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Syrian Refugee Crisis: Rapid Assessment Report

by CHF International | CHF International
Thursday, 19 July 2012 19:00 GMT

* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Syrian Refugee Crisis: Rapid Assessment Report
Amman, Jordan – July 2012

syrian refugee crisis rapid assessment

Executive Summary
In response to the Syrian refugee crisis unfolding in Jordan, CHF International’s office of humanitarian assistance conducted a rapid needs assessment in the Northern Governorates of Irbid, AL Mafraq, and Amman, focused on understanding the shelter needs and overall livelihood security of Syrian refugees residing in CHF’s current area of operation. Utilizing a combination of survey instruments and focus group discussions, the assessment targeted Syrian refugees and hostfamily representatives in districts known to be accommodating large concentrations of displaced. A total of 68 individuals completed survey questionnaires; while a further 67 individuals participated in one of the five focus group discussions held across the target area. The surveys were designed to capture data on the general demographic profile of respondents, and focused on 3 principle themes—shelter arrangements, livelihood security, and education. Recognizing that the survey results derive from a limited sample population, the findings put forward in this assessment should be considered illustrative of the needs in the target area, and not used to extrapolate findings beyond the scope of the present study. A comprehensive and more broadly representative survey would provide the basis for such conclusions.

Where shelter is concerned, survey findings indicate that the overwhelming majority of Syrians are renting accommodation or sheltering with host families, and despite concerns over the high-cost of living in Jordan and increasing rents, most survey respondents expect to remain displaced for the foreseeable future. Respondents were equally concerned about the employment prospects in Jordan, noting that there are few job opportunities in the rural districts, and wages for Syrian workers have slipped below standard market rates for skilled and unskilled labour alike. For those who are able to find regular employment, respondents agreed that current wages would be insufficient to cover monthly expenses for an average sized household. Finally, survey results indicated that the majority of school aged children had experienced some degree of disruption to their studies, and though most had yet to resume classes, there is clear intent among respondents to enroll their children in the local school system ahead of the next semester, beginning in September.


Recognizing that the data collected for this rapid assessment is broad in scope and comes from a limited number of respondents, the survey findings lead CHF to make the following recommendations as it designs humanitarian assistance programs. Where the displaced are sheltered by host-families, assistance activities should focus on improving the sustainability of existing housing arrangements. Ninety-one percent of refugees ranked shelter assistance as a priority need, while the overwhelming majority respondents were unsure when they would be able to return home. Through modest renovations and small scale structural improvements, targeted shelter support should be used to incentivize longer-term solutions for the displaced, easing the burden on host families, while reducing the likelihood of follow-on migration. Where livelihood security is concerned, survey results clearly indicated that income-earning opportunities are a priority need among the displaced, illustrated in part by the 58% of survey respondents reporting no regular household income. As such, cash-transfer initiatives are strongly recommended, and should target refugees not presently sheltered by host families. Where assistance activities require labour inputs such as shelter renovations, cash-for-work should be prioritized as the primary means of compensating beneficiaries.

Finally, whereas 85.7% of respondents indicated that their school aged children had fallen behind in their studies, it is recommended that remedial education services be available for students in need additional support prior to enrolling in the local school system. Additionally, informal education programming should be designed so as to effectively identify and enroll newly displaced children into the formal education system as quickly as possible.

Read the full assessment here.

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