Humanitarian

Making Electronic Payments Work for Humanitarian Response

This paper analyzes how existing Digital Financial Services initiatives can better align to support humanitarian response, and uses a framework for comprehensively considering e-payment preparedness. Central African Republic, Pakistan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Somalia, and Yemen have been evaluated as per the framework.

IRC: Financial transfers an essential part of humanitarian response

The 2015 Annual report of International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) highlights their work on the frontlines of Syrian crisis.

Quality of service more important than cost for humanitarian workers

The report provides key findings from the mobile money workshops conducted by Electronic Cash Transfer Learning Action Network (ELAN) in January 2016- one in Dakar (Senegal) and other one in Gisenyi (Rwanda).

New Technologies in Cash Transfer Programming and Humanitarian Assistance

The research examines the constraints to the uptake of these technologies in humanitarian programming, and has identified barriers to wider adoption of new technology that can be broadly gr…

The role of Financial Services in Humanitarian Crises

The report provides evidence on role of financial inclusion in bringing efficiencies to emergency transfers through digital and mobile distribution channels.

Blockchain for humanitarian action and development aid

Blockchain technology is swiftly entering the fields of humanitarian and development aid. While it has the potential to revolutionize the aid sector, e.g., through pairing smart contracts wi…

Mobile money enabled cash aid delivery: Essential considerations for humanitarian practitioners

This report offers guidance for humanitarian practitioners considering mobile money enabled cash and voucher assistance (CVA) programmes

Partnering During Crisis: The Shared Value of Partnerships between Mobile Network Operators and Humanitarian Organisations

This research offers evidence to help MNOs make informed decisions about engaging in partnerships with humanitarian organisations, and to help humanitarian actors better understand their MNO partners and build successful long-term partnerships.

Policy and regulatory recommendations to facilitate mobile humanitarian and social assistance during COVID-19

This guidance note outlines the most significant challenges that MNOs face (or likely to face) in the context of supporting the delivery of humanitarian assistance in a COVID-19 world and offers relevant recommendations to governments on how to help address or mitigate these challenges.

Here’s how governments can help mobile phones become a humanitarian lifeline

This article outlines ways governments can step in to ensure mobile services help the world’s most vulnerable communities fight the pandemic and access essential support.

Banking with mobile phones in Haiti: A report on a T-cash pilot program

This report describes the experience of Catholic Relief Services Haiti in employing a new mobile phone–based banking service, T-Cash. This service was adopted on a pilot basis to improve CRS…

Every dollar spent on Syrian refugees generates $2.13 in local Lebanese markets

Introducing GSM-enabled PAYG Solar in Cambodia

The report tracks the implementation of a Cambodian company Kamwork’s pay-as-you-go (PAYG) solar home systems (SHSs) with GSM-based machine-to- machine (M2M) connectivity to validate the business model and determine what level of support from GSM network coverage.

Branchless Banking in Pakistan: Opportunities and Challenges

The paper examines strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats of branchless banking and recommends some strategies around the identified challenges with a focus on Pakistan.

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 …

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

This GIZ and Amarante Consulting study shares learnings and challenges with mobile wallet uptake among Syrian refugees, women and unbanked Jordanians.

Mobile money enabled cash aid delivery: Operational handbook for mobile money providers

Section 1 of this handbook provides essential background on the humanitarian sector and cash and voucher assistance (CVA) programmes. Section 2 outlines the operational steps involved in delivering CVA

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 i…

The age of digital interdependence

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

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.