Unified Cash+ Framework of Bangladesh: For Anticipatory Action and Response (October 2023)

1. INTRODUCTION

• The Humanitarian Coordination Task Team (HCTT) Nexus Strategy for climate-related disasters is designed to align with the National Plan for Disaster Management (NPDM) 2021-25 in Bangladesh. This strategic alignment underscores the integrated approach that targets four transformative changes:

  • Enhancing Early Warning Systems (EWS) to strengthen the multi-hazard last mile and people-centred early warning through comprehensive multi-hazards and cascading risk analysis.

  • Strengthening anticipatory action by integrating it into national disaster risk management systems to prioritize preparedness and resilience building.

  • Building institutional capacity to address the Internal Displaced Population (IDP) by endorsing an Area-Based Collaboration (ABC) framework for Comprehensive Risk Management in Bangladesh.

  • Promoting early response combined with Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) to strengthen resilience building.

• As a part of this strategy, one of the significant elements includes developing a unified Cash+ package. This package is an innovative tool that combines cash transfers with other forms of assistance designed to meet the diverse needs of the people both in anticipation of predictable hazard events, i.e., monsoon floods, as well as during the response phase. The unified cash+ package aims to provide more effective, timely and flexible support, bridging the gap between immediate humanitarian response and longterm recovery.

• It is expected to be a coordinated effort across different sectors and organizations to ensure the efficient use of resources and avoid duplication of efforts. This is especially important in Bangladesh, where climate-related disasters require not only anticipation and immediate response but also long-term resilience-building and vulnerability reduction efforts.

• Pre-crisis surveys are essential tools for understanding the needs and vulnerabilities of communities before a disaster strikes. These surveys provide valuable information to inform the development of unified Cash+ packages for anticipatory action and response.

• This document presents a proposal for a harmonised inter-sectoral approach to cash+ (cash and other forms of support) in anticipation of rapid onset hazard events as well as the response phase. The formulations are based on the HCTT pre-crisis survey conducted in June 2023 and the workshop on the 22nd of June where the initial proposal was formulated.

• The aim of this initial proposal is to be implemented and monitored with common monitoring and evaluation indicators used by all partners and all findings to be used in subsequent revisions of this document.

• Agreement on a yearly revision schedule for this document, when the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB), transfer values, and sub-sectoral packages of mitigation support are updated based on the findings of the common monitoring and evaluation activities or, at minimum, harmonised post-distribution monitoring activities.

• This approach described in this framework is based on the monsoon flood scenario for anticipatory actions, but the methodology applies to anticipatory actions for other fast-onset hazards.