There is increasing momentum among Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) actors in the humanitarian sector to consider linkages between GBV and CVA in all CVA projects at all stages of the project cycle. Integrating gender and CVA was set as a priority action under the Grand Bargain Cash Workstream in 2018. During the 2020 Grand Bargain meeting, gender considerations in CVA were widely cited by signatories and the meeting concluded with a priority to: “Continue efforts to ensuring consistent analysis of gender and gender-based violence concerns in needs assessments and analysis, including with cash partners…”.
CVA is traditionally implemented in sudden-onset or protracted crisis, successfully targeting the most vulnerable rights holders. But opportunities remain to increase the effectiveness and safe delivery of CVA by establishing stronger GBV risk prevention and mitigation measures. As a minimum, GBV risk mitigation must be included in all CVA projects and all CVA actors should have a basic understanding of how to mitigate GBV risks. The importance and urgency of linking GBV and CVA have become even clearer with the COVID-19 pandemic, where GBV risks for women, girls and other vulnerable groups have increased due to mobility restrictions, loss of income opportunities, and increased care burdens.
This document is an output of the gender and cash sub workstream of the Grand Bargain’s Cash Workstream, designed with the input of various members, led by Key Aid Consulting and funded by CARE.