Humanitarian Guidelines and Systems → The Sphere Project

The Sphere Project

Humanitarian Charter and minimum standards in Disaster Response

The Sphere Project sets out what people affected by disasters have a right to expect from humanitarian assistance and provides common terms of reference for humanitarian agencies. This is articulated through:

  • the cornerstone of the Handbook - the Humanitarian Charter, 
  • a set of four Protection Principles, 
  • six Core Standards which apply to all aspects of response,
  • minimum standards in four key life-saving areas.

 

Humanitarian Charter

  • describes the core humanitarian principles that govern the actions of states, non state actors and civil society in humanitarian response.
  • reaffirms the primacy of the humanitarian imperative and spells out three overarching principles based on legal and moral/ethical considerations:

- The right to life with dignity
- The right to receive humanitarian assistance
- The right to protection and security.

  • introduces the principles – during armed conflict – of impartiality, the distinction between civilians and combatants, proportionality, ‘do no harm’ and impartial relief, as well as the principle of non-refoulement.


Protection Principles – applicable in all aspects of response

The four principles and supporting guidance notes outline the manner in which all humanitarian agencies and staff should work with affected populations.
 

 Principles Including the following elements:
1. Avoid exposing people to further harm as a result of your actions
  • The environment and way in which assistance is provided do not expose people to further hazards, violence or rights abuses.
  • Assistance and protection measures do not undermine local capacities for self-protection.
  • Information is managed in a sensitive manner so that the security of informants or others who may be identifiable is not jeopardized.
2. Ensure people’s access to impartial assistance – in proportion to need and without discrimination
  • Ensure all parts of the affected population have access to humanitarian assistance.
  • Challenge any deliberate attempts to exclude parts of the affected population.
  • Provide support and assistance on the basis of need and guard against discrimination on other grounds.
3. Protect people from physical and psychological harm arising from violence and coercion
  • Take all reasonable steps to ensure that the affected population is not:

- subject to violent attack, either by dealing with the source of the threat or by helping people to avoid the threat;
- forced or induced into undertaking actions that may cause them harm or violate their rights (e.g. forced displacement).

  • Support the affected population and local communities in their own efforts to stay safe, find security and restore dignity.
4. Assist people to claim their rights, access available remedies and recover from the effects of abuse

Assist and support affected people:

- to assert their rights and access remedies from government or other sources;
- with information on their enti¬tlements and in securing the documentation needed to demonstrate their entitlements;
- to recover by providing psychosocial and community support.

 

This page was last updated on 24 June 2011