A Mapping of Social Protection and Humanitarian Assistance Programmes in Jordan

The majority of humanitarian aid provides only short-term isolated support to the long-term displaced. One such mechanism of support is cash transfers. While the impact of cash transfers on access to services and integration of displaced populations is understudied, evaluations have revealed their effectiveness in allowing refugees the flexibility to decide how to use money for their most urgent needs, keeping their children in school, and accessing and reducing social tensions.

In this working paper, we consider one specific case study – the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cash transfer in Jordan. To date, there are around 660,000 Syrians registered as refugees in Jordan, from a total of 1.4 million. Drawing on qualitative research conducted in four sites in September 2016, we assess the immediate effects of transfers on reducing barriers to accessing basic services and employment, as well as considering the long-term implications of improvements in economic and social outcomes.