What is Sphere and why is it important?

1. What is Sphere and why is it important?

2. Learning objectives • To discuss some current trends or events that have impacted on our understanding of “humanitarianism” • To describe why the Sphere Project is important • To describe the structure and process of the Sphere Project • To describe the basic structure of the Sphere handbook • To describe the difference between Minimum Standards, Key Indicators and Guidance Notes

3. UNHCR photo UNHCR photo Context and Content

4. Internal drivers: Partnership Decentralisation External drivers: Globalisation Demands for accountability Decreasing funds Complexity Field realities: Increasing numbers of actors, stakeholders and partners in the field Political realities: funding links to donor politics Abuse of humanitarian resources Context: Challenging times for humanitarians Change

5. Why the need for Sphere? • NGO concern with quality & 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 actorswith different measures of success • Post- Rwanda 1994 • Multi-donor evaluation “Unnecessary deaths”

6. Initial steps taken in response … Make the argument for the universal right to assistance Obtain NGO agreement on core principles and actions Collect minimum programming standards for disasters Achieve consensus on technical indicators

7. 1994 1997/8 1996 1998 1994-6 The Code of Conduct First discussions between NGO headquarters about Sphere Launch of Phase II and preliminary edition Phase I Technical discussions around the world leading to draft document Goma Multi-donor evaluation Sphere process so far... Sphere process to date 2000 2000-2003 1999 First final edition of the handbook Phase III Dissemination, Training, Piloting, Revisions, Evaluation Training programme starts

8. An extraordinary process An extraordinary process • Two year consultation with over 800 people, 225 organisations, 60 countries north and south • Sphere aims to quantify some international legal instruments • “The most practical articulation of the rights based approach to date” • Consensus on technical indicators (not new information, but consensus)

9. Management & Funding • Member networks of Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (7 networks plus ICRC & IFRC), InterAction, VOICE & ICVA • Support from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, The Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, United States and ECHO

10. Main project activities • Awareness raising that the Project exists • Dissemination of the handbook and other tools • Technical revisions of the handbook • Training on how to apply the handbook • Piloting the handbook in agencies • Evaluation of the entire process

11. “international law recognises that those affected are entitled to protection and assistance…” “Legal obligations on states or warring parties to provide assistance...” “we define our role in relation to these primary roles and responsibilities …” The Humanitarian Charter…a statement of values … ... A statement of values “We reaffirm our belief in the humanitarian imperative and its primacy…on the basis of this belief…based on the principle of humanity, that we offer our services as humanitarian agencies…

12. The Humanitarian Charter • First, a commitment to promote the observance of fundamental humanitarian principles and an appreciation of our own ethical obligations • Then, a statement of humanitarian principles • Then, definitions of roles, duties and responsibilities • Then, a commitment to attempt consistently to achieve the Minimum Standards • Finally, an acknowledgement that fundamental accountability is to those we seek to assist

13. The Humanitarian Charter: informed by international law Informed by international law... • The right to life with dignity • Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Civil and Political, Economic and Social Covenants; The Geneva Conventions; Convention against Torture; Rights of the Child • The distinction between combatants and non-combatants • Geneva Conventions and Rights of the Child • The principle of non-refoulement • Convention on the Status of Refugees, Convention against Torture, Rights of the Child

14. Tools to convert principles and values into action • In each chapter, • Minimum Standards • Key Indicators • Guidance notes

15. General nutritional support standard1: nutrient supply The nutritional needs of the population are met. What is a Minimum Standard? “The minimum level (of service) to be attained in humanitarian assistance” see page 274 Example from page 90.

16. What are key indicators? 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. Page 274 Key indicators • Levels of moderate malnutrition are stable at , or declining to, acceptable levels. • There are no cases of scurvy, pellagra or beri-beri. • Rates of xeropthalmia or iodine deficiency disorders are not of public health significance (see guidance notes…) see page 90

17. What are Guidance notes? They disseminate experience, illuminate areas of controversy, and help use indicators properly in context Guidance notes “…deciding whether levels of malnutrition are acceptable requires analysis of the current situation in light of local norms...”see page 92

18. Example of a nutritional standard, its indicators and guidance notes Assessment standard Before any programme decisions are made, there is a demonstrated understanding of the basic nutritional situation and conditions which may create risk of malnutrition. • Indicators • An immediate initial assessment that follows internationally accepted procedures is carried out by appropriately experienced personnel. • The information gathered considers national standards for nutrition. • The information is gathered and presented in a way that allows for transparent and consistent decision-making. • Data are disaggregated by sex and age. Guidance notes: sources of information, underlying issues, etc.

