Winterization support to forcibly displaced vulnerable households in Afghanistan. ltpgtDuring the winter season in Afghanistan, inadequate shelter and limited access to regular heating sources increase the risk of hypothermia, acute respiratory infections (ARI), and unfortunately, in some cases, even death – both directly and indirectly linked to the cold. The Inter-Cluster Coordination Team (ICCT) 2023 Winter Prioritization Plan identifies locations where seasonal risks during the October to December period (early onset winter season) and underserved locations intersect, therefore indicating where the most acute multi-sectoral vulnerabilities lie. The prioritization outlines 137 top priority and 264 medium priority districts. lt/pgtltpgtA 2022 REACH post distribution monitoring (PDM) report found that almost all (95%) of beneficiary households reported being overall satisfied (38%) or very satisfied (57%) with the assistance delivered and there was no considerable difference among the different types of assistance (cash for shelter repair  upgrade, cash for rent, in-kind shelter repair  upgrade, and in-kind NFI support). ltbrgtThrough this allocation, UNHCR will provide cash assistance through money service providers (MSPs) to 30,965 households (216,755 individuals) in Badghis, Baghlan, Farah, Ghor, Herat, Jawzjan, Logar, Paktika, Samangan, Wardak and Zabul provinces. The cash assistance will take the following forms: ltbrgt1. Cash for (major) shelter repair (USD 550) for 665 households.ltbrgt2. Heating/fuel support (USD 200), provided in cash to 18,750 households.ltbrgt3. Additional winter clothing (USD 74), provided in cash to 11,550 households with multiple vulnerabilities.ltbrgtThese activities align with UNHCR’s 2023 Shelter Strategy which includes heating support and solar panels to make homes comfortable throughout the year. UNHCR is not prioritizing assistance with blankets because of available stocks. UNHCR identifies the most in-need through validation of existing data and in-person assessments. Over the years, UNHCR has conducted in-person vulnerability/needs assessments for persons of concern across the country for different cash-based and in-kind programmes. Remote (phone-based) interviews will be conducted to validate the profiles of those for whom UNHCR has data, while in-person assessments will be conducted for households with the targeted profiles in target locations that have not been previously assessed or assisted by UNHCR. Data from Community-Based Protection Monitoring conducted by UNHCR to monitor protection risks and concerns at the individual and community level enable UNHCR to identify needs in target areas. A Beneficiary Advisory Committee (BAC) is usually established for cash distributions. Cash distributions will be done through Money Service Providers (MSPs). We pay the beneficiaries the full entitled amount and only pay the MSP 3% of the transaction as fees. AWAAZ and UNHCR hotline numbers are provided to recipients to raise concerns.ltbrgtUNHCR is currently implementing cash-based interventions across its entire operation in Afghanistan delivering cash through Afghan Sharq, a Money Service Provider (MSP). Contracting the MSP was based on FSP mapping exercise that capture all the possible FSPs across UNHCR’s Areas of Responsibility. Competitive bidding was done and the evaluation of FSP was based on a predetermined criteria that included legal registration, experience in delivering cash, cost effectiveness, technical capacity and security measures. The evaluation process ensured that the selected provider meets the necessary standards and requirements. UNHCR delivered $97 million worth of cash-based interventions through Afghan Sharg in 2022, and the FSP has capacity to scale up anytime, hence UNHCR will use them to deliver cash for this project. lt/pgtltpgtUNHCR will implement this project directly, only using an MSP for cash distributions.  lt/pgt