Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) & Child Protection (CP) Global Study – Research Report in the DRC, Egypt, Lithuania and the Philippines

Since 2022, Save the Children has been scaling up its use of CVA for Child Protection (CP) programming through various pilot projects.

Research was commissioned in four countries in 2022-23 to generate evidence and learning to inform the design of future programming but also to design a robust implementation and monitoring methodology to measure the outcomes of CVA on specific child protection outcomes.

The report examines the impact of cash and voucher assistance (CVA) on child protection, focusing on key areas such as child labor (Egypt), child early and forced marriages and unions (Philippines), child wellbeing and distress (Lithuania), and children associated with armed forces and armed groups (Democratic Republic of Congo – DRC).

Findings reveal multifaceted effects of CVA on child protection outcomes, including some longer-term ones through a follow-up survey three months after the last transfer. Across most countries, CVA interventions have demonstrated promising results in reducing instances of child labor and child early and forced marriages and unions, while also improving child wellbeing indicators and alleviating distress. Moreover, the report highlights the role of CVA in facilitating the reintegration and rehabilitation of children associated with armed forces and armed groups, fostering community resilience, and promoting sustainable solutions to complex protection challenges.

Through nuanced analysis and cross-country comparisons, this report offers valuable insights into the potential of CVA as a tool for safeguarding children’s rights and enhancing their overall well-being in diverse humanitarian contexts. But it also shows how CVA cannot be used as a standalone tool to address child protection risks that are often driven by factors other than economical.