REACH Assessment Strategy for the Identification of Syrian Refugees Living in Host Communities in Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon

REACH Assessment Strategy for the Identification of Syrian Refugees Living in Host Communities in Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon 1. Overivew Of the over 327.944 refugees estimated in Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon as of 04.10.2012, 262.721 have registered with UNHCR though currently ca. 44.412 are resident in the main refugee camps in Jordan and Iraq 1. As such over 83% of registered and 86% of the total estimated number of refugees are living in host communities. Nonetheless, the focus of the humanitarian community has generally been on the high-profile refugee camps despite these stark figures. The major challenge for the actors on the ground lies both in identifying the refugee families hosted in communities across villages and cities of Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq, and accessing baseline information that would allow for a quicker and more effective targeting of resources necessary to a launch relevant and timely response. As the length of displacement in neighbouring countries increases, and with no tangible sign of an end to the conflict in the near future, both refugee and host families are rapidly depleting the resources available to them to manage their daily needs. The nature of hosted solutions in displacement crises, whilst desirable compared to large camps, makes identifying families and individuals (both hosted and those hosting) in order to effectively target aid provision a difficult proposition given: (a) the relatively low visibility of families in hosted accommodation, and (b) their dispersal across multiple neighbourhoods within cities and villages. This document outlines REACH s methodology for the identification of hosted refugees and hosting families and proposes a mechanism for developing the information management flow through the use of mapping tools and assessment databases targeted at enhancing the effectiveness of aid delivery to these groups as the winter season approaches. With the production of static and interactive maps as outputs of the process, the objective is to provide a tool for aid agencies active on the ground that improves their ability to engage refugee communities in a more targeted and effective manner. This present version of the methodology is based on a pilot launched in Mafraq Governorate Northern Jordan during which the processes, templates, and outputs were developed and fine-tuned. Nonetheless, the objective of this process is to achieve a standard tool that can be adapted and used across the countries affected by the Syrian refugee crisis. 2. The REACH Methodology in Context In the highly dynamic context existing in countries welcoming Syrian refugees into their communities, humanitarian actors seeking to implement a targeted response to hosted refugee families are constrained by two challenges: 1. Identification of Refugees within their Hosted Enviroment[s]: Refugees hosted by communities outside of the structured environment of camps are often hidden as they blend into communities across broad geographical areas; 2. Definition of a Preliminary Scenario: A direct result of the difficulty of identifying refugees in hosted contexts is the lack of reliable information to act as a baseline for the development of a preliminary scenario to support the planning of assessments and programmes. The REACH methodology described herein seeks to address these challenges by providing a structured process for the consolidation and management of information. The key element of this process is the identification and delineation of communitydefined Basic Service Units (BSUs) that facilitate the collection of field data. Given the broadness of existing level 3 administrative boundaries, the need for a standardised approach to defining humanitarian boundaries that are linked to broader official administrative areas is crucial to enhance the relevance and usefulness of field data. The current approach used by the majority of actors relies on information collected by highly active local community based oragnisations and charities, as well as local authorities. This data provides indicative information on the location of refugee families and their hosts, on the basis of which agencies then launch assessments on a house-to-house basis. The selection of one area 1 Source : UNHCR Syria Regional Refugee Response; Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey dt. Friday 5 October 2012 Page 1 of 6

