Sector-specific Cash and Voucher Assistance
CVA can help people in crises address their needs within a specific humanitarian sector, such as water, food, health, shelter, livelihood, or protection. Sector-specific CVA can be restricted or unrestricted, and conditional or unconditional, and will typically be provided as part of a comprehensive package which may also include in-kind and service-based assistance.
Each sector has to consider different questions, challenges, advantages and risks when it comes to supporting people’s recovery within their area of expertise. This requires evidence, tools, guidance and capacity. Meeting sector-specific outcomes through CVA also requires a multi-sectoral understanding of needs and of household economic security – see Multipurpose Cash Assistance. While some sectors are very experienced in implementing CVA and have done so for many years, others are now catching up. Most humanitarian sectors are committed and have been increasing their efforts on sector-specific CVA. The Global Cluster Coordination Group (GCCG) is also coordinating cross-cluster work to improve the sectoral used of CVA.
Current priorities
The CALP Network works closely with the cash technical groups/task teams within the global clusters, who have been defining their 2020 priorities and workplans during their regular meetings. A general overview and specific details of these priorities across each global cluster is available here.
Sector-specific CVA subpages
Camp Coordination, Camp Management and Cash and Voucher Assistance
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Find out more about Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) in relation to Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA). For the most up to date information visit the Global CCCM Cluster’s website.
Education and Cash and Voucher Assistance
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A brief introduction as to how Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) can support education outcomes. For the most up to date information please visit the Global Education Cluster’s website.
Food Security and Cash and Voucher Assistance
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A brief introduction as to how Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) can support food security outcomes. For the most up to date information please visit the Food Security Cluster Cash and Market Working Group web page.
Health and Cash and Voucher Assistance
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The content on this webpage has been developed with the Global Health Cluster.
Nutrition and Cash and Voucher Assistance
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Malnutrition continues to pose a major challenge to human well-being around the world. In 2020, an estimated 144 million children under five suffer from stunting (i.e. chronic malnutrition) , 47 million children under five were wasted (i.e. acute malnutrition) , of which 14.3 million were severely wasted, and an additional 340 million suffered from micronutrient deficiencies (UNICEF/WHO/WB...
Protection and Cash and Voucher Assistance
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How can Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) support protection outcomes? Please find a brief summary below, and for the very latest information, refer to the Global Protection Cluster Task Team on Cash for Protection.
Shelter and Cash and Voucher Assistance
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How can Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) support shelter outcomes? Please find a brief summary below, and for the very latest information, refer to the Shelter and Cash Working Group.
WASH and Cash and Voucher Assistance
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How can Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) support WASH outcomes? Please find a brief summary below, and for the very latest information, refer to the WASH Cluster’s Cash and Markets Technical Working Group.
Latest
Operational Guidance and Toolkit for Multipurpose Cash Grants
Guidelines and Tools
This operational guidance and toolkit brings together worldwide expertise on cash-based interventions (CBIs). It provides comprehensive and practical guidance for humanitarian actors to assess the feasibility, conceptualise the design and structure the implementation of MPGs. The guidance focuses on...
Cash Transfer Programming for Syrian Refugees: Lessons Learned on Vulnerability, Targeting, and Protection from the Danish Refugee Council’s E-Voucher Intervention in Southern Turkey
Report
DRC Turkey is currently implementing a two-year, DFID-funded project that aims to provide immediate support to and strengthen the coping mechanisms of vulnerable non-camp Syrian refugees in southern Turkey. The first phase of the project focused on identifying and providing monthly cash transfers (in the...
Technical Guidelines: Conditional Cash for Rent
Guidelines and Tools
The guideline was prepared by UNHCR Shelter Working Group in Jordan with the objective of informing shelter sector partners of best practices for implementing conditional cash-for-rent assistance targeting Syrian refugees in the host communities. The guide explores how to define the scope of a cash...
Guidelines for Conditional Cash-for Rent Assistance for Syrian Refugees in Jordan
Guidelines and Tools
The objective of these guidelines is to inform Shelter sector partners of best practices for implementing conditional cash-for-rent assistance targeting Syrian refugees in the host communities. These guidelines have been developed by a taskforce of the Shelter Working Group.
Economic Impact Study: Direct and Indirect Effects of the WFP Value-Based Food Voucher Programme in Lebanon
Report
This study examines the direct and indirect impacts of WFP’s e-card programme on the Lebanese economy. It is part of a broader United Nations initiative to assess the economic impacts of humanitarian assistance in Lebanon. The e-card programme is an important element of the international humanitarian...
