CVA for Health

Health expenditures can differ greatly between households as these are based on risk rather than on average need. For this reason, ensuring access to health care services for people affected by crisis poses specific challenges to humanitarian organisations.  Cash and voucher assistance is a complementary tool to traditional supply-side public health programming. In line with commitments made at The Grand Bargain to increase the use and coordination of CVA, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is committed to establish, coordinate and develop CVA for health interventions.

WASH – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities are key to ensure people have access to their basic needs during and after a disaster.

Cash assistance can be used to restore access to Water and Sanitation and restore Hygiene practices of communities. For example, cash assistance can be provided to incentivise the building of latrines or other essential sanitation services, to purchase hygiene products, or to pay for water utilities. Below you can find out more about the work of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in this field, accessing different resources related to cash and wash.

Shelter

The International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has a long history of using Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) to support people affected by crisis to meet their shelter and settlement needs. Examples include vouchers to support people to access hostels in a migration crisis, cash as part of an owner-driven shelter reconstruction programme, and cash for winterisation support to allow people to access insulation materials. Below you can find out more about the work of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in this field, accessing different resources related to cash and shelter.

FSL – Food, Securities and Livelihoods

Livelihoods encompass the capabilities, assets and activities required to make a living. Ensuring that vulnerable households have sustainable livelihoods increases their access to a stable income, as well as their dignity, resilience, and ability to be active in society. Livelihoods support helps people affected by crisis to build more sustainable means of living, develop skills and gain greater access to opportunities.

Cash assistance can be an effective way to protect, restore, or enhance livelihoods which enable people to become self-sufficient and improve wellbeing for current and future generations.

Markets

Markets are analysed as part of cash feasibility, a step related to the broader analysis of the different response options, needed to inform which type of assistance should be provided to meet the needs of those affected by crisis (cash, vouchers, goods, services or a combination of these).  Market analysis will also ensure we follow the principle of do no harm in our responses.  Shipping food and non-food items from abroad can severely disrupt the local market and put traders out of business so where goods are available on the local market with sufficient quality and quantity, CVA can allow people to purchase these directly and without delay.