The Core Humanitarian

Standard in the Sphere

Handbook
What is the CHS and how, used in
conjunction with other chapters of the
Sphere Handbook, can it enhance
quality and accountability?
Module A8 Sphere Training Package 2016

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
List the nine commitments of the CHS
Describe the format of the CHS, including
commitments, quality criteria, performance
indicators, key actions, organisational responsibilities
and guidance notes
Illustrate how the joint use of the CHS, Humanitarian
Charter, Protection Principles and Sphere technical
minimum standards reinforces the quality,
accountability and effectiveness of humanitarian
response.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Sphere Handbook

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Sphere Handbook

The Core Humanitarian

Standard replacing
Sphere Core Standards Chapter

The Core
and
minimum
standards:
Principles
put into
practice

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
1. Communities and
people affected by
crisis receive
assistance appropriate
and relevant to their
needs.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
2. Communities and
people affected by
crisis have access to
the humanitarian
assistance they need
at the right time.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
3. Communities and
people affected by
crisis are not
negatively affected
and are more
prepared, resilient and
less at-risk as a result
of humanitarian action.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
4. Communities and
people affected by
crisis know their rights
and entitlements, have
access to information
and participate in
decisions that affect
them.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
5. Communities and
people affected by
crisis have access to
safe and responsive
mechanisms to handle
complaints.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
6. Communities and
people affected by
crisis receive
coordinated,
complementary
assistance.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
7. Communities and
people affected by
crisis can expect
delivery of improved
assistance as
organisations learn
from experience and
reflection.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
8. Communities and
people affected by
crisis receive the
assistance they require
from competent and
well-managed staff
and volunteers.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Core Humanitarian Standard:

origins
9. Communities and
people affected by
crisis can expect that
the organisations
assisting them are
managing resources
effectively, efficiently
and ethically.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

The Sphere Core Standards: a

comparison

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 1-9
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 1-9
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Statement of what
communities can
expect

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 19
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance
Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook
Sphere Training Package 2015

How agencies should

work in order to meet
the Commitment

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 19
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance
Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook
Sphere Training Package 2015

Background why is
there a contextual
need for this
statement?

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 1-9
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

How can we measure

our progress towards
meeting the standard?

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 1-9
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Considerations when
measuring actions
what should we ask?
Both as practitioners
and as organisations

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 1-9
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Specific actions to
ensure quality and
accountability

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 1-9
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Clarification of the
context,
responsibilities and
challenges requiring
consideration

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 19
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance
Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook
Sphere Training Package 2015

Describe the policies,

process and systems
organisations should
have in place

CHS Elements
Commitment and quality criterion 19
Why is this commitment important?
Performance indicators
Guiding questions for monitoring key
actions and organisational
responsibilities
Key actions + guidance notes
Organisational responsibilities
Links to further guidance
Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook
Sphere Training Package 2015

Additional resources to
support decision
making and continuous
learning

Module XX Sphere and the Core Humanitarian Standard

Commitment 3
Communities and people affected by crisis are not
negatively affected and are more prepared,
resilient and at-risk as a result of humanitarian
action.
Find: Local authorities, leaders and organisations with
responsibilities for responding to crises consider that
their capacities have been increased.
Performance indicator 2 (p. 11)

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Commitment 5
Communities and people affected by crisis have
access to safe and responsive mechanisms to
handle complaints.
Find: Are there specific policies, budgets and procedures
in place for handling complaints?
Guiding question for monitoring
organisational responsibilities p.21)

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Commitment 6
Communities and people affected by crisis receive
coordinated, complementary assistance.
Find: Policies and strategies include a clear commitment
to coordination and collaboration with others, including
national and local authorities, without compromising
humanitarian principles.
Organisational responsibility 6.5 (p.25)

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Commitment 8
Communities and people affected by crisis receive
the assistance they require from competent and
well-managed staff and volunteers.
Find: Are staff aware of support available for developing
the competences required by their role and are they
making use of it?
Guiding questions for monitoring
key actions (p. 29)

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Hurricane Esther

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Hurricane Esther the aftermath

Hurricane Esther made landfall in
the Caribbean island of Sarandeh
on 21 August.
45% of residents displaced (21,500
people).
State of Emergency declared,
request for assistance made.
Severe disruption to island life.
Port Jackson sustained major
damage.
Initial reports suggest 50% of
buildings in the capital destroyed.
Large-scale physical trauma,
hospitals overwhelmed.
Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook
Sphere Training Package 2015

Sarandeh background information

Post-conflict country emerging
from violent 15-year civil war
between historically powerful
ethnic minority and poorer
majority, made up of three distinct
groups nationally.
Fragile power-sharing
arrangement.
High HIV prevalence nationwide in
both urban and rural areas.
Low level literacy, low secondary
school retention and high urban
migration.
Sarandehs economy stagnant
through the war but showing minor
signs of improvement as investors
Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook
return.
Sphere Training Package 2015

Instructions
In your group discuss how you can bring a higher
level of quality and accountability to the situation.
Please list at least three ways you could
improve the response jointly using the CHS
commitments, Sphere technical minimum
standards and the Sphere Protection Principles.
Be ready to present your groups findings
Present on flip chart (5 minutes per
group)
You have 25 minutes to prepare.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Key messages

The CHS is a voluntary set of commitments and achievable,

actions and policies, processes and systems.

It is a measurable and verifiable standard.

When indicators show shortcomings, this provides an

excellent opportunity to reflect and advocate for the
required changes, rather than pointing out poor
performance or organisational weaknesses.

The CHS should be used jointly with the Humanitarian

Charter, the Protection Principles, Sphere technical
minimum standards and Sphere companion standards.
Together, they provide a complete framework of quality,
effectiveness of humanitarian response and accountability
towards disaster-affected population.

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015

Further reading
1. The Core Humanitarian Standard website for
additional information on the background and
development of the CHS
2. The Sphere website
3. The CHS Alliance website, particularly for additional
information on verification and additional training
support

Module A8 The Core Humanitarian Standard in the Sphere Handbook

Sphere Training Package 2015