Cash transfer modality

Tips for inclusion when selecting the modality of cash assistance in humanitarian situations:

• Unconditional cash transfers are a straightforward way to avoid persons from at-risk groups having to overcome any barriers they may face to fulfill the condition. If the condition is cash for work, ensure equal possibilities for women, persons with disabilities, and older persons to participate.
• The unrestricted use of cash transfer is in most cases preferable to restricted cash (e.g. vouchers) to ensure persons from at-risk groups the freedom of choice to cover specific needs and extra costs which might be associated with buying goods and accessing services.
• Conduct a risk analysis of both the transfer and the use of cash in consultation with persons from different at-risk groups, to determine if cash is an appropriate response option, to select the appropriate transfer modality and delivery mechanism, and introduce appropriate risk mitigation measures, including transparent and participatory targeting and accessible feedback mechanism.

When choosing the aid modality, consider that women and girls with disabilities face a particularly high risk of gender-based violence. Where protection risks are high, assistance based exclusively on cash assistance may not be appropriate. Sometimes risks can be managed by combining different types of response options, including the provision of in-kind items and services.