Sending Cash Transfers to Women: How to Design Programs that Enhance Well-Being While Safeguarding Against Intimate Partner Violence

This report examines existing evidence on the impact of cash transfers on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women and proposes design approaches to mitigate and minimize those risks. While the report primarily focuses on evidence related to reducing the risk of IPV following cash transfers to women on behalf of households, it also underscores the potential that sending cash to women has for reducing existing IPV. The objective is to foster a constructive dialogue and encourage governments and humanitarian organizations implementing cash transfer programs to prioritize women as the recipients of cash on behalf of their households whenever feasible, while ensuring their safety and adequate support.  

The report provides recommendations for designing programs that have the potential to reduce the risk of intimate partner violence on women.

• Frame and communicate the program objectives around supporting the essential needs of the household, even if money is sent to women’s accounts.
• Engage men and the local community in program design.
• Strengthen women’s social capital and confidence.
• Design payment mechanisms to enhance women’s control over cash transfers.
• Collaborate with protection partners to manage cases of IPV.
• Adapt monitoring and community feedback mechanisms to manage risks of IPV.