World Food Programme announced Tuesday that it is reducing the value of monthly aid by a third for all the 119,000 Syrian refugees in the Zaatari and Azraq camps in Jordan. According to a statement, starting next August, refugees in refugee camps would receive a reduced cash transfer of $21 per person instead of $32, meaning further cuts in food aid for refugees in Jordan have become inevitable due to lack of funding. The Country Director and Resident Representative of the WFP in Jordan, Alberto Correa Mendez, said the programme “is concerned” about the declining food security situation of refugee families due to lack of funding, adding that it is likely that the cuts would lead to an increase in negative coping strategies among beneficiaries. Mendez added that negative coping strategies include child labour, children dropping out of school, child marriage and the accumulation of more debts, which rose by 25 per cent among refugees in the camps compared to 2022. Despite the reduction in the value of aid and the exclusion of some 50,000 individuals from relief to give priority to the most needy, WFP still faces a severe funding shortfall of $41 million through 2023. The programme lauded the support of the Jordanian government and people in hosting Syrian refugees over the years. He affirmed the continuation of working with partners and donors to find more sustainable solutions.
Source: Jordan News Agency