Skip to main content
We are sorry but the page you are looking for is not available in the language you have selected, please go to the corresponding homepage
  1. Home
  2. Library
Guidelines and Tools

Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) Minimum Standards

September 2024 — By War Child Alliance

download this publication

Cash and voucher assistance (CVA) is a modality of aid response, rather than a sector in of itself. CVA can therefore be used for sectoral purposes (for example, cash for protection or cash for education), as well as for multi-sectoral purposes and/or basic needs (for example, multi-purpose cash). These minimum standards apply to all programmes within War Child which utilise CVA, be it sectoral CVA or multi-sectoral CVA. Similarly, the term CVA covers both cash and vouchers and therefore these minimum standards apply to both cash and voucher assistance.

These standards are the ‘floor’ for all CVA projects. In other words, all CVA projects must follow these standards when implementing the CVA component of the project. It is highly likely that other standards must also be followed in tandem, including:

  • Sectoral standards: Since CVA is a modality, it is likely that the project implemented would likely entail the implementation of other sectoral standards. For example, a cash for protection project would use these minimum standards as well as the Child Protection Minimum Standards (CPMS), whilst a cash for education project would use these minimum standards in tandem with the Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) Minimum Standards.
  • Organisational standards: These minimum standards reference obligations in the sphere of data protection and safeguarding. These do not replace the entirety of obligations in data protection or safeguarding and in fact reflect the requirement of continued adherence to such standards. The organisational Data Information Sharing Protocol and Safeguarding Policy apply at all times.
  • Cluster guidance: These minimum standards do not replace the guidance of the cluster and/or working group at the country level. In fact, a major component of the minimum standards is whether the cluster and/or working group guidance has been taken into consideration.
  • Donor compliance: Project and/or restricted funding often have restrictions on how the money might be spent. Whilst these standards might be used in discussions with donors (especially to ensure that there are no contradictions between these minimum standards and donor requirements), this does not mean that these standards replace standards that relate to donor compliance.
  • Innovation and exploring new quality initiatives: There is no ‘ceiling’ for CVA projects. As a result, country offices are encouraged to explore the inclusion of other activities to strengthen the quality of CVA projects, which could potentially be included in future iterations of the minimum standards.