Over the past decade, cash-based interventions (CBI) have become a widely recognized method for delivering humanitarian aid, valued for their cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and ability to give recipients agency over their own needs. While CBI has long been used to support refugees and internally displaced persons, its application within broader migration contexts remains inconsistent. Humanitarian practitioners often face challenges in securing adequate funding and adapting CBI programs to the diverse and dynamic needs of migrants.
This report, commissioned by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and authored by Samuel Hall, consolidates existing knowledge on the use of cash-based interventions for migrants. It identifies key barriers, enabling factors, and examples of good practices that can be scaled up and replicated across contexts. Drawing on interviews with experts in cash programming, migration, humanitarian work, and private sector actors across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, the report examines how CBI can be effectively integrated into humanitarian and protection-focused responses.
A central focus of the report is the importance of understanding mobility patterns, local contexts, and program design to ensure interventions meet the needs of migrant populations. It provides practical recommendations for building strategic partnerships, strengthening operational systems, and enhancing institutional capacity. By highlighting how cash assistance can complement other aid modalities, the report offers valuable guidance for practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders seeking to improve support for migrants while fostering efficient, responsive, and scalable humanitarian interventions.
