Coordination
Background
Effective coordination can prevent gaps and overlaps in humanitarian responses, ensure the impact of CVA is optimised for the benefit of crisis affected populations, whilst also making the most of limited humanitarian funding. But the CALP Network’s State of the World’s Cash report found that cash coordination is seen as weak and ad hoc, and that this is having serious operational impact.
Ninety-five donors, international and national NGOs, private sector actors and one UN agency have called for clarity on two key issues surrounding cash coordination:
- Who should be accountable for ensuring effective cash coordination, and
- What the scope of Cash Working Groups should be, including in relation to multipurpose cash.
We urgently need to build on what works and provide clarity at the global level on the questions above, whilst adapting to different contexts. Clear decisions based on the impact on affected populations rather than agency politics are long overdue.
Current priorities
We aim to contribute to progress on this issue on three levels: supporting Cash Working Groups at the regional level; contributing to practical solutions for cash coordination at the global level; and convening evidence-based discussion on the key issues, highlighting critical decision points and opportunities for progress.
Featured content
Cash Coordination – LIVE timeline
Page
The latest updates on cash coordination as they unfold.
95 Organisations Sign Letter Calling for Strengthened Cash Coordination
News
Today a letter signed by 95 organisations was handed into the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) urging the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) to take a decision on the leadership and scope of cash coordination in the coming year.
Is cash transforming the humanitarian system or is the system limiting how cash is used?
Blog Post
At the State of World’s Cash 2020 launch event, Sorcha O’Callaghan, Director of Humanitarian Policy Group at ODI warned that, “Cash offers a huge transformative potential, but as far as the system is privileging the interest of the agencies over people in crisis, we won’t be able to see it”. If you missed the State of the World's Cash 2020 launch we're sharing highlights. Quote 4...
State of the World’s Cash 2020 Chapter 5 summary: Coordination
Report
There has been very limited progress on cash coordination since 2017. Cash continues to challenge the established coordination and funding architecture, and efforts to resolve outstanding questions around cash coordination have failed. Despite the lack of global agreement, Cash Working Groups are pushing forward and contributing to improved programming, and generating new approaches. This...
Cash Coordination Tip Sheet
Guidelines and Tools
This tip sheet sets out established best practice, key guidance and resources for all aspects of cash coordination, intended as a clear, accessible and action-oriented guide for those engaged in coordination of cash and voucher assistance (CVA) at the field level.
Introducing the Cash Coordination Tip Sheet
Webinar
The CALP Network has developed a tipsheet setting out established best practice and key guidance and resources for all aspects of cash coordination, intended as a clear, accessible and action-oriented guide for those engaged in coordination of cash and voucher assistance at the field level.
Cash Coordination: A proposal from members in MENA
Blog Post
Earlier this year the CALP Network undertook regional consultations to explore options for cash coordination. This blog lays out recommendations from participants from the Middle East and North Africa who sketched out what cash coordination, and coordination more broadly, could look like in future to support a more effective, efficient and accountable response.
Thematic lead
Latest
Investigating Safe Data Sharing and Systems Interoperability in Humanitarian Cash Assistance
Report
This report offers a technical landscaping of the current state of data sharing and interoperability in the sector and evaluates the potential of emerging technologies and operating models to address challenges in current approaches. The analysis is focused on cash programming, and specifically on two use...
Exploring the Connection Between CVA and the Environment
Webinar recording
Watch the recording from our recent workshop covering the relationship between Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) and the environment.
Increasing the Use of Humanitarian Cash and Voucher Assistance: Opportunities, Barriers and Dilemmas
Report
Through in-depth analysis of the latest data and careful modelling this study maps the current scale of CVA, and unpacks the opportunities and challenges involved towards it fully reaching its potential.
Where Next? The Evolving Landscape of Cash and Voucher Policies
Report
An exploration of how early policy commitments impacted the evolution of CVA, and what the CVA policy landscape looks like now.
People-focused, effective aid: The urgent need to accelerate progress on cash and voucher assistance for people in crisis
Policy paper
Setting out a clear case for action, this Policy Brief outlines the latest evidence and information around how CVA is being used, and if it is meeting its potential to support people in crisis. It urges us to define and commit to a new collective vision for the development of CVA.
Doing Cash in a context of economic volatility: What to do and what to keep in mind
Guidelines and Tools
This interim WFP guidance was issued in 2022 to provide support to cash operations in contexts of economic volatility, be it when there is inflation, depreciation or currency volatility, parallel exchange rates, liquidity issues and changes in financial regulation, among others.
