GPC Task Team on Cash for Protection

 

Background: Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) as a modality of assistance is increasingly being used by humanitarian actors to reach humanitarian and protection outcomes and facilitate access to services. CVA is seen to deliver greater choice, dignity, and realization of rights to conflict and crisis-affected people as well as strengthening local markets. Following the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) in Istanbul in 2016, humanitarian organizations committed to increase the use and coordination of CVA when delivering assistance to affected populations. Among the six commitments made at the WHS, aid organizations and donors committed to “build an evidence base to assess the costs, benefits, impacts and risks of cash (including on protection) relative to in-kind assistance, service delivery and vouchers, and combinations thereof”. The Grand Bargain specifically states that “delivering cash should, where possible and appropriate, use, link or align with local and national mechanisms such as social protection systems.”

The objectives of the GPC Task Team on Cash for Protection is in line with the Grand Bargain commitments as well as the overall goal of increasing knowledge about the use of CVA in the protection sector. Moreover, the objectives aim to increase the effectiveness and quality of programs using CVA to achieve protection outcomes. Those objectives are to:

  • Update in a collaborative manner the Stocktaking Paper on Cash and Voucher Assistance for Protection (also available in ES, FR, AR), highlight opportunities that exist in the sector to promote the use of CVA, and articulate concerns around the use of CVA in the sector, including regarding the use of Multipurpose Cash Transfers;
  • Continually map research and initiatives on CVAs for protection, and identify gaps in knowledge on an annual basis;
  • Based on the identified gaps, make recommendations on prioritization of research on CVA and protection;
  • Reach out to donors for funding of prioritized action research on CVA and protection;
  • Support the dissemination of learning from action research undertaken through leadership of global and/or regional learning events;

The Global Protection Cluster (GPC) Task Team on Cash for Protection was established in 2017 with the aim of increasing knowledge about the use of CVA in the protection sector and increasing the effectiveness and quality of programmes using CVA to achieve protection outcomes. For more information see the Task Team on Cash for Protection Terms of Reference here.

Membership:
The Task Team on Cash for Protection is open to any organization, agency or cluster that would like to participate. Membership currently bringing together over 40 participants across 30 organizations representing a diversity of organizations, countries and experiences on both protection and CVA. The TT also coordinates with existing initiatives such as the Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP) and the Grand Bargain Sub workstream on Cash and Gender. All members are actively participating and support the work of the TT to the extent possible.

Workplan:
The activities of the Task Team are guided by a workplan which is continually updated. Members actively support activities within the workplan to the extent possible. If you would like to nominate your agency to lead or contribute to any Task Team activities outlined in the workplan please do reach out to the Task Team co-chairs as detailed below. We can go farther and faster, together.

Contacts:
The Task Team is currently chaired by the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

  • Tenzin Manell, Senior Technical Advisor, Cash and Livelihoods: TenzinM@wrcommission.org
  • Stefan Schmoldt, Cash Technical Advisor: Stefan.Schmoldt@rescue.org

Meetings and Meeting Minutes:
The Task Team on Cash for Protection meets on the second Tuesday of every other month at 10am EDT/EST; 3pm GMT/BST; 4pm CEST/CET. More information on Task Team meetings – full meeting recordings where available, minutes and actions can be found here.

Useful Resources:
The Task Team on Cash for Protection and its members have published and identified a number of key reports and resources on Cash for Protection including:

Useful Links: