sudan-conflict
Cash and Services: Evidence brief on a complementary cash portfolio: MPCA, GCTs/community-led responses, sectoral cash and access to essential services
Core Message and Highlight:"Cash is a critical enabler of access to essential services for crisis-affected households and communities. A balanced cash response should scale MPCA for multisectoral household needs, GCTs for community-level priorities and locally led services, and sectoral cash for clearly defined sector outcomes and access barriers - alongside adequate service provision."Key takeaways:• Partners have demonstrated capacity across all three cash modalities. Between January and June 2026, CWG partners delivered approximately US$64.7 million in MPCA, reaching 538,200 people. Clusters reported a further US$41.1 million in sectoral cash, reaching 1.2 million people, while GCTs provided approximately US$9.1 million to 987 community groups. These figures are drawn from different reporting systems and methodologies and should be read as evidence of delivery capacity rather than as aggregated or directly comparable totals.• MPCA addresses multisectoral household needs. Where markets function and cash can be delivered safely, it gives households the flexibility to prioritize food, health, rent, transport and protection according to their own needs.• Evidence shows that MPCA can improve access to essential services. Among 6,783 monitored households, median health expenditure increased from SDG 15,000 to SDG 50,000 following MPCA, while 59-93% of assisted households in six states reported using part of their transfer for medication or healthcare.• Sectoral cash provides an additional, outcome-focused layer. It should address a clearly identified financial or access barrier linked to a sectoral outcome - such as protection, nutrition, health, site management - and be delivered through relevant technical guidance, services and referral pathways. Sectoral cash complements MPCA; it does not replace core sector services.• Group Cash Transfers (GCTs) strengthen locally led and community-level responses. About US$9.1 million was provided to 987 community groups, supporting community kitchens, clinics, water facilities, evacuations and other locally identified priorities, including in access-constrained areas. GCTs can stand alone or complement household-level and sectoral assistance.
Based on reporting by RELIEFWEB