The CVA was designed specifically for use in humanitarian interventions and disaster preparedness. The CVA critically considers gender and its associated roles, responsibilities and power dynamics in a particular community and seeks to meet a social need of that particular community. CVA Tools include:

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• Categories of capacities and vulnerabilities: Distinguishes between three categories of capacities and vulnerabilities, using an analysis matrix. The three categories used are physical, social, and motivational capacities and vulnerabilities.

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• Additional dimensions of 'complex reality': In order to make the CVA matrix reflect reality's complexity, five other dimensions must be added to the analysis:​

  • Disaggregation according to other dimensions of social relations

  • Change over time

  • 'Interactions' between categories of analysis

  • Analysis at different scales and levels of society

  • Disaggregation of communities by sex