Humanitarian assistance 101

International humanitarian standards are the backbone of our work in humanitarian assistance. It is essential to know them and where to look up the details throughout project cycle management and for NGO management and administration.

There are also excellent guidelines developed by organizations, the UN and donors to share good practice and skills.

I'll start with the core for project implementation:

The Sphere Standards are the most essential of common principles and universal minimum standards in life-saving areas of humanitarian response, including water, sanitation, shelter, health, food and nutrition, that every humanitarian aid worker must know.

Over and over again I have seen wells and latrines built without regard for these standards, resulting in the water being contaminated. In crowded refugee camps this is deadly.

The Sphere Handbook includes the Sphere Standards, the Humanitarian Charter, Protection Principles and the Core Humanitarian Standard.

Here a link to the online Sphere Handbook:

There is also a website where you can download the handbook in different languages:

The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability describes 9 commitments for organisations and humanitarian aid workers to follow in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of the assistance they provide.

This is about HOW we do our work. During times of emergency we can become so focused on WHAT we're trying to achieve, but simultaneously we need to focus on HOW we are implementing our projects. The essence is to place communities and people affected by disasters and conflict at the center throughout the whole cycle of project management.

The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability was created and published by the CHS Alliance, Groupe URD and the Sphere Project. Here the link to the document:

This is just the beginning on international humanitarian standards and guidelines, but an important beginning