Cash assistance is a major component of the humanitarian response to refugee and migration crises around the globe, but we have limited evidence on its impact on resilience and migration, especially in the current context of mobility restrictions due to a public health crisis. In partnership with Mercy Corps, the Immigration Policy Lab is using a novel technology-assisted, partially automated WhatsApp survey methodology to evaluate an ongoing cash assistance program for Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. Researchers will evaluate the impact of cash on household resilience and return migration in the face of a global pandemic. The regression discontinuity design is based on a vulnerability score which distinguishes households that will and will not receive monthly cash assistance and we will conduct follow up surveys at three, six, and nine month intervals.
Funding for this project was provided by the UK Department for International Development, awarded through IPA's Peace & Recovery Program.
Researchers:
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Program Area:
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Study Type:
Quasi-experimental Analysis
Timeline:
2020-2021
Implemented by IPA:
Yes
Impact Goals:
Build resilience and protect the financial health of families and individuals; Improve social-safety net responses; Promote peace and safety, and improve humanitarian response; Reduce COVID-19 transmission rates
Outcomes of Interest:
Economic and health status of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia; cash transfers’ impacts on resilience and the likelihood of migrants’ return to Venezuela or travel to other destinations
Data Collection Mode:
SMS; Web
Results Status:
Results
Link to Results:
