In Syria, cash and voucher assistance (CVA) is used to respond to the protracted conflict, emergencies, displacements and economic instability. In 2024, 1.6 million people were reached with multipurpose cash (MPC), while 200,000 people were reached on average with sectoral CVA each month between January-September 2024.
CVA, including MPC, is a vital form of assistance that empowers recipients and provides flexibility to help address the multi-layered nature of needs in Syria. It supports the achievement of the response strategic objectives, including increasing people’s resilience. The implementation of CVA is feasible as markets are functioning and accessible, and they are continuously assessed and monitored through the joint market monitoring initiative (JMMI) and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) vulnerability analysis and mapping tools. Delivery mechanisms with several financial service providers are operational. CVA is accepted by communities and authorities, and it is a cost-effective form of assistance to address the existing needs of the population.
Cash working group (CWG) partners have long-term presence and experience with knowledge, skills and expertise in implementing CVA, with guidance and tools developed by CWGs. Potential risks are regularly reviewed, and appropriate mitigation measures are identified. After the change of authorities in December 2024, a CVA feasibility analysis is being conducted by the 3 CWGs to provide an updated overview of the cash landscape and to support the continued implementation of CVA initiatives.
Based on post-distribution monitoring (PDM), CVA is a preferred modality for recipients, with a notable level of satisfaction for its ability to improve living conditions. For instance, MPC in north-east Syria has helped in improving living conditions of 68 per cent of the recipients and reduced stress levels for 71 per cent. It also covered immediate needs for 73 per cent of the recipients. Flexibility is given to beneficiaries to prioritize their own needs, which are often food, health, hygiene items and repayment of debts.
Some other examples of the benefits of regular MPC include: In north-west Syria, food consumption scored in the baseline showed 7 per cent of beneficiaries in poor (emergency/famine) and 49 per cent borderline crisis level, but after receiving MPC 98 per cent reached an acceptable level (minimal/stressed). Cash assistance has decreased the withdrawal of children from school from 20 per cent to 0 per cent and child labour from 16 per cent to 0 per cent. MPC interventions promote the local market by increasing purchasing power for recipients, which in turn stimulates demand for goods and services.
From January-March 2025, a total of $176 million US$ is planned for delivery as CVA, including MPC. CVA programming—encompassing both sectoral and MPC—accounts for 14 per cent of the total funding requirements for this document. $28.3 million of that funding is allocated for MPC, targeting 370,000 people (72,000 households) during this period. Cash and voucher programming, including MPC, provides more flexibility to help address the multi-layered nature of needs in Syria and support fulfilling the strategic objectives of the humanitarian response, including increasing people’s resilience.
MPC puts people and their household priorities at the centre and will continue to play an important role in humanitarian action in Syria in 2025. Its unique flexibility as a standalone multisector response becomes even more relevant in the developing situation, addressing basic needs while allowing for a long-term focus on recovery after years of crisis. MPC also tends to have multiplier effects on local communities and markets, which are central to job generation, resilience building and early recovery.
Targeting includes IDPs in camps, IDPs out of camps and vulnerable residents based on prioritization, which considers multiple socio-economic vulnerabilities that meet specific criteria in the vulnerability assessment. MPC will be distributed across the country, prioritizing locations with larger and critical needs. Transfer values differ depending on the area and are based on the survival minimum expenditure basket (SMEB). In the coming weeks, the CWGs will work to harmonize the MPC strategy. In north-east Syria, a referral system is in place between MPC and the early recovery and livelihoods sector, assessing MPC recipients for potential livelihoods support. In the new context, referrals are critical to consider moving towards recovery.
CWGs coordinate with partners for de-duplication and are working on collaborative interoperability mechanisms to minimize overlapping and duplications among partners and enhancing the overall impact of humanitarian efforts. They coordinate with other sectors, utilizing specific planning/tracking tools for identification of gaps, geographical deduplications and complementarities, enabling partners to coordinate effectively at the ground level.
MPC partners conduct regular post-distribution monitoring after the delivery of assistance. A specific tool for this purpose was developed by CWGs in north-west and north-east Syria, which includes a diverse number of indicators that are inter-sectoral and sector-specific, including accountability mechanisms, community risks, food consumption score, reducing negative coping strategies, etc.
CVA coordination arrangements
CWGs support inter-sector coordination by promoting a common understanding of and approach to CVA, and they coordinate MPC. The CWG coordination structure follows the globally agreed Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) approach, with programmatic and non-programmatic coordinators in Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and Humanitarian Liaison Group (HLG) coordinated areas. WoS cash coordination is supported by CashCap.
Continuous monitoring of CVA feasibility includes market system developments (prices of basic commodities), financial service providers’ capacities, risks and access considerations, monitoring of the SMEB and minimum expenditure basket (MEB), MPC transfer values, among others. Engagement with critical sectors, especially food security and agriculture and early recovery and livelihoods, are crucial to enhance synergies and provide a comprehensive humanitarian response.