Sphere India - URS Sphere India

• Sphere India

The Sphere Project which resulted in the development of Sphere Standards was initiated after the humanitarian crisis in Rwanda in 1994. The refugee crisis in Rwanda, which was followed by unprecedented international humanitarian response, under the spotlight of the international media, publicly magnified the fault lines within the humanitarian system to an extraordinary degree. These were major factors creating the momentum for change particularly amongst NGOs, and their increasing

openness to radical change. In 1997 a group of humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement launched the Sphere Project. Sphere is based on two core beliefs: first, that all possible steps should be taken to alleviate human suffering arising out of calamity and conflict, and second, that those affected by disaster have a right to life with dignity and therefore a right to assistance

Values and principles that guided the development of Sphere Standards
	• International Humanitarian, Human Rights, and Refugee law • The Code of Conduct: Principles of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Response Programmers.

Components of Sphere:

	A Hand Book (Minimum Standards in Disaster response). Conducting trainings and TOT’s. Expression of commitment to quality and accountability in humanitarian response taking forms of various initiatives across the globe.

The Sphere Hand Book

	Sphere Hand Book is the most essential tool produced under the initiative. The hand book which was first launched in 1999 and then revised in 2004 was a result of multi-layer, multi-sectoral and cross-continent consultations among about 4000 development/relief professionals from 400 odd organizations across 80 countries.

Sphere Hand Book is the most essential tool produced under the initiative. The hand book which was first launched in 1999 and then revised in 2004 was a result of multi-layer, multi-sectoral and cross-continent consultations among about 4000 development/relief professionals from 400 odd organizations across 80 countries.

The hand book has a separate chapter dedicated on each of the following sectors
• Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene promotion
• Food Security, Nutrition and Food Aid
• Shelter, Settlement and Non-Food items
• Health Services
Each of the chapter includes minimum standards, key indicators and guidance notes which clearly underline the qualitative and quantitative criteria to be factored while designing and implemented emergency responses.

Sphere India

Sphere India is a coalition and collaborative partnership, between government and non-governmental agencies involved in humanitarian initiatives in India. Launched in 2002, Sphere India aims at contributing towards the quality of humanitarian response by ensuring improved coordination among various stakeholders in humanitarian work, while promoting the spirit and commitment embodied in the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. Sphere Hand Book has been translated into many Indian languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Oriya, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu and Urdu.

Values and principles that guided the development of Sphere Standards

Components of Sphere: