📋 Tender Overview
Since the war in Ukraine began, over 2 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed into Slovakia. The vast majority (approximately 90 percent) are women and children, older people, and other persons living with disabilities and specific needs. Many require urgent medical care, including persons with chronic illnesses and those with mental health and physical disabilities. To ensure a favourable protection environment, UNHCR is supporting government-led efforts through a multisectoral response focusing on protection, as well as ensuring that basic needs are met, in particular with the delivery of cash assistance for the most vulnerable groups, including those with specific needs.
The Ministry of Labor, Social Assistance and Family (MoLSAF) of the Slovak Republic has an obligation to provide social assistance to those in need in the territory of Slovakia, meeting the conditions established in articles 10 -14 of the Act no. 417/2013 (Act of Assistance in Material Need). However, due to the high number of refugees entering the country and the need to respond quickly, Cash Working Group operational agencies were requested in April 2022 to support the Government in delivering assistance to those in need.
In agreement with the Government of Slovakia, UNHCR agreed to provide transitional cash as of May 2022 to support the basic needs of refugees fleeing Ukraine who are registered for Temporary Protection. The multipurpose cash (MPC) provided a safety net, until refugees could transition to the Governments social protection systems or achieve self-reliance. The MPC was provided for 3 months (June-August 2022) and was exceptionally extended for a 4th month (September 2022).
An Inter-Agency Agreement was signed between UNHCR, UNICEF, IOM and IFRC/Slovak Red Cross on the Short-term Emergency Cash Assistance to support the Government in meeting Material Needs in Slovakia. UNHCR enrolled all eligible beneficiaries for Material Needs cash support alongside MoLSAF at Registration Centres and supported the provision of cash assistance for a percentage (60%) of the enrolled caseload. UNHCR provided lists of beneficiaries for the remaining caseload (40%) to UNICEF for their financial support.
In 2022, the multipurpose cash assistance programme targeted a total of 34,500 refugees (representing 60% of the 57,500 registered individuals) in the initial emergency phase. Until September, almost 52,327 individuals (26,806 families) were enrolled to receive cash assistance. UNHCR has effectively paid for around 32,000 individuals in 4 months, with a total of 7.5 M by October 2022. Despite efforts in 2023 by UNHCR, UNICEF, and other CWG members to transition refugees from humanitarian assistance to the national system, some still struggled to meet their basic needs. This was due to several factors: the complexity of accessing specialized services (even for Slovak nationals), low social benefit rates, and the urgent needs of families with members with disabilities (PWSN).
Focus group discussions held in 20232 highlighted the strict eligibility criteria from MOLSAF, lack of proper information on applying for benefits, and language barriers as critical points that hinder access to social benefits. Communities were also consulted on the most vulnerable groups requiring financial support. In 2023 UNHCR Slovakia moved to a community-based and categorical a targeting approach.
In April 2023, UNHCR and UNICEF launched the Cash for Protection for vulnerable individuals. The programme was implemented as a protection intervention to respond to specific protection situations or profiles, help reduce refugees reliance on negative coping mechanisms and achieve further protection outcomes. By December 2023, UNHCR has assisted around 20,000 individuals with Cash for Protection and Winterization, and UNICEF has assisted around 32,000 individuals with Cash for Protection, Cash SLOVAKIA: VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS for Education, and Winterization. Together, the interagency unique individuals assisted in 2023 were 35,0554.
UNHCR is now revising the targeting criteria for its cash assistance program that will potentially be used by UNICEF while providing cash assistance to refugees in Slovakia as part of a coordinated cash response. Following consultations with cash working group partners, the decision was made to develop a targeting methodology based on a scoring formula. This formula would utilize data-driven indicators to assess the vulnerability of refugees.
Following the Slovakia MSNA data collection in 2023, a vulnerability analysis was conducted to identify the level of vulnerability of households to meet their basic needs and determine significant variables that were associated with vulnerable groups to inform the revision of targeting criteria.
