Explore

Findings on How to Adapt M&E Systems to Mitigate SEA risk

This synthesis documents a global Q&A session from the July 2021 launch of Empowered Aid's toolkit, clarifying operational strategies to institutionalize protection and monitoring standards across refugee distribution networks. Key discussion areas highlight the logistical and protection trade-offs of gender-segregated lines versus door-to-door aid modalities, risk mitigation strategies for supply-chain transportation actors, and accessible reporting structures designed for low-literacy survivor demographics.

Empowered Aid Uganda – Food Distribution Pilot 1 Summary Report

This synthesis report evaluates the Empowered Aid Phase 2 pilot in Uganda’s Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, assessing how shifting food distribution points to 100% female staff and majority-female volunteer groups mitigates protection threats. While data confirms that female-led environments directly reduce situational fear and significantly boost beneficiary satisfaction, external compounding factors—specifically systemic pandemic lockdowns, school closures, and economic deprivation—have escalated adjacent protection crises, driving sharp increases in cross-border transport exploitation, early forced marriages, and survival-driven sexual abuse.

World Vision, IRC & GWI Food Distribution, Empowered Aid Pilot 1 Observational Distribution Monitoring Tool Summary of Findings

This safety audit report evaluates data from 18 observational monitoring sessions across 10 food distribution points in Uganda, comparing a 100% female-staffed pilot site against standard mixed-gender locations. The findings show excellent operational compliance with COVID-19 safety measures, lockable latrines, and orderly pre-packaged food distribution across all sites, but highlight critical ongoing vulnerabilities including a lack of sex-segregated lines at 83% of sites, inadequate area night-lighting, an absence of female security personnel, and severe transit obstacles for vulnerable groups.

EMPOWERED AID Food Distribution – Post-Distribution Monitoring (PDM) Household Survey Results

This post-distribution monitoring report analyzes a household survey of 682 refugee food recipients in Uganda's Bidi Bidi settlement, evaluating a 100% female-staffed distribution point against standard mixed-gender sites. While the female-led model yielded statistically significant improvements in safety perceptions, lower situational fear, and higher satisfaction with personnel and site facilities, direct protection vulnerabilities persist—illustrated by the fact that 29% of youth under 24 experienced harassment, alongside reported instances of sexual exploitation by both aid workers and security actors.

Empowered Aid Uganda – Food Distribution Pilot 1 Summary Report

This monitoring report synthesizes safety audits, household surveys, and focus group data from a World Vision food distribution pilot in the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement, Uganda, which evaluated the impact of deploying a 100% female staff and majority-female volunteer team. While the female-led distribution model achieved statistically significant increases in recipient safety and satisfaction at the site, deep-seated protection issues remain unaddressed outside the distribution point, specifically transit-related sexual exploitation by transport actors and pandemic-driven household violence over food resources.

World Vision, IRC & GWI Dignity Kit Distribution, Empowered Aid Pilot 1 Focus Group Discussions Summary of Findings

Focus group discussions across Bidi Bidi settlement in Uganda reveal that while increasing female staff and volunteers at food distribution points improved baseline comfort and site organization, severe structural and economic pressures persist. Reduced aid rations combined with heavy double-load logistics directly escalated risks of transit-related sexual exploitation by security and transport actors, household-level intimate partner violence over food resources, and pandemic-driven early marriages.

IRC & GWI Dignity Kit Distribution, Empowered Aid Pilot 2 Summary Report

This monitoring report synthesizes observational safety audits and point-of-distribution surveys from an IRC and GWI dignity kit pilot serving 880 South Sudanese refugee women and girls in Bidi Bidi settlement, Uganda. While organizing recipients into pre-assigned small groups effectively maintained social distancing and reduced public crowd confusion, 81% of surveyed women reported persistent situational anxieties, revealing significant protection risks during transit and severe exposure to intimate partner violence during household storage.

Empowered Aid Lebanon – Fuel Distribution Pilot 1 Summary Report

This synthesis report evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an adapted door-to-door fuel voucher distribution model piloted by CARE and URDA for 132 Syrian refugee households in Akkar, Lebanon. The findings demonstrate that while the onset of COVID-19 and escalating socioeconomic instability spiked baseline fear levels among male recipients, the door-to-door modality significantly enhanced female safety and satisfaction—rising from 56% to 90%—by successfully bypassing structural transportation barriers, public verbal harassment, and public crowd vulnerabilities.

Empowered Aid Lebanon: Fuel Voucher Distribution Safety Audit Findings

This monitoring report details observational safety audit findings from a fuel voucher pilot for 132 Syrian refugee families across North Lebanon, comparing baseline mass distributions with an adapted door-to-door modality. While both approaches successfully maintained ration equity without any reported security incidents, the findings emphasize critical infrastructure gaps at public sites and highlight protection risks during household deliveries when teams failed to maintain a gender-balanced staff presence.

EMPOWERED AID Fuel Voucher Post-Distribution Monitoring Household Phone Survey Results

This post-distribution monitoring report analyzes survey data from 52 matched Syrian refugee households in Lebanon comparing a baseline mass fuel voucher distribution with an adapted door-to-door delivery mechanism. While the shifting socioeconomic backdrop of COVID-19 significantly spiked baseline fear levels among male recipients, the door-to-door modality successfully drove overall satisfaction upward—particularly for women, who experienced a satisfaction jump from 56% to 90% due to reduced transportation risks and protection from public harassment.