Cash and In-Kind Transfers in Humanitarian Settings: A Review of Evidence and Knowledge Gaps

What are the impacts of cash-based transfers (CBT) and in-kind transfers (e.g. food or vouchers) in humanitarian settings?

This systematic review uses evidence from quasi-experimental and experimental studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries to assess and summarize the state of the existing knowledge on the effects of non-contributory humanitarian assistance interventions on five outcome domains at the individual and household levels: (i) basic needs, (ii) financial outcomes, (iii) gender, (iv) human development, and (v) social cohesion.

In doing so, we address two research questions within the context of humanitarian settings. First, what are the impacts of these humanitarian assistance programmes on individual and household-level outcomes? Second, what is the relative effectiveness and efficiency of different modalities and delivery channels in achieving their objectives? In addition, this review identifies knowledge gaps in the literature and discusses several promising future evidence avenues to help close these gaps and to support informed decision-making by policymakers.