STATEMENTS
This overview provides an initial operational framework to guide decision-making as NGOs engage with SP systems and programmes. It outlines key guiding principles and specifies the value-add of NGOs engaging with systems of SP. It aims to complement and balance the considerable existing work aimed at, where possible and appropriate, supporting governments’ system strengthening and the UN to contribute to and complement SP in humanitarian contexts.
RESPONDING TO THE COVID-19 CRISIS: LINKING HUMANITARIAN CASH AND SOCIAL PROTECTION IN PRACTICE (JULY 2020)
This paper seeks to demonstrate practical ways in which NGOs are linking their humanitarian work to social protection and the added importance of this in the context of COVID-19, following from the earlier work of CCD outlining the role of NGOs to improve the access to and delivery of social protection in crises and the COVID-19 advocacy paper. This is written for signatories of the Grand Bargain, particularly those engaged in the cash sub-working group on social protection and humanitarian cash. This paper highlights that there is much more to be done but that NGOs have a crucial role to play and what follows are some of the ways in which CCD can engage.
ADVOCACY BRIEF IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 (APRIL 2020)
COVID-19 has an unprecedented impact globally in terms of access to and the capacity of healthcare systems to respond. The health crisis is yet to peak in many countries and in low income contexts, the concern is that its impact will be severe where it is not physically possible to practice physical distancing. As we saw during Ebola in 2014 or in cholera outbreaks, physical distancing is a choice that only a minority can afford in low income countries. It is anticipated that this crisis will result in significant numbers of households falling into poverty (or deeper into poverty) as a result of the enormous economic impacts of measures needed to contain this virus: recovery from the economic impact of this, will not be short term. Those most vulnerable to this are those without job security, small businesses, those in the informal economy and in unpaid care. We recognise that these roles are the backbone of many national economies. We recognise that a large burden will currently fall to communities to meet care and other needs to affected households. The impact on women is particularly strong, given their role as caregivers, which puts them at particular health and economic risk due to their roles in both the informal sector and care economy and the additional care burden of the sick and also of children, now schools are closed. Governments should recognise too, that children and caregivers depended on breakfasts and/or lunches in schools to avoid going hungry. At the same time there are those excluded from society, stateless, displaced, refugees who are extremely vulnerable to the impact of the pandemic.
GLOBAL REFUGEE FORUM GOOD PRACTICES PLEDGE (DECEMBER 2019)
On 17-18 December 2019, UNHCR hosted the first-ever Global Refugee Forum to "generate impactful commitments and other pledges from these actors, geared towards making tangible, long-term policy and practice shifts to improve the lives of refugees and host communities worldwide". The forum focused on six thematic areas: arrangements for burden and responsibility-sharing, education, jobs and livelihoods, energy and infrastructure, solutions, and protection capacity.
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In support of this event, CCD Colombia submitted a pledge to the Global Refugee Forum committing to transforming cash and voucher assistance (CVA) delivery through collective impact. CCD Colombia pledge to deliver people-centric multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) at scale in a coordinated, adaptable, harmonised, and efficient way to address refugees, vulnerable migrants, and host communities’ critical needs by:
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efficient, safe data sharing: CCD Colombia commits to using a shared data management system (to avoid duplication of beneficiaries and ensure referrals). CCD members commit to data protection and will sign a common Data Sharing Agreement.
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harmonised tools, approaches: With flexibility and speed, CCD members will coordinate tools, align processes, and adopt the same selection criteria for consistent, systemised programming across Colombia and in their refugee responses. CCD Colombia's members commit to learning by conducting independent evaluations of CCD work, value for money studies, and data monitoring to improve its selection criteria.
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longer term solutions, integrated programming: CCD Colombia strives to deliver an integrated service package by complementing MPCA with access to health, education, protection for vulnerable children and livelihoods for their families by facilitating durable solutions, socioeconomic integrations based on do-no-harm principles. CCD aims to reach "last mile” populations, cover gaps in refugee responses; strengthen referral pathways (e.g. to government-led social protection); reduce vulnerability, exclusion, and exploitation, and ensure MPCA creates a cash ecosystem with market-based approaches for jobs and livelihoods.
INCLUSIVE SOCIAL PROTECTION IN HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE:
IS THERE A ROLE FOR CCD (DECEMBER 2019)
This position paper discusses the potential for social protection to act as a faster, more efficient way to deliver assistance in certain contexts and looks at how social protection and humanitarian responses intersect and what this means for NGOs and other cash actors working along the cash value chain. CCD looks out how social protection can be embedded into CCD activities and staff training, facilitated as part of collaborations at the field level, and awareness raised within the humanitarian community, as well as next steps to keep programming and advocacy at the forefront of discussions around social protection issues. ​
GLOBAL COLLABORATION AGREEMENT (JUNE 2019)
This agreement, signed by all CCD partners’ CEOs, was presented at the Grand Bargain annual meeting. In it, CCD committed to rolling out collaborative models in 10 countries by June 2020 and seek alignment with CDA countries. CCD also demonstrated progress on:
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joined up analysis and streamlined management costs
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reduced reporting burdens
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successful localised responses with local partnerships
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transparency.
CCD RESPONSE TO STATEMENT FROM THE PRINCIPALS OF OCHA, UNHCR, WFP, AND UNICEF ON CASH ASSISTANCE (DECEMBER 2018)
Since 2016, the CCD has been working to transform the way NGOs deliver cash programming for the benefit of the people we aim to serve.
With this in mind, the CCD welcomes the UN agencies’ efforts to streamline the delivery of cash and voucher programming through a common cash system and to offer this service to others.
NGO POSITION PAPER ON CASH COORDINATION IN HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (MAY 2018)
In March 2018, the Good Humanitarian Donor Initiative issued a letter to request the IASC to decide upon and issue clear guidance on the topic of cash coordination. Through CCD and VOICE, the NGO community welcome this request for clarification, as a lack of clarity and predictability on cash coordination has had a significant impact on operations
STATEMENT ON DRAFT 1 OF THE GLOBAL COMPACT ON REFUGEES
(APRIL 2018)
In March 2018, UNHCR issued the first draft of the global compact on refugees which laid out a programme of action. Upon review, CCD provided some recommendations on key tools for burden- and responsibility-sharing; preparedness, contingency planning, and early warning; amongst other points.