I. General / Inter-Sector Update
Comprehensive Food Security Monitoring Exercise (CFSME): WFP has released initial findings from the CFSME for 2015, in partnership with REACH. The results show a deterioration in food security for the Syrian refugee population compared to the CFSME 2014. In 2015, 85% of households were assessed as either food insecure or vulnerable to food insecurity. Compared to 2014, there are 36% more refugee households that are food insecure or vulnerable to food insecurity.
Zaatari refugee camp remained relatively stable compared to 2014, with 9% food insecure. However, urban areas have jumped from 6% food insecure in 2014 to 22%. Azraq currently has 22% food insecure. The difference between Zaatari and Azraq, who are both receiving the same food e-vouchers and bread from WFP, is attributed to the limited informal economy in Azraq, whereas there is a vibrant economy in Zaatari. Currently pending Government approval, the opening of the market in Azraq remains a key operational priority.
Reduction of Food Assistance in Urban Areas announced: In parallel, WFP have sent a message to all refugee beneficiaries announcing that, due to a lack of funding, all food assistance in urban areas will be halted. The implications of such a cut are extremely serious, and could further exacerbate negative coping mechanisms, such as removing children from school, reducing food intake, begging, overcrowding in sub-standard housing, and/or accepting exploitative, informal jobs. Several discussions have been held with donors and the government, including on alternative mechanisms to provide refugees access to resources. The Inter-Agency Task Force is already discussing contingency plans on how best to support refugees in such a situation. FAQs are available at http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/download.php?id=9104
Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB): Building on the first MEB developed by the Cash Working Group (CWG) in 2014, the Inter-Sector Working Group for the Syrian refugee response agreed to establish a task force (TF) to review and update the MEB. The MEB TF convened five times between mid-March 2015 and early June 2015 to develop the MEB, including all sectors. The MEB will be operationalized to 1) help shape appropriate assistance packages and levels of intervention and 2) provide poverty lines that are used in modelling approaches such as those underpinning the Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF). The MEB Guidance Note is available at http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/download.php?id=9098 and the MEB Excel table at http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/download.php?id=9097