19. Example of a water standard and its indicators Water supply standard: People have adequate facilities and supplies to collect, store and use sufficient quantities of water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene… • Indicators: • There is 250g of soap available per person per month • Each household has 2 water collecting vessels of 10 – 20 litres. Water collection and storage vessels have narrow necks and/or covers. • Where communual bathing facilites are necessary, there are sufficient bathing cublicles for bathing at an acceptable frequency and an acceptable time, with separted cubicles for men and for women.

20. Summing it up: Summing it up…. • Humanitarian crises continue • Chaotic growth of humanitarian responders and agendas • Pressures on humanitarians to better define, coordinate and account for humanitarian assistance • Interagency process to clarify the humanitarian basis of action, based on an appreciation of basic human rights - Humanitarian Charter • Tools needed to convert appreciation of rights to protection of rights in real terms - Standards • Tools needed to plan programmes in which these standards can be met and measured - Indicators • Tools to help us apply indicators in appropriate ways - Guidance notes

21. How does the Sphere handbook work? What are the consequences if I apply it in my job?

22. Applications • Around the Project Cycle • Assessments • Problem analysis • Program planning • Impact monitoring • Evaluations • As a technical reference • Measure performance • Rationalise resource use • International reference (to date in 17 languages) • Training curriculum • Guidance on how to achieve systematic participation

23. Opportunities • Performance management and staff skills audit • Review of organisational policies and procedures • Mainstream cross-cutting issues such as gender, protection, and the environment • Research agenda: how well does a particular approach achieve minimum standards … • Advocacy with duty holders • Co-ordination within the humanitarian community • Disaster management cycle (mostly in preparedness)

24. EXERCISE 2 For the applications listed previously, Discuss the challenges, risks or constraints

25. Piloting Sphere :Lessons to date • It takes a long time to mainstream a new initiative or focus in an organisation • Sphere is a successful advocacy tool • Sphere is being used throughout the “project cycle” for humanitarian programmes • Sphere is being used as a disaster preparedness tool

26. Observations Observations • In politically charged environments, the HC may be easier to use than the legal instruments • Some aid workers feel that it is too early to talk with affected populations about rights and entitlements while others feel this is critical • Sphere is helpful in capacity building • There needs to beincreased clarity about the difference between standards and indicators • We all are struggling with monitoring and evaluation • There is still much debate about the usefulness of Sphere within the NGO community • The process continues!

27. What Sphere represents • Declaration that populations affected by conflictand calamity have a right to assistance • A public commitment toward a defined and measurable level of competence and delivery • A distillation of current global knowledge and experience into a practical tool for individuals, their organisations, and the humanitarian community • A challenge to all actors in the humanitarian community for increased accountability and quality

28. www.sphereproject.org ON THE WEBSITE Handbook in English, French, Spanish, Russian & Portuguese Training material and facilitator guide Case studies Pilot agency information Annual reports Newsletters Video order form

29. Concerns with the Sphere Project • Misuse by donors or « technocrats  » • Every disaster is different • Creativity, uniqueness and independence of NGOs are at risk • Universality versus cultural specificity • Relationship to host populations • Resources and access are needed first • Others …

30. The training process • Modules: 1. Introduction to Sphere 2. The Humanitarian Charter 3. The Project Cycle 4. Sphere and disaster preparedness The learning guide • Training of trainers workshops • Global interagency workshops (UN, NGOs, Governments, donors) • Support to agency learning

31. The piloting process • SCF(UK), Oxfam (GB), IFRC, LWF, CORDAID(Netherlands) • ADRA, CARE USA, CRS, IRC, MCI, World Vision International • Disaster Management Institute (India), Sarvodaya (Sri Lanka), CARITAS India, AHA (Ethiopia/ regional), Christian Council of Burundi, CCD(Honduras) Represents most NGO structures