Post-Distribution Monitoring of Cash-Based Intervention, January 2021 (Malaysia)

Abstract

THE CBI PDM Household Survey was conducted in Malaysia between December, to January, 2021. In Malaysia, refugees live in a very challenging environment with limited rights to health, education and work. As the Malaysian government does not provide refugees with any monetary support, refugees depend on low-income work to provide for their families and for themselves. As there are approximately 150,000 refugees in Malaysia, the CBI program is targeted to the most vulnerable groups, with a household income below the national poverty line, women and girls at risk, children and adolescents at risk and persons with serious medical conditions. Assistance to refugees who have been detained and have not managed to earn sufficient funds during their sentence is also provided.

UNHCR uses Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) as a mechanism to collect refugees' feedback on the quality, sufficiency, utilization and effectiveness of the assistance items they receive. The underlying principle behind the process is linked to accountability, as well as a commitment to improve the quality and relevance of support provided, and related services. UNHCR increasingly uses Cash-Based Interventions (CBIs) as a preferred modality for delivering assistance, offering greater dignity and choice to forcibly displaced and stateless persons in line with UNHCR's core protection mandate. In order to ensure that the cash assistance provided meets the intended programme objectives and that desired outcomes are achieved, UNHCR conducts regular post-distribution and outcome monitoring with a sample or all of refugee recipients.