Sphere Info Book

Action Aid

Action by Churches Together

Agency Coordination Body forAfghan Relief

Aktion Deutschland Hilft

CARE International

InterAction

International Council of VoluntaryAgencies

International Federation of Red Crossand Red Crescent Societies

International Rescue Committee

Lutheran World Federation

Oxfam International

Policy Action Group onEmergency Response

Salvation Army

Save the Children Alliance

World Vision International

For an updated Board Members list goto “about Sphere” on our website.

All Sphere materials can be consulted and downloaded from the Sphere websiteor ordered from our three main distributors in the UK, Jordan and India, as wellas from many more regional distributors.

To find a distributor near you, please consult our website under “Materials”, then“How to order”.

How to order Sphere materials

List of board member organisations as of January 2009

Contact details:

Postal AddressSphere ProjectP.O. Box 372CH - 1211 Geneva 19Switzerland

Visiting AddressSphere Project17, chemin des CrêtsCH - 1209 Geneva

Tel: +41 22 730 4501Fax: +41 22 730 [email protected]

www.sphereproject.org

Brochure produced by the Sphere Project

Layout by ReDesign, London, UK

Printed by ATAR Rotopresse S.A., Geneva, Switzerland

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Working together towards quality andaccountability in humanitarian response

The Sphere ProjectHumanitarian Charter and MinimumStandards in Disaster Response

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“Thanks to the Sphere project, we are now afamily, a consolidated group of men andwomen, committed to help sufferinghuman beings to live in dignity.”El Hadji Goni Malam Salé, Head Monitoring and Evaluation Unit,Care International, Niger

The Sphere Project Q

“For us, Sphere is a working tool tosensitise and support decision makers, sothat their decisions in humanitarianresponse are based on the MinimumStandards.”Magdalena Medrano Velasco, Executive DirectorPAAC (Programa Asistencia Agrobioenergetica al Campesino), Bolivia

Credit: Yoshi Shim

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ParticipationProcess

Handbook RightsCommon

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QualityLearning

Life with Dignity

“In the context ofhumanitarian aid, the

principle of dignity cannotremain purely declaratory.The dignity of peopleaffected by disaster canand must be respected.

Using the SphereStandards and Indicators is

a way of doing this.”Maynor Cerón, DanChurchAid, Honduras

“An agency that usesSphere, and isperceived by others tofaithfully try to apply itsguidelines and norms, is onethat more and more peoplewill look to for providing assistance -a 'go to NGO' if I could put it that way.”Paul Sitnam, Regional Relief Coordinator, World Vision International, Senegal

Accountability

“Sphere served as a good benchmark duringthe public hearings and people’stribunals that we organisedin post disaster situations.”ActionAid representative referring topublic hearings on the tsunami, held inChennai, India

sCollaboration

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PracticeCommitment


Sphere is a unique voluntary initiative that gathers and updates universalminimum standards in disaster response (the Sphere Handbook)

to improve the quality and accountability of assistance

What is Sphere?

The Sphere Project was launched in 1997 by agroup of international humanitarian Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)and the Red Cross and RedCrescent Movement.

Acknowledging changes in thehumanitarian sector and theneed to improve humanitarianresponse, they created a broadprocess of collaboration whichled to the development of theSphere Handbook - theHumanitarian Charter and MinimumStandards in Disaster Response.

Today, the Sphere community embraces nationaland international NGOs, UN agencies, donor

agencies, host governments, advocacygroups, community-based

organisations and representativesfrom affected populations.

In using Sphere as a tool, theyhave actively taken ownership ofthe commitment to increase the

quality of assistance and toimprove the accountability of those

providing humanitarian assistance todonors and affected populations.

Commitment to Quality and Accountabilitymeans that relief agencies aim to meet minimum standards,

and that they consult and respond to the needs of those they seek to assist.

Credit: International Federation


Founded on the rights of people affected by disaster,Sphere is based on two core beliefs:

That all possible steps should be taken to alleviatehuman suffering arising out of calamity and conflict,and that those affected by disaster have a right tolife with dignity and therefore a right to assistance.

These core beliefs are spelled out in theHumanitarian Charter, which provides theunderpinning principles for the MinimumStandards. The Humanitarian Charter is based oninternational treaties and conventions. It also drawsfrom the Code of Conduct for the International RedCross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs inDisaster Relief, which is an annex of the Handbook.

