Encashment Centres in Kabul, Jalalabad and Kandahar will be closed for the winter break from 1 December 2019 – 1 March 2020. The Encashment Centre in Herat will remain open during for this period. The four Encashment Centres are managed by UNHCR and the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR), and a range of partners provide returnees with important services such as basic health screening and vaccinations for children (provided by Ministry of Public Health with support of UNICEF), mine risk education and awareness (coordinated by the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Danish Demining Group/Danish Refugee Council), referral for information and legal assistance to obtain civil documentation, referral of persons with specific needs to partners with specialist expertise or government agencies who provide life-saving assistance.

UNHCR launched an intensive registration exercise in order to reduce backlog (1,600 individuals) and thus shorten waiting time for refugees and asylum seekers.

On the occasion of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, the SGBV SWG organized a joint art event in collaboration with the Greater Amman Municipality under the national theme "Break the silence on Economic violence". Over 400 participants attended the event including the general public, donor agencies, humanitarian and development actors, beneficiaries of the programs and refugee volunteers.

PAKISTAN: ISLAMABAD, 08 January 2020: UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) Wednesday launched a livelihood project aimed at providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for both Afghan refugees and Pakistani communities.

During 2019, UNHCR registered 2,066 new refugees and asylum seekers, resulting in an increase of 155% of the overall registered population within one year.

During the year 2019, 420 refugee and asylum seeker households received multi-purpose cash assistance, which they used to buy clothes or essential household products.

WFP'S CASH-BASED TRANSFER PROGRAM IN EAST DARFUR A SUCCESS: In 2019, WFP’s cash-based transfers to all South Sudanese refugees in Al Nimir refugee camp (home to more than 12,800 refugees in East Darfur State), have enabled many to rent land and farm their own crops by providing them with the capital they need to purchase the inputs they need and fund land access. Previously, most refugees in the camp were only able to work as labourers on host community farms. UNHCR is discussing with a private sector company how to include the refugee production of peanuts in the already existing host-community value chain

NUTRITION SERVICES INTERRUPTED IN EAST DARFUR: Service delivery was interrupted in Al Nimir camp, East Darfur State, and seven other nutrition centers following Sudan's Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC)‎’s decision to stop Mubaderoon, a local NGO partner with the American Refugee Committee and Care International Switzerland, from carrying out the nutritional activities. Consequently, UNHCR in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and WFP devised a contingency plan and managed to continue the provision of nutritional services through the MOH staff in coordination with HAC, pending selection of a new partner by the respective INGOs

70% OF REFUGEE CHILDREN IN AL LAIT LOCALITY IN SOUTH DARFUR OUT OF SCHOOL: Lack of enrolment of South Sudanese refugee children in Haskanita and Andrab schools in Al Lait locality, North Darfur State, remains a concern as close to 70% of the refugee children living in the area are out of school. Out of the more than 10,000 children in school age, only around 3,000 are currently enrolled. Some of the reasons behind the low enrolment rate is the engagement of children in farm work, language barriers, and lack of peaceful coexistence.

FRIENDS OF SUDAN (FOS) VOICE THEIR SUPPORT TO THE CIVILLIAN-LED GOVERNMENT: The Friends of Sudan (FOS) voiced their support to the civilian-led government at a meeting in Khartoum on 11 December and pledged to hold a donor conference in April 2020 to make concrete financial contributions to support the government’s economic reform efforts. UNHCR and inter-agency partners continue to advocate for the inclusion of refugees in these reforms. FOS includes 14 countries, the African Union, European Union, United Nations, the league of Arab States and three financial institutions, including the African Development Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Bank.