Post-Distribution Monitoring of UNHCR Cash-Based Interventions (October 2018, January 2021) [Ghana]

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 CBI recipients. Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) is a mechanism to collect feedback on the quality, sufficiency, utilization and effectiveness of assistance. 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. This CBI PDM took place in Ampain, Egyeikrom, Fetentaa and Krisan camps and some urban/semi-urban areas outside of camps in Ghana in October 2018. It includes 50 refugee households out of 536 who received cash from UNHCR. The majority of refugees were from Côte d'Ivoire with others from Sudan and Togo. The amount of cash received was based on the size of the household where households with one to three members were supposed to receive GH?50.00, households with four to six members GH?70.00 and household with greater than six members GH?70.00 multiplied by 8 months.

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 CBI recipients. Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) is a mechanism to collect feedback on the quality, sufficiency, utilization and effectiveness of assistance. 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.

This CBI PDM took place in Ampain, Egyeikrom, Fetentaa and Krisan camps and some urban/semi-urban areas outside of camps in Ghana in January 2021. It includes 96 refugee households out of 706 who received cash from UNHCR. The majority of refugees were from Côte d'Ivoire with others from Sudan and Togo. The amount of cash received was based on the size of the household where households with one to three members were supposed to receive 50.00 Ghanian Cedi, households with four to six members 70.00 Ghanian Cedi and household with greater than six members 70.00 Ghanian Cedi multiplied by 3 months.

The PDM covered the following topics:
- beneficiary details and household demographics
- receiving and spending the cash assistance
- risks and problems
- markets and prices
- expenditure
- medium-term outcomes
- longer-term outcomes
- accountability