Putting Principles into PracticeThe Sphere Handbook combines human rightsprinciples (Humanitarian Charter) and a set ofStandards – concrete expressions of those principles– to aim for in disaster response. Organisations,agencies and governments worldwide recognise anduse Sphere in many different ways, for example:• Disaster response: to guide assessment, planning,

implementation, monitoring and evaluation• Disaster preparedness: to structure organisational

strategies and planning• Coordination: to avoid gaps or duplication in

response by using the Sphere Standardsthroughout the response

• Advocacy: to generate funding or to raiseawareness of the rights of disaster-affectedpopulations.

“Sphere is very practical and easy to use.It transcends language and communicationbarriers and facilitates working in multi-cultural environments.”World Vision representative, Goma, November 2008

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The Handbook – HumanitarianCharter and MinimumStandards in DisasterResponse – is the key tool ofthe Sphere Project, compilingin a common languagestandards that reflect bestpractice in humanitarianresponse. It consists of threeparts which, taken together,contribute to an operational

framework for quality and accountability inhumanitarian response:

• The Humanitarian Charter describes thefundamental values Sphere is built upon. It affirmsthe primacy of the humanitarian imperative and theright to life with dignity – and thus the right toprotection and assistance.

• The Minimum Standards Common to All Sectors,or ‘process and people’ standards, relate to

participation of affected populations, assessment,monitoring and evaluation, staff competencies,supervision and management. They are needed toachieve the required quality in humanitarianresponse and should always be applied inconjunction with the technical standards.

• The technical Minimum Standards cover foursectors: Water Supply, Sanitation and HygienePromotion; Food Security, Nutrition and Food Aid;Shelter, Settlement and Non-food Items; HealthServices.

In each chapter, the Minimum Standards areaccompanied by Indicators and Guidance Notes.

• Minimum Standards are qualitative expressions ofaspirations. They describe a situation that should bereached if possible, and are meant to be universaland applicable in any disaster environment.

• Indicators, qualitative or quantitative, are attachedto each Standard. They are ‘signals’ to measureand communicate whether a standard has been

Sphere is a Handbook

The Sphere Handbook is a powerful tool to put principles into practice,providing guidance for effective and accountable humanitarian response and advocacy


attained or whether it is being approached.Indicators are not invariable but must be interpretedaccording to context.

• Guidance notes help translate Standards andIndicators into the local context. They includecritical issues, dilemmas, controversies or gaps incurrent knowledge.

Cross-cutting themes include recognising theparticular needs of vulnerable groups, specificallywomen and children, disabled and older people, andpeople living with HIV/AIDS; as well as protection andenvironment, which highlight vulnerabilities affectingcommunities as a whole.

Sphere CompanionStandards associateSphere with other keyareas of humanitarianresponse. One sucharea is education inemergencies, whichprovides physical andpsychosocialprotection. The SphereProject recommendsthat the Minimum

Standards for Education in Emergencies, ChronicCrises and Early Reconstruction, developed by theInter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies(INEE) be used as companion and complementingstandards from the outset of an emergency.

Numerous local initiatives have translated theSphere Handbook into different languages. Manyorganisations have also adapted Sphere trainingand promotional materials to their specific needs.All materials, guidelines and full details of translationsare available on the Sphere website.

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“What”, not “How To”

The Handbook offers a set of minimum standardswhich should be aimed for in humanitarianresponse. It does not prescribe how to attainthose standards

Interested in translating the Handbook?Contact us!

The Sphere Handbook’s 2004 edition has beentranslated into over 20 languages: Arabic, Assamese,Azeri, Bahasa, Bengali, Chinese, Croatian, Dari, Farsi,French, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Malayalam, Marathi,Nepali, Orriya, Pashtu, Russian, Sinhala, Somali,Spanish, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu and Vietnamese.


A broad consultative process within the humanitariancommunity, striving to be inclusive, transparent andglobally representative, has led to theinitial pilot version and tworevisions of the SphereHandbook. Thousands ofindividuals from over 400organisations in over 80countries were involvedup to the publication ofthe current 2004edition. Many morehave become involvedsince. This processrepresents in itself one ofthe core achievements of theSphere Project.

The Handbook revision process during 2009 – 2010again mobilises the humanitarian community worldwideto prepare the 2010 edition. This process will update the

Handbook to reflect changes since 2004.

