Risk
The CALP Network’s State of the World’s Cash report found that the perception that CVA is riskier than other forms of aid was one of the main barriers to CVA being routinely used. This concern is linked to the growing emphasis from donors on anti-terrorism and money laundering, and shrinking budgets for humanitarian assistance. The CALP Network’s work under this theme aims to debunk myths, facilitate collaboration, and share learning to ensure that CVA is systematically and equally considered, based on evidence of actual risks across modalities.
Current priorities
A variety of organisations are currently working on CVA and risk. The CALP Network is working to identify synergies among actors, avoid duplication, and define joint priorities that can be better addressed collectively. Together with WFP, the CALP Network is co-leading the risk priority within the Grand Bargain workstream on cash.
Featured content
Podcast: Will risk aversion hold us back from realizing the potential of CVA?
Podcast
Episode 1 of the CashCast, exploring how attitudes to risk have impacted the use of CVA in the Middle East and North Africa region.
CVA and Risks: What happens in the field, stays in the field?
Blog Post
In October 2019 in Douala, Cameroon, the CALP Network facilitated a learning event exploring the risks to beneficiary protection in Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA). This closed-door workshop, held as part of series of meetings and webinars on theme of CVA and risk in different regions, convened 25 humanitarian workers from West and Central Africa representing local and international NGOs, UN...
Webinar: Data sharing in CVA: ethics, ownership and privacy
Event
Thematic lead
Latest
Learning from cash responses to the tsunami: Issue Paper 5: Livelihoods recovery
Report
This is the fifth of six issue papers which form part of a project to document learning around cash-based responses to the Indian Ocean tsunami. The project was funded by the British Red Cross, Save the Children UK, Oxfam GB, Mercy Corps and Concern Worldwide. This Issue Paper looks at the use of cash in...
Independent Evaluation of Oxfam GB Malawi’s Emergency Cash – Transfer Programme
Case Study
Poor rainfall in Malawi in the 2004/2005 growing season resulted in significantly reduced cereal and non-cereal food production in the country, leaving up to 4 million people in need of assistance. In response, Oxfam planned a programme in southern Malawi, which included a ‘pilot’ cash-transfer...
Cash Transfers in Emergencies: A Review Drawing upon the Tsunami and Other Experience
Report
This 2006 document from the Social Policy and Economic Analysis office of UNICEF (East Asia and the Pacific Region) draws upon examples from the tsunami and other contexts to explore cash transfer experience in emergencies. It presents existing evidence of impact of cash transfers on children; reasons...
Mapping the Risks of Corruption in Humanitarian Action
Report
The issue of corruption in emergency relief and rehabilitation is a key concern for practitioners, who invest considerable resources and energy in trying to minimise it. However, it has barely been discussed in policy terms, and little researched. This paper aims to map the risks of corruption in the...
Cash-transfer programming in emergencies
Guidelines and Tools
A compact and concise guide aimed at supporting programme managers to assess whether cash is the most appropriate response in an emergency and choose between different types of cash-based interventions. This guide is based on the experience of Oxfam GB over five years (2000–2005) in a variety of...
DFID/NOVIB Funded NGO Consortium Response to Drought in Togdheer, Sool, Bari/ Nugaal Regions
Case Study
This is a summary of the June 2005 evaluation of the NGO Consortium response to drought in Togdheeer, Sool, Sanaag and Bari/ Nugaal in Somaliland. The consortium response to drought was meant to provide cash to targeted drought-affected households to help them meet their basic needs. Important among the...
ODI/UNDP Cash Learning Project Workshop in Aceh, Indonesia
Case Study
This is a report from a workshop on sharing experiences and learning for cash-based interventions. The workshop was held in Aceh, Indonesia in July 2005. The workshop included case studies from Mercy Corps, Panglima Laot, Save the Children, British Red Cross, Swiss Development Corporation, Oxfam and...
Seed vouchers and fairs: A manual for seed-based agricultural recovery in Africa
Guidelines and Tools
This manual describes a new (2002) approach to post-emergency seed distribution in Africa, where farmers receive not free seed but vouchers that can be exchanged for seed at a specially organized seed fair. Seed fairs rely on commercial seed firms (where they are in operation), as well as local seed...
Cash Transfers in Emergencies: Evaluating Benefits and Assessing Risks
Report
In terms of both theory and practice, there appears to be a strong case for cash-based responses to food emergencies where the supply and market conditions are appropriate. Amartya Sen’s work on entitlements offers a solid theoretical base for cash transfers, and the practical experience so far, limited...