Nov 11, 2019
Safer Cash: Collecting and using data to make cash programs safer for beneficiaries
This toolkit gives cash actors the assessment, monitoring, analytic, and decision-making tools to incorporate risk mitigation into their design and delivery of cash programs with minimal impacts to cash’s efficiencies.
The Safer Cash Toolkit, funded by USAID, is designed to address the challenge of insufficient information to systematically identify the risks that beneficiary populations may face as a result of receiving and using cash in humanitarian programs. The toolkit aims to capture the minimum amount of information on protection risks for beneficiaries in emergency settings to ensure that organizations can make informed decisions on how to design, implement and adjust their cash and voucher assistance (CVA) programs at the field level to prevent and minimize harm.
The Safer Cash Toolkit is a set of three tools and additional guidance to:
- Generate awareness and understanding of potential protection risks and who is most affected by such risks through a staff training;
- Ensure cash programs are systematically collecting and using data based on the potential risks to the target population to inform program design;
- Monitor the risks, and where possible, make adjustments in the current program cycle or learn for the next program cycle.
It facilitates a comprehensive and continuous analysis of risks and the implementation and monitoring of risk management measures in CVA, guided by the protection principles to promote meaningful access, safety and dignity in humanitarian aid.
The Safer Cash Toolkit was developed by the IRC based on a scoping review and formative research conducted in Afghanistan and Cameroon in collaboration with the University of Berkeley California Human Rights Center. The IRC piloted the toolkit in Afghanistan and conducted rigorous operational research with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative to test its feasibility and acceptability among program staff, and to assess whether it has the potential to reduce protection risks for beneficiaries. The toolkit and training materials were then refined based on information gathered and analyzed during the pilot study.
When should we use the Safer Cash Toolkit?
The Safer Cash tools should be integrated in current assessment tools being used before program design, to assess risks and decide on a risk management strategy at the outset of a cash program.
The tools should also be integrated in any monitoring that occurs after the cash distribution, to monitor risks and analyze the success of mitigation measures.
Who is it for?
The toolkit is designed primarily for cash practitioners, yet should be utilized by everyone who is involved in the assessment, design, set-up and implementation of CVAs, including but not limited to:
- Program teams
- Monitoring and evaluation teams
- Logistics
- Finance
- Field and data collection teams.
Where possible, protection teams should also be consulted in decision-making discussions around risk analyses and risk management measures.
What is in the toolkit?
The full toolkit package includes:
- Guidance note. A PDF file with embedded Excel tools.
- The Toolkit. Question banks and information analysis matrices, including (1) assessment and implementation question banks; (2) risk identification and management matrix; and (3) monitoring question banks.
- Data collection tools in ODK/Kobo format for easy integration with mobile data collection tools.
- Training materials for holding targeted training workshops with implementing staff.
How does it work?
The Safer Cash Toolkit supports the collection of data at key assessment and monitoring phases and guides the user through how to analyze data to inform program design and course correction during the program to ensure that the delivery of CVA is safe and inclusive.
The tools are meant to fit into the current cash program cycle and integrate into what program staff are already doing. Field teams will select questions from Tools 1 and 3 to insert into their existing assessment and monitoring tools.
Download the Safer Cash Toolkit from the Cash Learning Partnership and access the full package of training materials and tools. The toolkit and training package are currently available in English and will soon be available for downloading in additional languages including French, Arabic, Spanish, Dari, Pashto, Amharic, and Swahili.
