RESOURCES

Cash in Conflict

Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) has several significant benefits that are well known, including increasing people’s dignity, power, autonomy and choice in how they manage their survival and recovery. CVA can also offer greater operational flexibility and achieve wider social and economic multiplier effects beyond its specific purpose. 

Cash is used by people to pay for goods and services all around the world. This fact does not change in situations of armed conflict, when having cash in their hands can be mean the difference between life and death.

The ICRC – who have 16,800 staff in over 80 countries, helping people affected by armed conflict and violence – is enthusiastic about the benefits of CVA and realistic about when it is best to use it. Our experience and evidence shows that cash is an essential tool in humanitarian action in armed conflict, and our own operational analysis confirms many of the positive findings from other policy and academic studies.

© Revol Didier / ICRC

This section of the Cash Hub aims to share the experience of the ICRC and of those Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working in countries affected by conflict and other situations of violence.

Read the latest report below to find out more about the ICRC’s experience of using CVA in armed conflict

10 September 2018

Cash Transfer Programming in Armed Conflict: The ICRC’s Experience

ICRC’s experience and evidence show that cash is an essential tool in humanitarian action in armed conflict and a valuable option in responding to a wide range of the needs…

2 April 2026

Lebanese Red Cross MPCA Conflict Response Evaluation – Executive Summary 2025

Type:

Evaluation

Organization:

Cash Centre of Excellence, Lebanese Red Cross

An executive summary of an evaluation of Lebanese Red Cross’s use of multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA) in its conflict response.

  • MPCA

1 April 2026

Delivering Cash Assistance Remotely in a Conflict Setting: Learnings and guidance from the field

Type:

Case study

Organization:

Lebanese Red Cross

This learning case study documents the Lebanese Red Cross’s (LRC) experience implementing remote Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) in a conflict affected context in Lebanon. Drawing on the final evaluation of…

  • MPCA

12 February 2026

Yemen Red Crescent Society (YRCS) Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) – Position Paper

Type:

Report

Organization:

Yemen Red Crescent

Position Paper outlining the Yemen Red Crescent Society’s progress, current capacities, and vision for their CVA programming over the next couple of years. The document offers insights on the measured…

  • cash assistance
  • MENA Community of Practice

19 January 2026

Financial service provider data flow: briefing note

Type:

Guidance

Organization:

ICRC

This briefing note outlines how CVA is transforming humanitarian aid by empowering affected people and supporting local economies. As Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) increasingly relies on Financial Service Providers…

  • data management

19 January 2026

Guidance for working with external service providers

Type:

Guidance

Organization:

ICRC

This document produced by the ICRC provides guidance for protecting personal data when working with external financial service providers and will help delegations address the personal data protection issues that…

  • data management

17 July 2025

Improving maternal care in Yemen: The impact of a life-saving voucher Initiative

Type:

Video

Organization:

Norwegian Red Cross, Yemen Red Crescent

This video explores the impact of a joint voucher program implemented by the Yemen Red Crescent and the Norwegian Red Cross in Lahj Governorate. Aimed at supporting pregnant women, the…

  • Health

17 July 2025

Voices from Yemen: Mohammed Ghalib Hussein on receiving cash assistance

Type:

Video

Organization:

British Red Cross, Cash Hub, Yemen Red Crescent

Mohammed shares his personal journey living with diabetes in Yemen, highlighting the daily challenges he faces and the toll it takes on his health and family. Through cash assistance, he’s…

  • cash assistance
  • Health
  • Livelihoods

17 July 2025

Voices from Yemen: Finding dignity in crisis – Maha Ahmed’s story

Type:

Video

Organization:

Norwegian Red Cross, Yemen Red Crescent

As a mother caring for a disabled son, Maha faced immense challenges in meeting her family’s basic needs. With the help of cash assistance, she has been able to access…

  • cash assistance
  • Video

17 July 2025

Voices from Yemen: How cash assistance empowered Abdel Fattah’s family

Type:

Video

Organization:

British Red Cross, ICRC, Yemen Red Crescent

Abdel Fattah, a dedicated teacher in Yemen, shares his powerful story of caring for his elderly father who suffers from kidney failure. With limited resources and growing responsibilities, cash assistance…

  • cash assistance

In partnership with:

British Red Cross