The Sphere Project - Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response - 2011 edition

Oct 12, 2026

Uploaded by Aditya

The Sphere Project developed universal minimum standards for humanitarian response, published as the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. The handbook aims to raise the quality of assistance during disaster and conflict, strengthen accountability to disaster-affected people, and draw on collective inter-agency experience rather than any single organization’s views. The 2011 edition reflects broad collaboration, with first trial, final, and subsequent editions culminating in a second re-print and formal publication details.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages402

Reading Time2 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Humanitarian Charter

Protection Principles

Core Standards

Technical chapters

Water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion

Food security and nutrition

Shelter, settlement and non-food items

Health action

Cross-cutting themes

Children

Older people

Persons with disabilities

Gender

Psychosocial issues

HIV and AIDS

Environment, climate change and disaster risk reduction

Sphere companion standards

Education

Livestock

Economic recovery

The Sphere Project Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response 2011 ediTion The Sphere Project Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response Published by: The Sphere Project Copyright@The Sphere Project 2011 Email: [info@sphereproject.org](info@sphereproject.org) [Website : www.sphereproject.org](Website : www.sphereproject.org) The Sphere Project was initiated in 1997 by a group of NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to develop a set of universal minimum standards in core areas of humanitarian response: the Sphere Handbook. The aim of the Handbook is to improve the quality of humanitarian response in situations of disaster and conflict, and to enhance the accountability of the humanitarian system to disaster-affected people. The Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response are the product of the collective experience of many people and agencies. They should therefore not be seen as representing the views of any one agency. First trial edition 1998 First final edition 2000 Second edition 2004 Third edition 2011 Second re-print October 2011 ISBN 978-1-908176-00-4 A catalogue record for this publication is available from The British Library and the US Library of Congress. All rights reserved. This material is copyright but may be reproduced by any method without fee for educational purposes but not forresale. Formal permission is required for all such uses but normally will be granted immediately. For copying in other circumstances, for posting online or for reuse in other publications, or for translation or adaptation, prior written permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, and a fee may be payable. Distributed for the Sphere Project by Practical Action Publishing and its agents and representatives throughout the world. Practical Action Publishing, Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development, Bourton on Dunsmore, Rugby, CV23 9QZ, United Kingdom Tel +44 (0) 1926 634501; Fax +44 (0)1926 634502 Email: [sphere@practicalaction.org.uk](sphere@practicalaction.org.uk) [Website: www.practicalactionpublishing.org/sphere](Website: www.practicalactionpublishing.org/sphere) Practical Action Publishing (UK Company Reg. No. 1159018) is the wholly owned publishing company of Practical Action and trades only in support of its parent charity objectives. Designed by: , Metz-Tessy, France Printed by: Belmont Press Ltd, Northampton, United Kingdom Foreword This latest edition of the Sphere Handbook, Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response, is the product of broad inter-agency collaboration. The Humanitarian Charter and minimum standards reflect the determination of agencies to improve both the effectiveness of their assistance and their accountability to their stakeholders, contributing to a practical framework for accountability. The Humanitarian Charter and minimum standards will not of course stop humanitarian crises from happening, nor can they prevent human suffering. What they offer, however, is an opportunity for the enhancement of assistance with the aim of making a difference to the lives of people affected by disaster. From their origin in the late 1990s, as an initiative of a group of humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the Sphere standards are now applied as the de facto standards in humanitarian response in the 21st century. A word of gratitude must, therefore, be given to all those who have made this happen. Ton van Zutphen John Damerell Sphere Board Chair Project Manager Acknowledgements The revision of the Sphere Handbook has been an extensive, collaborative and consultative process, engaging a considerable number of people around the world – too many to mention individually by name. The Sphere Project acknowledges the breadth of the contributions made and the willingness of organisationsand individuals to be involv

FAQs

What is the Sphere Project and what does it produce?

The Sphere Project was initiated to develop universal minimum standards for humanitarian response, published as the Sphere Handbook titled the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response.

What is the main purpose of the Humanitarian Charter and minimum standards?

They are intended to improve the effectiveness and accountability of humanitarian assistance, providing a practical framework to enhance assistance for people affected by disaster.

How are the Sphere standards developed and why are they not tied to one agency?

They are the product of collective experience from many people and agencies, and are not meant to represent the views of any single agency.

Oct 12, 2026

Uploaded by Aditya