Particular focus is placed on revising theStandards common to all sectors,

strengthening cross-cutting issues andincorporating Climate Change and DisasterRisk Reduction. These themes reflect thehumanitarian sector’s recognition of thegrowing urgency to commit to quality and

accountability, as global environmentalchanges lead to more natural disasters and

conflicts over resources.

INEE Minimum Standards and other relevant toolswill be referred to throughout the Handbook.

Sphere is a force for cooperation and cohesion, uniting organisations behind thecommon goal of providing quality relief in an accountable way

Sphere is a Process

Credit: Knud Falk / Danish Red Cross

Credit: Knud Falk / Danish Red Cross


“The Sphere consultative processforced the shelter sector to reflectcollectively for the first time on whatservices should be offered, and inwhat manner.”Tom Corsellis, Executive Director, Shelter Centre

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The Sphere Board guarantees the continuation of theSphere process. It is responsible for the financialsustainability, strategic direction and overall priorities of theSphere Project. Board members, representinghumanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red CrescentMovement, meet twice a year. Decisions from thesemeetings are posted on the Sphere website.

The Sphere Office team manages the implementationof the Sphere strategic plan. Activities focus onmaintaining and promoting Sphere materials, particularlythe Handbook, supporting training on Sphere, andproviding knowledge and information about the use ofSphere around the world. Contributions from SphereBoard member organisations fund the position ofSphere Project Manager, while institutional donors fundother positions and activities.


Over the past few years, Sphere and other Quality andAccountability initiatives have been launched. Eight of themmeet regularly and have agreed a shared vision regardingthe ethical responsibility of humanitarian agencies torespect the dignity of people affected by disasters and toprovide quality assistance.

The Quality and Accountability initiatives address diverseissues:

• ALNAP (Active Learning Network for Accountability andPerformance) promotes a culture of learning across thehumanitarian sector to improve performance

• Coordination SUD developed the Synergie Qualitémethodology

• ECB (the Emergency Capacity Building Project)produced the Good Enough Guide

• INEE (the Inter-Agency Network on Emergency Education)developed the Minimum Standards for Education inEmergencies, Chronic Crises and Early Reconstruction

Sphere is a Commitment

Sphere is the commitment of a growing number of organisations to adopt a vision forquality and accountability in humanitarian response

Credit: Jakob Dall/Danish Red

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ENT• Groupe URD (Groupe Urgence, Réhabilitation et

Développement) developed the Quality COMPAS• HAP International (the Humanitarian Accountability

Partnership) certifies quality management in humanitarianresponse with the HAP Humanitarian Accountability andQuality Management Standard

• People in Aid promotes good practice in themanagement and support of employees and volunteers.

In many ways, the various Quality and Accountabilityinitiatives complement each other. The distinction of Sphereand INEE is that they propose in concrete steps whatneeds to be done in emergency situations to achievecertain minimum standards. Together with the StandardsCommon to All Sectors and the Humanitarian Charter, theSphere technical Minimum Standards offer a verypragmatic response embedded in a broader vision ofquality response and accountability to beneficiaries.

The initiatives are committed to working together wheneverappropriate. In particular, HAP and Sphere have carried outjoint deployments to new emergencies, for example toMyanmar in 2008. Lessons learned from this experiencewill inform future work together.

Credit: DavidBebber/T

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Jan Egeland, then Emergency Relief Coordinator andUN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs,advocated that humanitarian organisations apply codesof conduct and quality standards such as the “excellentSphere Standards”

Speech at the launch of the Tsunami Evaluation Coalition Report,14 July 2006


Sphere is based on the belief that all people have equalright to quality assistance. This right, expressed in theHumanitarian Charter, is translated into practice throughthe Minimum Standards. Sphere helps structureorganisational strategies, and guides assessment, planning,implementation, monitoring and evaluation of a project.

Applying Sphere in certain contexts may seem difficult,with some indicators impossible to reach. But even – orespecially – in such situations, Sphere is a useful tool:Indicators should never be considered as absolute orinvariable, even where they give specific measurements.When necessary, agencies should explain why they cannot,or choose not to, reach a specific indicator. Analysing andexplaining such gaps is the practical application of theQuality and Accountability approach. The Sphere ReviewProcess* can help agencies achieve this goal.

Sphere is about putting principles and rights into practice by providing objectives – the Standards and Indicators – against which to measure achievements and gaps

Sphere in Practice

* The Sphere Review Process is a tool for reviewing projectcompliance with Sphere. It was developed by CARE andcan be found on the Sphere website.

