Study for DG ECHO on linking humanitarian operations and social protection systems

Social safety nets are recognised as essential tools to counter chronic and seasonal poverty, and increasingly to respond to acute needs caused by shocks (conflict, displacement, natural disasters, etc.). More and more states affected by crises are establishing social protection systems and these are proving to be a promising way to mitigate the numerous impacts of crises. Cash transfers and improving access to basic services (such as health, water, shelter and education) provide a number of ways for humanitarian actors to work with social protection systems. By establishing links between these systems and humanitarian operations, in collaboration with governments and development agencies, aid actors are able to both provide emergency relief in a crisis situation and support the state’s capacity to respond to crises in the future.

Groupe URD’s task is to compile the knowledge and concrete experiences that ECHO has acquired in terms of linking humanitarian operations and social protection systems. The aim is to provide an overview of the lessons from the 14 national contexts in order to help ECHO with its reflections on this issue.