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…

27 June 2022

Summary of Social protection programmes, households’ incomes and expenses information for Moldova

Type:

Guidance

Organization:

Cash Hub

A summary of social protection programmes, households’ incomes and expenses information, to provide practitioners involved in the response to Ukraine refugee crisis with a general social protection context information

  • Cash in conflict
  • Emergencies
  • Ukraine and impacted countries

27 June 2022

Lessons Learned on Cash and Voucher Assistance in the Greece Refugee Response

Type:

Learning

Organization:

Hellenic Red Cross

Document summarising key lessons from the Greece refugee response that can inform the potential use of CVA at scale for the Ukraine crisis, including useful technical learning from the early…

  • Social Protection
  • Cash in conflict
  • Emergencies
  • Migration

13 April 2022

Q&A about cash and vouchers assistance for RC volunteers in Ukraine and impacted countries response

Type:

Guidance

Organization:

Cash Hub

This question and answer (Q&A) sheet for volunteers working with cash and vouchers assistance (CVA) aims to help answer the questions of National Society volunteers and staff regarding the use…

  • Cash in conflict
  • Emergencies
  • Ukraine and impacted countries

28 March 2022

Fast Track Cash Preparedness: Ensuring minimum requirements to deliver timely, accountable, and effective CVA are in place

Type:

Guidance

Organization:

Cash Hub, IFRC

Ensuring minimum requirements to deliver timely, accountable, and effective CVA are in place

  • Cash in conflict
  • Emergencies
  • Ukraine and impacted countries

28 March 2022

Tracking Social Protection Responses in Ukraine and Neighbouring Countries

Type:

Report

Organization:

World Bank

World Bank initial overview of social protection measures in Ukraine and for displaced Ukrainian populations in neighbouring countries.

  • Cash in conflict
  • Emergencies
  • Ukraine and impacted countries

23 March 2022

CALP Network (2021) Toolbox – Linking Humanitarian CVA and Social Protection

Type:

Tool

Organization:

CaLP

Toolbox bringing together a key set of 150+ practical resources, guidance and templates all in one place.

  • Social Protection
  • Cash in conflict
  • Emergencies
  • Ukraine and impacted countries

In partnership with:

British Red Cross