Geographical Scope / Depth of Data known to have a high concentration of refugees over another however, is conducted in an ad-hoc manner. Data is thus not necessarily comparable either across different agencies or geographic areas. This limits the potential to consolidate data on the basis of a standardised platform that can feed information for programme planning and inter-agency coordination purposes. 3. Assessment Methodology This methodology is based on a three step approach to data collection that gradually sharpens the understanding of the context both in terms of geographical focus as well as depth of data; as shown in the figure below. Note however, that the objective of this process is to provide humanitarian actors with information that allows them to make informed decisions with regards to their targeting specific areas or locations based on their programme planning needs. As such the REACH methodology focuses primarily on steps I & II. The definition of the terms of reference for step III is left to the individual actors prerogative. REACH teams can support this process based on bilateral cooperation. Step I; Identification of Community Units (BSUs) Step II; Context Analysis Step III; HH Survey - Division of an area of intervention into neighbourhoods/mantikas as basic service units (BSUs) that have the attributes of having boundaries that can be defined with a similar understanding by different community individuals or groups. Key Informant interviews are conducted within each BSU to collect information that can inform later steps in the process. - Analysis of refugee caseloads and basic contextual information including household disaggregated demographic data, accommodation status, registration status, displacement profile, and needs / access to basic services. Collection of secondary data to support the analysis should be conducted. - Targeted programme assessment of areas in which refugee families are located according to project needs / assessment ToRs. Use of BSUs to link with community leaders to facilitate access to all groups and specifically most vulnerable households. Collected data informs programme planning and implementation. Each step in this process can be conducted in parallel and is linked to the production of specific tools and products by its completion which can either be defined in terms of time or geographical coverage (i.e. production of interim outputs / products following a specific time period advantageous in fast changing environments or upon completion of all locations within a specified geographic unit advantageous in contexts where data needs to be linked to broader administrative units). Timeline / Progression Step I; Identification of Community Units (BSUs) Outputs Mapping of refugee caseloads Step II; Context Analysis Outputs Mapping of refugee demographics and key data Database consolidating primary and secondary data sources and provides a link between individual refugee households and a unique identifier (i.e. UNHCR registration documentation) Presentation and analysis of key data through Factsheets and/or Briefs Step III * ; Programme Survey / Assessment Outputs based on individual assessment ToRs Page 2 of 6

* This document provides details of the methodology for steps I & II. Step III is launched on the basis of the information and outputs completed by the end of Step II, and is undertaken by each individual humanitarian actor based on their specific information needs set according to programme thematic or assessment terms of reference. Step I; Identification of Community Units (BSUs) To ensure that information collected through this process is comparable across regions and transferable to information management products such as maps, the approach for identifying BSUs needs to structured. Step I is thus divided into two activities: Activity I.A; Defining BSUs BSUs can be defined in different forms based on traditional, social or religious dynamics or at the level of local administrative entities (depending on their strength). Ideally a rapid review is conducted to gain a basic understanding of social structures within the targeted geographical area. Based on this understanding, key individuals are selected and brought together in a focus group discussion (FGD) during which the concept of the BSU is explained and the group is tasked with agreeing a preliminary set of boundaries. Once preliminary boundaries are completed, the assessment team that facilitated the FGD should conduct verification sessions with individuals from each BSU to ensure that a common understanding exists. Example from the MAFRAQ PILOT In Mafraq city, the existence of informally / colloquially named locations around the city provided an entry point for mapping neighbourhoods / communities. Informed individuals such as taxi drivers were used to identify BSU boundaries. At the same time official administrative divisions at the municipal level were identified in order to be able to interpret data coming from governmental / municipal sources. A key output of this stage is the production of static maps outlining the defined BSU boundaries, which can be used for field level work to assess host family caseloads. Activity I.B; Assessing Caseloads As part of the process of assessing caseloads, field teams will utilise existing relationships with local authorities, CBOs and/or local partners to begin the process of collecting secondary data available on the communities / neighbourhoods. This information will be verified through focus group / key informant discussions organised within each identified neighbourhood making use of representatives of entities by which communities define themselves (religious, institutional, social). Key informant interviews will focus on identifying the general profile of displacement within a specific group or location (depending on context). Note that the keyword is general profile. Given the size of scope of the crisis within the region, at this stage information needs to be collected within a short timeframe in order to get a snapshot across the region within a relevant period