“You don’t fully understand the SphereStandards until you see the impact ofrelief response on people… and until you hearfrom people that they have been treatedwith dignity. ”Maya Assaf, Reporting and Monitoring Officer, World Vision Lebanon, 2006

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a/International Federation


Where several agencies provide assistance simultaneously,the Sphere Standards and Indicators are an importantinter-agency coordination tool to avoid differentstandards or response gaps. Recognising this strength ofSphere, organisations in several parts of the world have setup national Sphere structures, such as the Sphere ElSalvador Group, Sphere Honduras and Sphere India.Sphere India, for example, is a coalition and collaborativepartnership between government and Indian non-governmental humanitarian agencies, to build commonunderstanding among stakeholders for a coordinateddisaster response.

Regional Sphere focal points have been set up in Kenya(the Inter-Agency Working Group on DisasterPreparedness for Central and East Africa) and in Pakistan,following a Sphere deployment after the 2005 South AsiaEarthquake. The Pakistan focal point covers a number ofAsian countries.

Other actors, such as armies and private contractors,play an increasingly important role in humanitarianresponse. Some of them use Sphere standards, as forexample the Pakistani Army during their 2005 Earthquakeresponse. An Introduction to Sphere for Military Audiencesis available on the website.

Thanks to persistent advocacy, some governments,such as Spain, Bolivia, Peru and Indonesia, haveintegrated Sphere into their humanitarian response plansor used it as guidance. In the 2007 European Consensuson Humanitarian Aid, the European Union refers explicitlyto Sphere (article 40). Many donor governmentsencourage aid agencies to use the Sphere Handbook intheir programming.

Credit: Bruce Liron / British Red Cross

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Thanks to the commitment of the Sphere Community as awhole, quality and context-specific Sphere training and learningare widely available. Dedicated individuals, organisations andinter-agency groups around the world contribute to spreadingknowledge of Sphere and its effective implementation.

Sphere trainings range from one-dayintroductory workshops to trainings on thefour technical sectors of the SphereHandbook, on the HumanitarianCharter, on the use of Spherethroughout the project cycle andTraining of Trainers courses.

The Sphere Project officesupports these trainings in fourmain areas:

• Training Materials are producedand gathered in order to develop theknowledge and practical skills to apply

the Sphere Handbook in humanitarian work. Materialsinclude the Sphere Training Package, modules on technicalsectors, general and audience-specific presentations,exercises, case studies, videos and guidelines. A distance

learning tool is being developed and will allowpeople all over the world to learn about

Sphere at their own pace.

• Sphere Trainers: The Sphere officesupports the continuous developmentof a diverse group of Sphere Trainersaround the world, by organising andsupporting Training of Trainers (ToT)courses in various languages.

ToT partipants come from a widerange of organisations, countries and

fields of expertise. They contribute tothe integration of Sphere in humanitarian

work by conducting context-specificCredit: Knud Falk / Danish Red Cross

Training is a key process for successfully putting Sphere into practice

Sphere Training and Learning


Sphere trainings and introducing Sphere into projects,programmes, organisations, government policyor inter-agency working groups.

An on-line database of active Spheretrainers will provide a user-friendlytool to find people around theworld with experiencedelivering Sphere training,workshops and learningactivities. It will also allowtrainers to create and updatetheir own training profile.

• Guidance and advice areprovided to those wishing toorganise Sphere trainings or toincorporate Sphere into existingtraining or academic courses. Twoguides are particularly helpful in thisregard: the Trainers’ Guide, part I of the TrainingPackage, helps to plan and identify tools and resourcesavailable. The Organisers’ Guide to Sphere ToTs is apractical guide for organisingToT courses, complementingthe Lessons from the Sphere ToT Courses, a referencefor faciliators.

• Information sharing on Sphere-related workshops,courses and events. These are posted on the

events calendar and in the training newssection on the Sphere website, and

circulated through the mailing list.

If you wish to subscribe to themailing list and receive the Spherequarterly Newsletter, please sendan email to: [email protected] line: subscribe sphere-newsletter-english. TheNewsletter is also available in

French and Spanish.

All training materials are available forfree on the Sphere website; hardcopies

of the Sphere Training Package can bepurchased through our distributors.

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Credit: International Federation Olav Saltbones / International

Help us build the Sphere learning community!

• Share your training materials• Post your Sphere-related events on the online

calendar• Contribute to the Sphere quarterly Newsletter• Tell us about your training plans


Documents

Sphere Info Book