The CALP Network case study – Unconditional cash transfers to reduce food insecurity for displaced households and assist in the repatriation of people to their villages of origin – Niger
Report
In 2012, Niger was affected by a food crisis that caused large population displacements. The NGO Arbeiter- Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V. (ASB) distributed unconditional cash transfers in areas of food insecurity to improve food access for those displaced and those affected, and to help repatriate...
Preventing Acute Malnutrition Among Young Children in Crises: A prospective intervention study in Niger
Report
Governments and donor agencies need to know which preventative strategy is most effective, particularly among children under 2 years old who are most vulnerable to acute malnutrition. Here, the researchers compare the effectiveness of seven preventative strategies—including the distribution of...
Cash in Construction
Presentation
This Powerpoint was used by SDC during a workshop on CTP and shelter/construction that took place in mid 2014. Click here to download a short introduction Powerpoint on Cash and Shelter from the same event.
Cash and Vouchers Manual – Second edition
Guidelines and Tools
This second edition of the Cash and Vouchers Manual captures the latest corporately endorsed business processes and procedures, providing the most up-to-date tools (i.e. analytical, assessment, monitoring) that have been developed through close intra-departmental collaboration between Headquarters...
Is Cash Transfer a Better Devil than Food Aid? A study of Malawi’s use of cash transfer as a response tool to food insecurity in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014
Report
The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami is considered as the first humanitarian situation where cash transfers were used as an alternative to food aid. Since then, cash transfers have been used as a standalone response tool to disasters, or used in combination with food aid. Malawi piloted the use of cash...
Economic Impact Study: Direct and indirect impact of the WFP food voucher programme in Jordan
Report
The intent of this study is to estimate the economic benefits of the food voucher programme implemented by the World Food Programmeme (WFP) for Syrian refugees in Jordan. The study employs a two pronged approach whereby the first component provides an analysis of the supermarkets that participate in...
Final Evaluation of the Unconditional Cash and Voucher Response to the 2011–12 Crisis in Southern and Central Somalia
Report
This report sets out to determine the effectiveness of the unconditional cash and voucher interventions in southern and central Somalia. This evaluation however cannot be limited to the interventions at hand. It necessarily considers the broader context that led to the failure of the humanitarian...
Using social protection systems to implement emergency cash transfers: the case of Lesotho
Report
Lesotho has experienced significant economic growth in the past two decades, but deep poverty and chronic malnutrition are persistent problems. Given the scale of the emergency and the urgent need for a response, in August 2012 the government declared an emergency food crisis, and in September it...
DRC Cash and Vouchers Food Security Evaluation (2014)
Report
People in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have long faced protracted conflict and instability resulting in the displacement of populations. In order to provide households affected by new displacements with timely access to food, ECHO funded the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the Association...
Training Report – Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis (EMMA): Focused on WASH
Report
Emergency Market Mapping Analysis (EMMA) is a toolkit guidance manual for humanitarian staff in sudden-onset emergencies which aims to improve emergency responses by encouraging and assisting relief agencies to better understand, support and make use of local market-systems in disaster zones. EMMA offers...
Evaluation of ECHO-Funded Cash and Voucher Food Assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Report
People in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have long faced protracted conflict and instability resulting in the displacement of populations. In order to provide households affected by new displacements with timely access to food, ECHO funded the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the Association...
PCPM’s Cash for Shelter Program in Akkar Governorate, Lebanon: Evaluation and lessons learned
Report
The aim of this report is to provide an evaluation of the activities of Polish Centre for International Aid (PCPM) cash for shelter programme in the Akkar district in Lebanon. The evaluation has been focused on the long-term results of the humanitarian aid provided by PCPM to the Syrian refugees in Akkar...
Support to the local tool market post-Typhoon Haiyan
Report
Super Typhoon Haiyan struck Leyte and Eastern Samar in the Philippines in November 2013. CRS responded by initiating a program in 2014 to support the livelihoods recovery of 5,250 agriculture-based households. The Livelihood Early Recovery Support to Agricultural Households Affected by Typhoon Yolanda...
Evidence of impact of emergency cash transfers on gender and protection
Report
This rapid review gathers together reports which provide evidence on the gendered and protection impacts of cash transfers (CTs) in emergency and humanitarian contexts. It aims to provide a guide to the level and type of evidence which is available, as much of the work written on this topic relies on...
Examining Protection and Gender in Cash and Voucher Transfers – Report
Report
With cash and voucher transfers increasing as a form of humanitarian assistance, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) teamed up to study the potential protection and gender impact of such transfers. While much research had been done about economic and market impacts of cash and...
