Evidence Building for Cash and Markets for WASH in Emergencies

Over recent years humanitarian aid organizations have increasingly used market-based programming (MBP) to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in emergencies. Market-based modalities include the distribution of cash and vouchers to enable recipient households to access the WASH goods and services they need, as well as supporting local WASH markets to deliver these goods and services at humanitarian standards. While MBP has many advantages in theory, such as contributing to economic recovery and addressing affected populations’ basic needs more efficiently and effectively, what evidence is there that these approaches have actually resulted in a positive effect on WASH out- comes? This report seeks to answer this crucial question by systematically analysing and mapping available evidence of the effect of market-based modalities used in the emergency WASH sector.