key Highlights

1,487,204 individuals reached with cash assistance until the end of the second quarter (Q2) of 2020 (949,595 individuals assisted in Q2 only), out of which the majority, or 1,009,109 individuals (515,017 individuals in Q2 only), were reached with multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA).

667,277 individuals reached with emergency cash assistance as part of the COVID-19 response since the start of the pandemic in March

USD 120.5 million distributed via cash assistance until the end of Q2 (USD 72.9 million in Q2 only), out of which USD 79.1 million was to Syrians and USD 41.4 million to persons of other nationalities.

Needs

Throughout the first two quarters of 2020, UNHCR continued monitoring and documenting the correlations between socio-economic vulnerabilities and protection risks. In 2019, documented protection risks were recorded in relation to child marriage, child labour, sexual exploitation and domestic violence. UNHCR continues to document how protection considerations are integrated into the organization’s CBI activities, including but not limited to: the inclusion of protection indicators into UNHCR vulnerability and targeting models; referral of persons of concern receiving CBI assistance to protection services, and vice versa; as well as the use of cash in stand-alone protection programmes.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).