Socio-Economic Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Survey, 2021 (Indonesia)

Abstract

While no segregated studies of the impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods on forcibly displaced people in Indonesia amongst UNHCR's persons of concern exist, UNHCR observed since May 2021 increasing case numbers amongst refugees and asylum seekers, especially as refugees are currently not included in the national vaccination scheme and are not able to receive COVID-19 treatment through the State's budget, though few local governments recently started vaccinating refugees as well. As of June 2021, there were 10,082 refugees and 3,334 asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR, of whom 7,490 are from Afghanistan (UNHCR 2021).

The aim of the survey is to assess refugee's welfare, vulnerabilities, and coping strategies with regards to the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the impact of ongoing restrictions and the lockdown on refugees' socioeconomic status at a critical time of the pandemic in Indonesia.

This has been conducted via a phone survey to test effectiveness and feasibility of using Interactive Voice Response (IVR) as an alternative data collection mode to CAPI and CATI interviews, in times where access to face- to- face data collection can become difficult. The pilot survey measures livelihoods and the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on forcibly displaced people in Indonesia. The survey will contribute to the understanding of the living conditions and the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on refugees and forcefully displaced persons.