Protect fragile livelihoods of vulnerable farmers and fishermen households in the Access Restricted Area in the Gaza Strip and increase their capacity to cope with the protracted crisis. The project will contribute to the HRP strategic objectives 2 and 3, the HPF allocation strategy objective 2 and the FSS sector strategic objectives 1 and 2. It will do so by providing livelihoods support to vulnerable households in the ARA, whose livelihoods are dependent on the Access Restricted Area (ARA), that are affected by conflict-related protection incidents and who suffer economic loss as a result of protection incidents. These household were affected due to the enforcement of the ARA or violence escalation, as their productive assets, tools and equipment were damaged/lost/confiscated, they endured casualties, or arbitrary arrest. Farmer and fishermen households that are acutely vulnerable to the economic shocks due to the ongoing deterioration in the economic situation in the Gaza Strip will also be targeted by the Action.

The project is based on several needs assessment and focus group discussions conducted by PUI and UAWC between May and September 2019 that identified the most pressing needs of vulnerable farmers and fishermen in the ARA. In order to respond to these identified needs and to contribute to the HRP, HPF and FSS sector objectives of this second allocation, the planned action will enhance vulnerable households' capacity to cope with the current deteriorated situation and/or protection incidents through providing a tailored cash assistance to enable household to resume their livelihood activities and provide for their families. Two types of assistance will be provided:
First, vulnerable households engaged in farming or fishery will receive conditional cash assistance to help them restore their production capacity and sustain their livelihoods. 
Second, the most acutely vulnerable beneficiaries suffering from limited access to food and to income opportunities will be supported with a multipurpose cash assistance to cover their immediate basic needs. They will be selected out of the 175 farmer and fishermen households using a vulnerability scoring system. 

Recurrent hostilities, the blockade, degraded infrastructure and cuts in the allowances of public employees have impaired economic growth and perpetuated high levels of poverty, unemployment and food insecurity in the Gaza Strip. The findings of a Household Expenditure and Consumption Survey (PCBS, 2018) showed a significant increase in poverty in the last six years from 38.8% to 53.6% without social assistance and transfers, by 2017 the poverty rate would have reached nearly 60%, and deep poverty more than 42%. The Gaza Strip has the highest level of unemployment in the world according to the World Bank (53% in 2018). According to the results of the Socio-Economic and Food Security Survey in 2018, food insecurity is 68.5% and 47% of the population is severely food insecure.

Based on PUI rapid needs assessment, there is around 100 fishermen and 200 farmers with disrupted livelihood either due to the protection incidents in the ARA and/or other types of shocks and who are considered as the most vulnerable households who are in need for support. The ongoing deterioration has markedly affected the households’ ability to generate a decent income to meet their basic needs, with the weak purchasing power and limited cash flow. People who are dependent for their livelihoods on the ARA are exposed to another layer of vulnerabilities due to the enforcement of these areas. Vulnerabilities are acknowledged and reflected in the HNO and the HRP, and place them among the most vulnerable groups in Gaza. The individuals and households affected by such recurring but unforeseen micro-level crises with often severe consequences are at great risk of resorting to possible harmful coping strategies.

PUI will build on it existing partnership with UAWC and implement this Action jointly with them. Finally, the planned action was closely coordinated with the FSS, protection cluster and MoA in order to provide the most effective and efficient intervention.