This case study aims to contextualize cash assistance in a protracted humanitarian crisis like Iraq and how it can be used to transition to social protection in the long run. Humanitarian aid in the country is likely to continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable population, especially those who have been affected by displacement. Yet, it is also recognized that Iraq is a middle-income country for which humanitarian aid cannot be a replacement for a social safety net that would help reduce socioeconomic vulnerabilities over the long-term.