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…

23 June 2026

Lebanon Conflict Response Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) Final Evaluation

Type:

Evaluation

Organization:

Lebanese Red Cross

This is the full final evaluation report for the Lebanese Red Cross’s Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) response to the Lebanon conflict (2025–2026). It was a timely, relevant, and highly effective…

  • cash assistance
  • Cost Efficiency

1 June 2026

Delivering What People Need Most: Evidence and Key Messages to Scale Humanitarian Cash Assistance from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

Type:

Report

Organization:

Cash Hub

As the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement develops updated targets for its cash assistance to 2030, an evidence-gathering exercise was commissioned by the Cash Hub to provide a…

  • cash assistance
  • cash coordination
  • Cash technology
  • Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA)

28 May 2026

Money Where It Matters: A Cost-Efficiency Analysis of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Network

Type:

Research

Organization:

Cash Hub, IFRC

This research explores how the IFRC and National Societies deliver humanitarian assistance more efficiently in a context of rising needs and limited funding. Drawing on data from 181 operations across…

  • Cost Efficiency
  • Localisation
  • MPCA
  • RCRC Movement Coordination

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

In partnership with:

British Red Cross