The Global Shelter Cluster SAG was recently consulted on a number of research priorities for Humanitarian Shelter and Settlements. One of these research areas includes on how cash and markets influences shelter and settlements outcomes. The objective of this piece of work was to work with the Global Shelter Cluster (GSC) Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) to identify, prioritise, and develop with academic rigor the key research questions that the GSC needs to address. The rationale for this work is found in the GSC strategy 2018-2022. This strategy has four strategic priorities (areas), and this project is an integral part of Strategic Area 3, ‘Evidence Based Response’, specifically output 3.2 ‘Key shelter and settlement evidence gaps filled’. The output of the work was defined a list of prioritised key research themes and questions that the GSC needs to be answered, which can be used by academics, research organisations and others to develop and conduct research. The research took place between November 2019 and February 2020.

Please see the outcomes of these consultations in terms of key questions for the Shelter sector to address. Do any of these topics resonate from you? How do you think that your experience in programming could influence this research agenda? https://www.sheltercluster.org/sites/default/files/Shelter%20Cluster%20Research%20Priorities%20final%20report%20for%20publication%20final%20October%202020.pdf

Themes related to Cash and Markets and Shelter and Settlements include: 

1. Comparative study of impact of cash for shelter vs direct build programs
2. Shelter as a safety net in a landscape of cash and market support
3. Does cash programming create rental inflation?
4. How can markets support self recovery?
5. Cash and shelter: do households achieve good shelter outcomes in multi-purpose cash programming?

Look forward to hearing back from colleagues on this topic.