ReliefWeb

Editorial

The special feature of this issue of Humanitarian Exchange, co-edited with Sarah Bailey and Breanna Ridsdel, focuses on new learning in cash transfer programming. While cash is now an accepted tool, and is increasingly being used in humanitarian response, most programmes are small and gaps in analysis and practice remain. In the lead article, Ridsdel identifies three major areas that need to be tackled if cash is to be used more effectively, particularly in large-scale responses: market assessment, response analysis and coordination. These issues and others are examined in more depth by our other authors. Erik Johnson reports on the recent Copenhagen Cash and Risk conference, while Sara McHattie outlines the key components of good response analysis. Efforts to institutionalise cash programming are explored by Rosie Jackson and Nupur Kukrety, who conclude that management support is crucial to achieving success. Degan Ali argues that risk aversion amongst the humanitarian community resulted in a reluctance to use cash programming at scale in South Central Somalia early on in the crisis there, resulting in avoidable deaths.

Read the full magazine on the ODI website