of time. The information collected through the semi-structured questionnaires (see Annex A; Key Informant Questionnaire) will inform choices in the methodology in the later steps (see Section 4: Activity Flowchart below). To select the number of key informant interviews to conduct in a specific area, use the maps produced in activity I.A to identify locations in which to send a team of community mobilisers to meet with community members to inform of the planned key informant questionnaires. Community mobilisers should aim to quickly understand the community structure and identify the number of interviews to be held. The outputs of by the end of Step I will be: 1. The setup of an database prepped with the capacity to include future secondary and primary assessments; 2. The dissemination of factsheets outlining the trends and patterns identified in the specific area of focus; 3. Mapping of key data and trends identified as part of the analysis conducted for the preparation of the factsheets / briefs. Step II; Context Analysis The collection of data for this second step seeks to focus the information collected in step I in order to develop a preliminary scenario on the basis of which further decision-making and planning will be made. Step II is thus divided into two activities: Activity II.A; Collection of Relevant Secondary Data Page 3 of 6

As part of the assessment process, identify secondary data sources that provide complementary information related to the profile of the refugees and their displacement. UNHCR registration data is particularly useful as it provides the linkage of households to the database through the unique family registration number. Note however that this will likely require a formal discussions and agreement before such information is disseminated. Assessments conducted by other humanitarian actors can also support the process of analysing and validating the information in the key informant questionnaires. Further secondary information sources may be: Municipal authorities and related departments (i.e. water authorities); Public statistical data (i.e. census data); Governor s Office. All data collected should be consolidated into the database set up as part of the outputs from Step I. Ensure therefore that data is included in the database once the source and methodology is reviewed to ensure that it is both relevant and comparable. Activity II.B; Collection of Basic Household Information As part of the process of narrowing the information from the BSU to the household level, assessment teams should conduct rapid household surveys of refugee families living within each BSU. Data collected through this process does not include names or personal information as the purpose of the process is to share the results with humanitarian actors. Collection of personal information becomes a protection concern and thus is discouraged at this stage. Household questionnaires (see Annex B; Household Questionnaire) aim to collect five key pieces of information that are considered necessary to complete a context analysis and produce a preliminary scenario: 1. Household demographic data, disaggregated by age and gender; 2. Registration card numbers necessary to link the REACH database to UNHCR s dataset. This can facilitate identification of specifically vulnerable groups and creates the opportunity to link to the Refugee Assistance and Information System (RAIS) to facilitate aid monitoring and coordination: 3. Displacement profile - including information on area of origin, length of internal and international displacement; 4. Accommodation context whether family is renting or being hosted, and the type of accommodation used; 5. Services and Needs prioritisation of urgent needs by thematic sector and collection of information on assistance already provided. During this process team leaders supervising the field assessment will collect GPS data of each building housing refugees. This will facilitate the mapping of refugee family densities within BSUs and facilitate planning of resource / services allocation in order to be accessible to target families. Each building will be allocated a building ID code that will be linked to questionnaires once entered into the database (see Annex C Location Mapping Template) The outputs of by the end of Step II will be: 1. Database updated with household information that is linked to building IDs and based on the availability of UNHCR registration data to RAIS for aid delivery monitoring; 2. The dissemination of briefs providing a more in-depth analysis of information collected and consolidated by the database; 3. Mapping of key data and trends identified as part of the analysis conducted for the preparation of the factsheets / briefs. At this stage, based on the availability of secondary statistical data (i.e. poverty indicators, ethnic background, availability of services, etc.), additional layers can be mapped to analyse the correlations between a given indicator and refugee settlement. A particular concern to be addressed during this information collection stage is the problem of constantly changing dynamics through refugee movements as families seek to address the issue of rapidly diminishing / depleted resources (through relocation to alternative accommodation in cheaper locations or those with access to aid or governmental services). Beyond integrating questions into discussions with representatives that help gain a better understanding of changes in the number of families over clearly defined periods, the use of distribution events organised by aid groups may be used as an opportunity for the verification of information. The attendance of both beneficiary as well as non-beneficiary households in need of support can be used as a self- Page 4 of 6

