The Sphere Project

1. The Sphere Project

2. Why is Sphere needed? • NGO concern with quality and accountability - has been ongoing • Historic practice no longer sufficient - Increasing complexity of disasters - Numbers of disasters increasing - Changing nature of humanitarian community and increasing diversity - Increasing number of actors with different measures of success • Post- Rwanda 1994 - Multi-donor evaluation “Unnecessary deaths”

3. To create a common working language To make humanitarian interventions more efficient To improve accountability and transparency To improve program quality People affected by disasters have the right to live in dignity. Aims:

4. IntroductionWhat is Sphere? The Humanitarian Charter Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Food Security and Nutrition Shelter, Settlement and Non-Food items Health Actions The Sphere HandbookTools to put principles and values into action 2004Edition The Code of Conduct Each Chapter includes Protection Principles • Minimum standards Core standards for all sectors • KeyActions • Key indicators • Guidance notes

5. Turn to your Sphere handbooks. Use Post-It notes to mark the beginning of each section: - The humanitarian charter - The Protection Principles - The core standards - The technical standards - The Code of Conduct Getting Familiar with your Sphere Handbook

6. 1997 Initialconsultation 2000 handbook launched 2011 handbook revised edition Process: extensive consultation 2004 handbook revised edition 4000+ people 400 organisations 80 countries around the world

7. Sphere process • Make argument for universal assistance • Obtain agreement on core principles and actions • Achieve consensus on technical standards and indicators

8. The Humanitarian Charter Our beliefs:“As local, national, and international humanitarian agencies, we commit to promoting and adhering to the principles of this Charter and to meeting minimum standards in our efforts to assist and protect those affected.”

9. Common principles, rights and duties “ We offer our services as humanitarian agencies on the basis of the principle of humanity and the humanitarian imperative, recognising the rights of all people affected by disaster or conflict” Humanitarian Charter

10. Humanitarian Charter: Three RightsInformed by International Law • Right to life with dignity“entails the duty to preserve life where it is threatened. Implicit in this is the duty not to withhold or frustrate the provision of life-saving assistance.” - Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Civil, political, economic and social covenants - The Geneva Conventions • Right to receive humanitarian assistance“assistance must be provided according to the principle of impartiality. This reflects the wider principle of non-discrimination” - Geneva Conventions - Rights of the Child • Right to protection and security“The safety & security of people in situations of disaster or conflict are of particular humanitarian concern, including the protection of refugees and internally displaced individuals”- Convention on the Status of Refugees - Convention against Torture- Convention on the Rights of the Child

11. Human Rights Humanitarian Law Refugee Law Example of documentary source Core ideas Who has rights? Who has duties? When do they apply? The main legal instruments The International Bill of Rights The Geneva Convention The Convention on the Status of Refugees The right to life with dignity Distinction between combatants and non-combatants Principle of non-refoulement Everyone Non-combatants in conflict Refugees, but not IDPs States (legally) but everyone (morally) Warring parties States where refugees reside Most apply always, some don’t in states of emergency In armed conflicts only Wherever refugees exist

12. The basic needs of people affected by calamity are first met through their own efforts. We acknowledge the primary role of the state to assist when people’s capacity has been exceeded. Those affected are legally entitled to assistance and protection. States and warring parties are legally obliged to assist. Our role reflects the reality that those with primary responsibility are not always able or willing to perform this role. Roles and Responsibilities (p.20-21)

13. Avoid causing further harm as a result of your actions Ensure people’s access to impartial assistance Protect people from physical and psychological harm due to violence or coercion Assist with rights claims, access to remedies, and recovery from abuse Protection Principles (p.28)

14. Preventive: Preventing physical threats or rights abuse Responsive: Stopping ongoing violations Remedial: Providing remedies Modes of Protection Activity (p.32)

15. Translating principles into action How much food … is the human right to food?“Sphere's specific standards in the provision of health care, water and sanitation, shelter, food security and nutrition translate people's rights into specific agency duties.” (Hugo Slim 2001) Emphasis by Sphere

16. What is a minimum standard? The minimum level of service to be attained in humanitarian assistance Food security - food transfers standard 1: General nutrition requirements Ensure the nutritional needs of the disaster affected population, including those most at risk are met.see page 180

17. What are key actions? Suggested activities and inputs to help meet the standards. • Design food transfers on the basis of the standard initial planning requirements for energy, protein, fat, and micronutrients • Ensure the populations access to appropriate nutritious foods and nutritional support is protected, promoted, and supported.see page 180

18. What are key indicators? Signals that show whether a standard has been attained. They provide a way of measuring and communicating both the impact, or result, of programmes as well as the process, or methods, used. The indicators may be qualitative or quantitative. Key indicators • There is adequate access to a range of foods… • There are no cases of scurvy, pellagra or beri-beri, … • The prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency, iron deficiency anaemia and iodine deficiency disorders are not of public health significance… see page 180-181

19. What are guidance notes? They disseminate experience, illuminate areas of controversy, and help use indicators properly in context Guidance notes “Options for improving the nutritional quality of the ration include fortification of staple commodities...”see page 182

20. Standards, key actions, key indicators and guidance notes Minimum standards Key actions Key indicators Guidance notes When asked, please find examples of each of these in your handbook.

21. To Summarize: • Declaration that populations affected by conflictand calamity have a right to assistance • Commitment towards a defined and measurable level of competence and delivery • Distillation of current global knowledge and experience into a practical tool for:- individuals - their organisations - the humanitarian community • Challenge to all actors in the humanitarian community for increased accountability and quality

22. Applications • Strengthen advocacy • Measure performance • Rationalise resource use • Enable coordination - more than 20 languages • Inform training curriculum • Promote participation • Evaluate policies and procedures

23. Preparedness Assessment Evaluation Problemanalysis Impact monitoring Programme planning Applications: project cycle