Cash and social protection

Access to adequate social protection, especially cash transfers where these are appropriate, is essential at times of crisis. Linking, building on, or aligning humanitarian cash responses with national social protection programmes and systems, where feasible and appropriate, can contribute to an efficient and effective response and achieve lasting results.
COVID-19 national responses are accelerating this trend using cash as their preferred support modality for social assistance.

Learn about the work of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in this field, accessing different resources related to cash and social protection below. If you have any questions related to CVA you can contact the Cash Helpdesk, which is providing remote technical advice to staff or volunteers of the Movement.

KEY RESOURCES:

Linking humanitarian cash and social protection – learning from the experience of eight National Societies

STRENGTHENING LINKAGES WITH SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS

ADVOCATING FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION – COVID-19 TIP SHEET

For National Societies advocating to Governments on the use of Cash and Social Protection during COVID19

External resources:

Economic Policy Resource Institute (EPRI): Resources to support the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social protection strategies, policies and programmes
ILO Social Protection Department: ILO’s main portal for all social protection related work, programmes, frameworks, publications, capacity building and training.
Socialprotection.org: knowledge sharing platform on social protection, which includes training, courses, reports, webinars and an online space to connect with others in the community.
Social Protection and Human Rights: website providing expert legal and development resources on how to better align social protection and human rights.
The World Bank In Social Protection: information on the World Bank approach to social protection, its focus areas, projects, frameworks, reports and databases.

Grand Bargain Cash Sub-Group newsletters with key resources, highlights, webinars, and other key initiatives related to humanitarian cash transfers and social protection can be be found below:

Recommended virtual training related to social protection is available here.

11 July 2021

Urban climate risks and the role of social protection

Type:

Case study

Organization:

Climate Center

This brief gives an overview of different country case studies where social protection (SP) systems have been used to address risks arising from climate-related hazards in urban spaces. It also explores how the existing SP systems in Tanzania, Bangladesh and Ethiopia could be modified to become shock responsive.

22 June 2021

Philippines Joint Simulation on Cash Early Actions & Shock-Responsive Social Protection for Flood

Type:

Article

Organization:

German Red Cross

This blog post shares lessons from the implementation of the 2-day Forecast-based Financing (FbF) simulation exercise (simex) on 18-20 May, to test two early actions – fish harvesting from ponds and cash transfers – in three barangays (villages), Libmanan municipality, Camarines Sur.

10 May 2021

Lessons Learnt Brief: Improving targeting for urban food banks, Social Protection in Namibia

Type:

Learning

Organization:

BRC, Namibia Red Cross Society

This document outlines lessons learnt from the collaboration between Namibia Red Cross Society and Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare to revise urban food bank eligibility criteria in peri urban Khomas Region using the household economic security (HES) approach in June 2019.

23 April 2021

Linking humanitarian cash and social protection – Learning from the experience of eight National Societies

Type:

Research

Organization:

Cash Hub

This paper gives an overview and shares learning from the experiences of National Societies in Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Montserrat, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey which collaborated with governments in the first few months of the pandemic to implement, enhance and scale up cash-based social protection schemes.

31 March 2021

Linking Cash and Voucher Assistance with Humanitarian Response and Social Protection Systems – Experience of Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society

Type:

Case study

Organization:

Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society, British Red Cross, Cash Hub

This case study gives an overview of the Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society’s experience in cash and voucher assistance and in influencing the Government of Eswatini to shift their humanitarian response and social protection programmes into mobile cash as part of its Covid-19 response.

30 December 2020

Tip sheet: Advocating to Governments on the use of Cash and Social Protection during COVID-19

Type:

Tool

Organization:

Cash Helpdesk, Cash Hub

This brief guidance contains key messages to be considered by National Societies when advocating the use of cash and social protection to governments and local authorities during COVID19. Additionally, it can be used within NS for internal advocacy, and in discussions with affected populations, to expand awareness of the additional benefits that SP can bring and its role in supporting safe market recovery during this critical time.

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