Putting Digital Payments to Work in the Time of COVID-19

As the tragic human costs of COVID-19 mount, the need for practical, scalable, quick and effective solutions is urgent. Now more than ever, it’s time to put digital payments to work.

Webinar > Digital Payments in Ebola Response: Lessons for the COVID-19 Crisis

Join us on Thursday, April 2nd, 2 – 3pm GMT

The International Labour Organization commits to expanding the use of responsible digital payments to advance decent work

New partnership will result in promoting digital payments as an important tool to increase security, financial inclusion and economic opportunities in the workplace.

How do refugees use their mobile phones? 

New GSMA and UNHCR report looks at the ways in which refugees are using their mobile phones to help guide digital interventions by humanitarian organizations and mobile network operators. It identifies affordability, literacy, digital skills, and charging as the main barriers to mobile phone ownership and mobile internet usage.

The age of digital interdependence

The UN Secretary General's High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation released their report earlier this month. It highlights the need for inclusivity and protection of human rights to ensure a safe digital future for all and shares 5 key recommendations.  

Responding to conflict: Does “Cash Plus” work for preventing malnutrition?

New evidence from "Cash for Nutrition Program" in Yemen suggests that "soft conditionality" (encouraging to attend nutritional education) and effective targeting can play an important role in making cash transfer programs successful. This IFPRI study could be relevant for our humanitarian work. 

Partnering With the Private Sector to Extend Digital Financial Services to the Unbanked

How effective have digital payments been in promoting access to financial services and driving ecosystem growth in Jordan? This GIZ and Amarante Consulting study shares learnings and challenges with mobile wallet uptake among Syrian refugees, women and unbanked Jordanians.

Marks & Spencer Joins the Better Than Cash Alliance on International Women’s Day

This International Women’s Day, Marks & Spencer (M&S) is joining the Better Than Cash Alliance to help advance the Sustainable Development Goals. By promoting digital wages across its supply chain, M&S aims to give more women the ability to take control of their finances.

Cash Digitization: UN Collaboration, Coordination, and Harmonization Opportunities

Cash Digitization: UN Collaboration, Coordination, and Harmonization Opportunities

New UN Better Than Cash Alliance’s Cash Digitization Study recommends strengthening cash assistance collaboration across UN agencies & partners, to improve coordination and harmonization.

Opinion: 3 unexpected solutions for greater climate action

Dollars and Change-Podcast

Wharton Business Radio hosts Better Than Cash Alliance on the “Dollars and Change” podcast.

Blockchain for humanitarian action and development aid

This essay outlines the use cases of Blockchain technology for the humanitarian and development sectors and reflects on potentials and pitfalls that come with the adaptation of this new technology.

One token changing the game for sustainable rural water supply in Tanzania

A water payment's digitization project resulted in tripling water utility payments and reducing water collection waiting time from 3 hour to 10 minutes on average within a year, benefitting women in paricular.

Branchless Banking in Pakistan: Opportunities and Challenges

The paper examines Strengths Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) of BB and recommends some strategies to overcome the identified challenges and make the avenue more profitable specifically in Pakistan.

The role of Financial Services in Humanitarian Crises

This paper recommends actions that policy makers and donors can take to improve the provision of financial services to crisis-affected populations.

When aid goes digital: 4 factors to bear in mind

Introducing GSM-enabled PAYG Solar in Cambodia

98% of off-grid customers of pay-as-you-go solar home systems apprciated the convenience of paying with mobile money.