Cash and Vouch Assistance (CVA) and Research

In a range of research, cash transfers have proven highly effective in improving outcomes for children across a myriad of contexts, however further research is needed to guide us on how best to design child-sensitive CVA projects, such as optimal grant size for achieving learning outcomes. We know that provision of CVA, generally, has a positive effect at the household and individual level, such as improved household food consumption,  increased participation in education, reduced child labour and early marriage, as well as improved sense of well-being. In late 2022, the CVA Technical Team in collaboration with Regional and Country-level CVA TAs developed a Global CVA Research Agenda (in line with the Global REL Agenda) to identify CVA priorities and what CVA for Child Outcomes should entail. This will not be prescriptive but identify minimum best practices that all CVA for Child Outcome programs should incorporate.  Key evidence and learning, as well as challenges and opportunities, generated by the research will be presented internally and externally for the wider community of practice. In addition to addressing significant gaps, we aim to contribute positively to the availability and robustness of evidence on the effects of CVA on sectoral outcomes and the quality of the monitoring and evaluation of such programs.