identification mechanism. Harnessing this information can allow for the identification of more isolated groups or alternative dynamics that affect the identification of hosted refugee families. Step III; Detailed Needs / Vulnerability Assessments The choice of how to proceed with more detailed assessments will relate particularly to the Terms of Reference for the assessment (i.e. the information needs) and the resources available to you to conduct the assessment. The information presented in the outputs from Step II will inform the preparation of the terms of reference. In particular, the choice of geographical prioritisation can be made based on informed choices rather than in an ad-hoc manner. 4. Activity Flowchart Activity I.A: Completion of the community BSU mapping exercise. Once BSUs are mapped data from primary (agency aid projects) or secondary (UNHCR / Camp Management Agency) sources can be consolidated to complete the analysis of refugee distributions within the scope of the geographical focus selected. Activity I.B: Key Informant Interviews. The number of interviews to be conducted will depend on the distribution/ concentration of refugee families within your given context. In large and high density environments (camps) where different groups may exist, you may choose to undertake multiple interviews to ensure completeness. For each interview identify relevant individuals that have knowledge of the choices families made within their communities of origin. Activity II.A: Collection of complementary secondary data: Information from national task force meetings or, where possible, UNHCR registration data can provide additional key information that can support the analysis of the displacement profile within a region. Link with the ACTED country office to support this process. Activity II.B: Analyse the information collected through the key informant questionnaires and consolidated complementary secondary information to produce an informed analysis of the displacement profile within your area of geographical focus. As an output of this process a short brief should be produced detailing the Activity III.A: Detailed Assessments as per specific information needs. At this stage further in-depth assessments can take place to focus on information needs of an intervention or as part of more detailed data collection to produce tools for contingency preparations, etc. The methodology used in this second step will depend on the degree of homogeneity amongst the refugee population within the area you are targeting. Homogenous Context: Where the refugee community in your location is from the same place of origin or has strong ties to one another through family or clan, or if your information needs relate to the community as a whole, focus group discussions can be used for data collection. Heterogeneous Context: Where the refugee community in your location is highly differentiated from one another, or if your information needs relate to specific household needs, use household surveys. Note: if choosing to select a sample of households for your assessment, ensure you have a sufficient sample size. Generally a 95% confidence level, and 5% confidence interval can be used. Page 5 of 6

FOR ACTED-IMPACT INTERNAL INFORMATION ONLY 5. Team Organisation; Mafraq ONLY Step I will be implemented by 4 full-time Community Mobilisers Responsibilities: o Complete Step I across the entire Mafraq Governorate. Timeframe for involvement in REACH: ca. 10-14 days Step II will be implemented by a group of 50 persons of which 10 will be Community Mobilisers and 40 will be hired as daily workers and paid on a weekly basis. esponsibilities: o Complete Step II across the entire Mafraq Governorate all 50 persons. o Support launch of Irbid assessment 10 CM teamleaders Timeframe for involvement in REACH: o CMs (x10): ca. 1 month o Daily Workers (x40): ca. 10-14 days The 50 assessment staff for Step II will be divided into 10 teams of 5 persons. Each team will have 1 team leader (a Community Mobiliser) who will supervise a team of 4 assessors (daily workers). One of the daily workers hired will be paid a slightly higher daily wage for use of their private vehicle to facilitate transportation during the day. Team Leader x1 ACTED CM on 1 Month Contract Supervision & GPS Check Questionnaires Daily Worker (incl. vehicle) x1 Driver Complete HH Interviews Daily Worker x3 Complete HH Interviews Data Entry will be implemented by a group of 4-8 persons to be hired part-time in afternoons from 3/4pm for a total of 3-4 hours per day (to be reviewed based on entry speed). Individuals to be selected from IT school in Amman. Questionnaires will be sent daily with the ACTED Amman-Mafraq mini-bus. Staff will be paid as daily workers at the end of each week. Responsibilities: o Enter all data for Mafraq assessment o Support training of data-entry persons in Irbid (if relevant) Timeframe for involvement in REACH: ca. 10-14 days Page 6 of 6