We Looked Back: Now Let’s Move Forward Humanitarian CVA in the Americas 2018–2023

What’s in the report?

This study is a review of the humanitarian cash and voucher assistance (CVA) evidence from the Americas during 2018–2023. It outlines the critical issues that impacted humanitarian crises in the region, analyses the trends from the evidence studied. The study looks forward towards potential issues that can impact the use of CVA in the Americas in the future. Lastly, it outlines key points to consider for humanitarian CVA over the next five years in the region and priority actions.

The research found that:

The growth of CVA in the Americas did not just happen. There were enablers that helped increase humanitarian CVA during this period. Innovations unique or strongly represented in the Americas include CVA in gender–based violence response, human mobility, linkages to social protection systems and rental assessments.

However, the bulk of the evidence was from the most well-funded crises in the region, from UN agencies, technical working groups or coordination bodies. Most evidence was related to sector specific CVA, monitoring and evaluation and social protection. There were gaps in evidence including risk and security management, working with people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ communities, older people and ethnic minorities and locally led responses, among other topics.

There is a call for more and different learning in the region.  The study provides many priority actions for different types of actors.

Methodology

The methodology included a literature review of 200 pieces of evidence, 23 humanitarian response plans, nine key informant interviews and an online workshop with 56 people from a range of organizations.