Kenya Cash Consortium – Four Years On: Locally-led response case study
Case Study
The Arid and Semi-Arid (ASAL) region in Northern Kenya is ravaged annually by cyclic shocks including drought, flash floods and most recent the desert locus invasion affecting the social economic status of vulnerable communities. To address the immediate humanitarian needs, the Kenya Cash Consortium (KCC)...
Pacific cash learning event 2022: Report
Report
The Pacific Cash Learning Event was held during an important time for the region. The Pacific is highly vulnerable to disasters, which are becoming increasingly frequent and intense as a result of climate change. These disasters threaten health, food and water systems and economic security, while the...
Food Security Interventions among Refugees around the Globe: A scoping review
Report
There are 26 million refugees globally, with as many as 80% facing food insecurity irrespective of location. Food insecurity results in malnutrition beginning at an early age and disproportionately affects certain groups such as women. Food security is a complex issue and must consider gender, policies,...
New Cash Coordination Model: All You Need to Know about the New Model
Presentation
The Cash Advisory Group developed a presentation to disseminate information about the new cash coordination, endorsed by the IASC in 2022.
Pilot Project Report on Cash for Protection Assistance to Vulnerable Internally Displaced Persons in Chuiba and Eduardo Mondlane, Pemba, Cabo Delgado
Case Study
It is estimated that around 800,000 people have been displaced in Cabo Delgado because of armed conflict and violence since 2017. Of these, 71.1% are in the host community leaving with their relatives or/and in rented houses, 21.5% in relocation sites and 7.3% in communal transit shelter (UNICEF, 2022)....
Eight top tips for the 2023 humanitarian planning season
Blog Post
As disasters spiral globally and inflation increasing vulnerability for millions more, effective humanitarian planning has never been so important. But where to start? The CALP Network offers its top tips for humanitarians, ranging from CVA practitioners to leadership.
Tracking cash and voucher assistance
Report
(CVA) is seen as a success story of the Grand Bargain. Progress has also been made through the Grand Bargain 2.0 in endorsing a new cash coordination model. However, the most recent independent Grand Bargain monitoring report pointed out that the ‘tracking of the funding for CVA is still not optimal’....
The changing landscape of cash preparedness: Time to adjust
Blog Post
When drought strikes, we’d all like to see money flowing seamlessly, at the push of a button, from donors, through the system and onto communities in crisis. As we call for change, we need to understand what is possible and the hills that still need to be climbed.
Calculating the Minimum Expenditure Basket: A Guide to Best Practice
Guidelines and Tools
If you play a role in developing or revising MEB, then this tool is for you. This guidance is the revised and restructured version of the 2020 Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) Decision Making Tool. The MEB has emerged as a key tool in humanitarian action in situations where cash and voucher assistance...
Cash Advisory Group Terms of Reference
Guidelines and Tools
The Global Cash Advisory Group (CAG) was formed following the IASC Principal’s endorsement of a model for predictable cash coordination which was developed by the Grand Bargain Cash Coordination Caucus. The CAG was established in June 2022 as an entity associated with the IASC, reporting to the IASC...
CAG Transition Plan Overview and Background for IASC Deputies
Report
The transition plan overview and background provides a snapshot of the current humanitarian responses requiring additional support to transition to the new IASC cash coordination model. These documents were endorsed by the IASC Deputy Directors in September 2022.
Improving the Prospects for Peace in Nigeria: Spotlight on cash-based transfers
Case Study
This report aims to provide a better understanding of how the World Food Programme’s (WFP) cash-based transfer (CBT) interventions in Nigeria make peace contributions and looks at how these contributions could be further enhanced. The findings are based on a desk review of programme documents, in-depth...
Independent evaluation of CAMEALEON
Report
CAMEALEON is an independent initiative to provide monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning support to the World Food Programme (WFP)’s multi-purpose cash (MPC) programme for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Established in 2017, CAMEALEON’s main purpose is to bridge evidence gaps, strengthen...
Operational Guidance for Use of Cash and Voucher Assistance to Improve Nutrition Outcomes in Northwest Syria
Guidelines and Tools
This Operational guidance was developed collaboratively with NWS Nutrition sector member agencies with close collaboration with the Cash Working Group (CWG) and Food Security Cluster. The guidance aims at providing a set of operational guidance, using lessons learnt across the sector and NWS humanitarian...
