Support in Survey for Post Distribution Monitoring for Food and Cash Assistance

Attention! Please note that this is an Online Volunteering assignment. It's a short-term, task-based and non-contractual remote assignment; Online Volunteers are not UN Volunteers and do not receive any allowance or entitlements as part of the Online Volunteer assignment but receive a certificate of appreciation after successful completion. In addition, UNV is not involved in the selection process or collaboration.

General

Description of assignment title

Support in Survey for Post Distribution Monitoring for Food and Cash Assistance

Assignment country

India

Sustainable Development Goal

2. Zero hunger

Host entity

UNHCR IND

Modality

Online

For how many hours per week will the volunteer be required?

16 - 20 hours per week

Number of Assignments

5

Duration

3 weeks

Advertisement end date

2026-08-20

Details

Mission and objectives

UNHCR India works to protect and assist refugees, asylum-seekers, and other forcibly displaced persons by ensuring access to protection, basic services, and durable solutions while promoting their well-being and self-reliance.

As part of its commitment to accountability and evidence-based programming, UNHCR India conducts Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) exercises each year to assess the effectiveness, relevance, and utilization of food and cash assistance provided, ensuring that support reaches intended beneficiaries and contributes to their essential needs and protection outcomes.

Context

UNHCR India provides food and cash assistance to vulnerable refugee and asylum-seeking households to support their essential needs. As part of programme accountability and quality assurance, UNHCR India conducts Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) to assess whether assistance reached intended recipients, is utilized for priority needs, and is delivered in a timely, safe, and dignified manner. Findings from the PDM will help UNHCR India improve programme implementation and accountability to affected populations.

This assignment contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), by supporting efforts to improve assistance for vulnerable refugee and asylum-seeking households. It also contributes to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) through promoting accountability, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making in humanitarian programming.

Task type

Research data gathering

Task description

Under the supervision of the UNHCR India programme team, Online volunteers will:
• Participate in mandatory briefings, trainings and similar sessions as organized by UNHCR
• Explain the purpose of the interview clearly to respondents, confirm voluntary participation, obtain informed consent before starting the interview and inform respondents that participation or refusal will not affect their access to assistance or services
• Conduct telephonic Post Distribution Monitoring interviews with sampled beneficiaries who have received food and/or cash assistance, based on a questionnaire and guidance provided by UNHCR.
• Verify receipt including the intended type, quantity, timing of assistance, accessibility, and utilization of assistance provided by UNHCR India.
• Collect beneficiary feedback on satisfaction, effectiveness, timeliness, adequacy, and appropriateness of assistance.
• Accurately record responses using designated data collection tools, such as Kobo, and protocols.
• Support data quality checks and timely submission of completed questionnaires.
• Maintain neutrality during interviews and avoid making promises, providing individual case advice, influencing responses, or raising expectations about future assistance.
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to UNHCR's protection, safeguarding, and accountability principles

The Online Volunteer will support remotely. OV will receive the necessary questionnaire, and relevant background documentation from UNHCR. All information shared for the assignment must be treated as confidential and handled in accordance with applicable UNHCR data protection requirements.

Expected deliverables: Each Online Volunteer is expected to be distributed and cover 65 households (HHs).

Assignment requirements

Required experience

• University student or graduate in social sciences, development studies, humanitarian studies, statistics, or related fields is preferred.
• Previous experience in surveys, assessments, community outreach, monitoring activities, or humanitarian programmes is desirable.
• Strong communication and interviewing skills including the ability to ask questions neutrally, listen actively, and record answers accurately.
• Ability to engage respectfully, patiently with refugee and asylum-seeking communities
• Familiarity with digital/mobile data collection platforms (e.g., Kobo Toolbox, ODK) is an asset.
• Commitment to safeguarding, confidentiality, impartiality, and ethical data collection practices.

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required; Hindi, Level: Fluent, Required

Other information

Volunteerism

Volunteerism is understood as a wide range of activities undertaken of free will, for the general public good, for which monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.

Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, care protected characteristics. As part of their adherence to the values of UNV, all UN Volunteers commit themselves to combat any form of discrimination, and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity, without distinction of a person's race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

This UNV assignment is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19 with WHO approved vaccine, unless the UNHCR Medical Service approves an exemption from this requirement on medical grounds

Scam warning

The United Nations does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.