What are "cash-based interventions" in humanitarian response?

Cash-based interventions in humanitarian response refer to the practice of offering cash or vouchers to individuals so they can meet their essential needs directly. This approach empowers beneficiaries by enabling them to make choices that best fit their circumstances, thus promoting dignity and flexibility in how they address their immediate requirements.

These interventions allow recipients to purchase food, shelter, healthcare, and other necessities from local markets, which can also benefit local economies by injecting money into them. By providing cash or vouchers, humanitarian organizations can respond more effectively to the needs of affected populations, ensuring that assistance aligns more closely with the diverse requirements of individuals and families during crises.

The other options entail methods of assistance that do not include cash or vouchers. Providing food supplies focuses solely on a specific type of aid without giving individuals the choice to procure what they need most. Distributing physical assets is a more rigid approach that may not directly address the immediate and varied needs of affected populations. Additionally, implementing microloan programs primarily targets long-term economic development rather than immediate humanitarian assistance, which is central to cash-based interventions.