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
Cash for Rent Guidelines for Yemen
Guidelines and Tools
Since the start of a civil conflict in Yemen in March 2015, the country has remained in a state of emergency. Ongoing fighting and military activities have made it challenging for humanitarian workers to reach affected populations and meet their basic needs, such as food, water, and shelter. Displaced...
Shelter Considerations for Minimum Expenditure Basket Development and Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance Program Design: A Guidance Note
Guidelines and Tools
This tip sheet was developed by the Global Shelter Cluster and CRS, co-facilitator of the Shelter, Cash and Markets Community of Practice (CoP), and was reviewed by various coordinators and several CoP members, for use by country-level Shelter Cluster Coordinators and other practitioners who are requested...
Cash Based Interventions: Implementation guidelines for light & medium repairs of houses & apartments
Guidelines and Tools
Cash-Based Interventions are a type of market-based intervention that use local markets and services to meet the needs of the people affected by the crisis, in this case, to carry out light and medium repairs to the houses and apartments affected by the conflict. They can be stand-alone or used in...
An Integrated Approach to Menstrual Hygiene Management: Awareness sessions and cash assistance for women and girls affected by crisis in Lebanon
Case Study
In 2022, UNFPA Lebanon worked with local partners to launch an integrated cash and awareness for menstrual hygiene management (MHM) initiative as a way to tackle the growing issue of period poverty amidst the country’s economic crisis. Through the pilot, over 2,600 vulnerable women and girls of...
Recommendations for Food Assistance Food Security and Agriculture/Livelihoods Sector – Humanitarian Response Plan 2022-23
Guidelines and Tools
This guidance is developed following consultation with partners and technical working groups across hubs and should be used with sector HRP strategy and supplementary guidance on activity 1.2 – monthly food rations – for background and context. This guidance is an effort to ensure harmonized response...
Coordinating with the Petrol Sector to Enhance Early Warning
Case Study
For far too long humanitarian actors and coordination mechanisms have witnessed sharp price variations of core commodities without the capacity to forecast them. While to date some Cash and Vouchers Working Groups (e.g., Afghanistan) establish mechanisms to continue monitoring and adapt transfer values in...
Evidence and practice review of the use of cash transfers in contexts of acute food insecurity
Report
Commissioned by the Global Food Security Cluster Cash and Market Working Group, this piece of operational looks at the use of cash transfers in contexts of extreme food insecurity. With interviews collected with partners in Syria, Nigeria and Somalia it seeks to highlight and understand lessons learned...
COVID-19 Implications for Programming of Cash and Voucher Assistance for Education in Emergencies
Report
Beyond its immediate impact on health, the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have devastating consequences on people’s livelihoods and employment, especially in fragile, crisis and post-crisis environments (GHRP COVID-19). This includes immediate impact on income and livelihoods during the pandemic, and...
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.
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.
The Impact of Conditional Education Assistance
Policy paper
This Policy Brief by World Vision Laos PDR, World Vision Taiwan, Lao Ministry of Education and Sport, FCDO (through the British Embassy Vientiane) highlight the impact of conditional education assistance (cash transfers) supporting transition of vulnerable children from primary to lower secondary...
Resourcing Families for Better Nutrition Projects in Humanitarian Settings. A Case Study from Yemen
Case Study
This case study is one of a series of three. They were produced by Save the Children UK within the cross-country learning initiative on ’Resourcing Families for Better Nutrition (RF4BN) in humanitarian settings’, implemented in 2021 and 2022 in Afghanistan, South Sudan and Yemen.
Focused on the RF4BN...
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...
UNHCR Cameroon – UNHCR feasibility review of using cash for shelter interventions in Far North Cameroon
Report
This report presents a feasibility review of using cash for shelter interventions in Far North Cameroon, commissioned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa (RBWCA). The report first introduces the study and the context, it then spells out...
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...
Executive Summary – Cross-country Learning Report on Applying the Common Approach ‘Resourcing Families for Better Nutrition’ in Humanitarian Responses
Report
From 2021 to 2022, Save the Children implemented ‘Cash + for Nutrition’ in programming in three countries at risk of famine: Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Yemen.
With funding from Save the Children Italy and technical support from Save the Children UK and the consulting firm InformEd International,...
Good Practices on Cash Based Interventions and Education
Report
This document provides an overview of UNHCR’s implementation of Cash-Based Interventions (CBI) to contribute to achieving education outcomes. The document outlines current practices, presents existing corporate guidance, and highlights noteworthy and inspiring learning from a diversity of country...
Improving Health Through Cash and Voucher Assistance: Video Tutorial Series
Video
The right to health for all people means that everyone should have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without suffering financial hardship.
Executive Summary of the Resourcing Families for Better Nutrition (RF4BN) Endline in South Sudan
Case Study
From August 2021 to April 2022, Save the Children South Sudan implemented the RF4BN project to support families of severely and moderately malnourished children under-five years and moderately malnourished pregnant and lactating women (PLWs) in Lafon, Torit, and Magwi. The project aimed to improve the...