Digital Payments
Digital technology is transforming the way we respond to emergencies. Innovations range from how we identifying people eligible for assistance, to data collection for assessments and monitoring, to communication with crisis-affected communities. Digital payment systems, including mobile devices, electronic vouchers, and cards – when used appropriately – can deliver timelier, more secure, more cost effective, and inclusive assistance. But as the volume of data we collect, store and share about people grows, we must ensure that our data protection systems keep pace and that we understand and mitigate for the risks inherent in new technologies.
Featured Content
Podcast: Is informed consent possible in humanitarian CVA?
Podcast
Episode 2 of the CashCast tackles data responsibility with Amos Doornbos, Linda Raftree, James Eaton Lee and Ric Tighe
Consent and Ownership in the Shift to Digital Cash and Voucher Assistance
Blog Post
Part of committing to cash and voucher assistance (CVA) is committing to going digital and collecting data. While they are two different things, they are deeply intertwined. And while an...
Latest
Principles on Public-Private Cooperation in Humanitarian Payments
Guidelines and Tools
E-payments can make the delivery of cash disbursements more secure, cost- effective, faster and more convenient. In the context of humanitarian crises, digital payments offer recipients choice and can help stimulate the local economy. To fully realize the benefits of new technologies and achieve scale,...
Can E-transfers Promote Financial Inclusion in Emergencies: A Case Study from Bangladesh
Report
The Electronic Cash Transfer Learning Action Network (ELAN) launched research to build an evidence base around connecting emergency electronic transfer (e-transfer) recipients with additional financial services. They wanted to learn if, when, and how e-transfers can promote sustained uptake and use...
DFID Shock-Responsive Social Protection Systems research: Literature review
Report
DFID has commissioned research into Shock-Responsive Social Protection systems, to further understand the nature of the interaction between social protection, humanitarian and disaster risk management systems and ways in which long-term social protection systems can be scaled up to
provide support in...
ELAN Workshop Report: E-Transfers in Iraq and Syria
Report
This report outlines the main conclusions and takeways of ELAN workshop held in Iraq. The event was organized to meet the following objectives: Introduce participants to the what, why, and when of e-transfers. Explore solutions to the particular challenges of using e-transfers in Iraq and Syria. Share...
Can E-Transfers Promote Financial Inclusion in Emergencies: A Case Study from Zimbabwe
Case Study
The Electronic Cash Transfer Learning Action Network (ELAN) launched research to build an evidence base around connecting emergency electronic transfer (e-transfer) recipients with additional financial services. They wanted to learn if, when, and how e-transfers can promote sustained uptake and use...
ELAN Vocabulary and Usage
Guidelines and Tools
As e-transfer programs, technologies and products develop, key terms, phrases and working definitions are evolving alongside them. At the moment, these words and phrases are rarely standardized, and often hold unique meanings within different contexts and to different stakeholders. In order to facilitate...
Partnering with FSPs to Deliver Cash in Nepal: Top Considerations
Guidelines and Tools
Cash transfers are a proven way to help disaster-affected communities flexibly meet urgent basic needs. Several humanitarian agencies are planning cash transfers to support tens of thousands of Nepali earthquake survivors. While initial responses will likely rely on direct cash in envelopes, cash...
Cash Transfers in Humanitarian Contexts
Report
Upon request of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Principals at their meeting on December 11, 2015, the World Bank agreed to coordinate a process of reviewing key issues and options for significantly scaling up the use of multipurpose cash transfers (MPCTs; including digital cash and vouchers) in...
Data management and protection starter kit: Tip sheet 1: Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)
Guidelines and Tools
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is a systematic analysis of the potential privacy risks related to data collected during program implementation. A PIA analyzes threats and risks to program data, including any legal and environmental factors, and develops mitigation strategies. PIAs help humanitarians...
Mobile money assessment and contracting guide
Guidelines and Tools
Mobile money offers tremendous potential to enable cash transfers at scale and connect program participants to financial services. Oftentimes, however, humanitarian practitioners struggle to understand mobile money terminology to confidently evaluate different mobile money operators and to design...