Markets
When designing a humanitarian intervention and deciding whether to use CVA, a market analysis should be part of the overall response analysis. Supporting markets to function well has been shown to lead to faster recovery and increased resilience in disaster affected areas.
Many organizations have invested in the development of tools to support market analysis and are considering market-based programming more holistically. This includes interventions that use the market (such as cash transfers to affected populations), as well as interventions that directly support markets (such as conditional grants to traders to get their market back up and running).
Related initiatives
Featured content
Introduction to Market Analysis
Course
This 30 minute online course provides an introduction to the analysis of markets in emergency contexts, with input from some of the world’s leading thinkers on the topic.
A Practical Guide to Market Analysis in Humanitarian response
Course
A three to four hour online course designed to provide future humanitarian market assessment team members with a solid understanding of theory and steps of market assessments so that they can join...
Market Support Interventions in Humanitarian Contexts – a Tip Sheet
Guidelines and Tools
This tip sheet defines what market support programming in humanitarian contexts is, and what it can look like in practice. It enables humanitarian practitioners to systematically consider market...
Market Based Programming (MBP)
Guidelines and Tools
Market Based Programming (MBP) in Oxfam’s work means we always consider existing markets – through assessments, analysis and programming – across all phases of a response and across all...
Thematic lead
Latest
Evidence of impact research study: Cash and voucher assistance in Niger
Case Study
While in-kind assistance constitutes the bulk of humanitarian aid globally, Cash and voucher assistance (CVA) is quickly gaining ground among donors and practitioners. Between 2014 and 2020, the share of CVA-based support within the overall humanitarian assistance portfolio) increased 4.5 times — from...
Savings Groups in Emergencies Learning Brief
Guidelines and Tools
We know that savings groups work – and that they are powerful. But, in emergencies, we must revisit some of our approaches and assumptions. Integrating savings groups into more humanitarian programming – and doing it better – holds significant potential to improve the outcomes of humanitarian aid....
Savings Groups in Emergencies Training Slide Deck
Guidelines and Tools
This Training Slide deck provides actionable guidance to organizations to promote or work with Savings Groups in emergency settings. We know that Savings Groups work – and that they are powerful. But, in emergencies, we must revisit some of our approaches and assumptions. Integrating Savings Groups into...
Briefing Note on Panel Discussion between DCF and Partners on Exchange Rates and Cash Assistance
Meeting minutes
This briefing note summarises the key points from a discussion held between the Donor Cash Forum (DCF) and partners on 4th April 2022. The rationale for this session is the increasing number of humanitarian contexts experiencing inflation and/or depreciation, with significant impacts on humanitarian...
Learnings from Cash Grant Support to Small and Medium Food Shops in Northwest Syria
Report
The majority of vendors working within GOAL’s areas of operation survive on slim margins and are highly susceptible to market and currency instability, often resulting in an inability to restock on time due to a lack of financial capital. Vendors are often confronted with other issues such as the lack...
Delivering Better Together: Standard Operating Procedures for Oxfam’s Approach to Cash and Voucher Assistance
Guidelines and Tools
Delivering Better Together: SOPs for Oxfam’s Approach to Cash and Voucher Assistance is a digital guide to all things cash and vouchers in Oxfam that can be downloaded to and accessed from a phone, tablet, or any other device. The SOPs focus on the basics of cash and vouchers, the use of it for...
UNHCR Reflections on the Ukraine Effect for the MENA Regional Task Force
Presentation
A presentation shared by UNHCR colleagues on their reflections on managing CVA in contexts of high inflation.
Cash Transfers in Pandemic Times
Report
This paper by Ugo Gentilini, brings together trends, evidence and practices generated over the course of the pandemic. The focus revolves primarily around social assistance in general and cash transfers in particular, with both anchored to the broader remit of social protection. The objective is to give a...
Global Cash Working Group Meeting – June 2022
Presentation
Slides from the Global Cash Working Group meeting on 29 June 2022. The agenda topics include: 1) Adapting CVA to the ‘Ukraine effect’, including experiences from Afghanistan; and 2) An update from the Cash Advisory Group, including next steps in terms of transition planning.
Digital Feast and Famine: Digital Technologies and Humanitarian Law in Food Security, Starvation and Famine Risk
Report
This working paper presents the findings of a brief exploratory study into the role of digital technologies in International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and its implications for starvation and famine risk. It is a work in progress, intended to raise issues rather than reach definitive conclusions (given the...