For the 83% of refugees in Jordan living outside of camps, the winter months represent a challenge, as they brave the chill and sometimes sub-zero temperatures in poorly insulated rooms, basements or makeshift shelters. To mitigate their burden, UNHCR and its partners1 have coordinated2 a large-scale winterization response in Jordan since 2012. Winter cash assistance is considered a targeted programme to ensure that families are equipped with essential winter and heating items.
The Jordan humanitarian community has created a best-practice approach to coordinate winter assistance through the Winter Task Force of The Basic Needs Working Group. This winterization response is an exceptional moment in the the humanitarian response every year, as donors release millions of dollars to 10-15 organizations to assist refugees in preparing for winter. These funds then need to be distributed relatively quickly. The Task Force begins meeting in August and continues throughout the season, to ensure that 1) refugees are treated equally across organizations, and 2) common tools are used and data is shared, leading to improved cost efficiency. Agencies thus use a single market assessment, a harmonized package, common eligibility criteria and a single post-distribution monitoring tool. They also use a shared caseload management tool to ensure assistance is not duplicated.