The Sphere Handbook presents a principled approach to quality and accountability in humanitarian response. It is a practical translation of Sphere’s core belief that all people affected by disaster or conflict have a right to life with dignity and the right to receive humanitarian assistance.

The Humanitarian Charter is the cornerstone of the Handbook, with the Protection Principles and Core Humanitarian Standard providing a foundation which informs all sectors of assistance. Technical standards outline priorities to ensure response in four key life-saving sectors: water, sanitation and hygiene promotion; food security and nutrition; shelter and settlement; and health.

The measurable minimum standards describe what needs to be achieved in a humanitarian response in order for people to survive and re-establish their lives and livelihoods in ways that respect their voice and promote their dignity. Key actions, indicators and guidance notes provide ways to apply these standards in diverse context. The chapters are all linked and reinforce each other.

The strength of the Sphere Handbook lies in its universality and adaptability to all humanitarian settings. It enjoys broad ownership in the humanitarian sector and therefore provides a common language for working with all stakeholders towards quality and accountability in humanitarian contexts.

Did you know? You can request free copies of the Minimum Standards for Education, and the Humanitarian Inclusion Standards for Older People and People with Disabilities (the postage is payable).
Contact INEE for your copy of the Minimum Standards for Education
Contact ADCAP for your copy of the Humanitarian Inclusion Standards for Older People and People with Disabilities

Sphere Association
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. In 2017, the Sphere Project became independent as and is now the Sphere Association.

International Encyclopedia of Civil Society

NGOs and Humanitarian Assistance

Stephenson, Max

2020

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99675-2_564-1 [Citations: 0]

Integrating sexual and reproductive health into health system strengthening in humanitarian settings: a planning workshop toolkit to transition from minimum to comprehensive services in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, and Yemen

Tran, Nguyen Toan

Greer, Alison

Kini, Brigitte

Abdi, Hassan

Rajeh, Kariman

Cortier, Hilde

Boboeva, Mohira

Conflict and Health, Vol. 14 (2020), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-020-00326-5 [Citations: 1]

Closing well: national and international humanitarian workers’ perspectives on the ethics of closing humanitarian health projects

Hunt, Matthew

Eckenwiler, Lisa

Hyppolite, Shelley-Rose

Pringle, John

Pal, Nicole

Chung, Ryoa

Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Vol. 5 (2020), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-020-00082-4 [Citations: 1]

Rural children remain more at risk of acute malnutrition following exit from community based management of acute malnutrition program in South Gondar Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study

Abitew, Dereje B.

Worku, Alemayehu

Mulugeta, Afework

Bazzano, Alessandra N.

PeerJ, Vol. 8 (2020), Iss. P.e8419

https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8419 [Citations: 3]

Self-reported diseases and their associated risk factors among camp-dwelling conflict-affected internally displaced populations in Nigeria

Ekezie, Winifred

Myles, Puja

Murray, Rachael L

Bains, Manpreet

Timmons, Stephen

Pritchard, Catherine

Journal of Public Health, Vol. 43 (2021), Iss. 2 P.e171

https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa114 [Citations: 0]

Ethics in a Crowded World: Globalisation, Human Movement and Professional Ethics

The Ethics of Research in Humanitarian Action*

Barber, Rebecca

2019

https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-209620190000022006 [Citations: 0]

Healthcare governance during humanitarian responses: a survey of current practice among international humanitarian actors

Jarrett, Prudence

Fozdar, Yasin

Abdelmagid, Nada

Checchi, Francesco

Conflict and Health, Vol. 15 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-021-00355-8 [Citations: 2]

Reflections on 40 years of Disasters , 1977–2017

Davis, Ian

Disasters, Vol. 43 (2019), Iss. S1

https://doi.org/10.1111/disa.12328 [Citations: 5]

North Korean women’s reproductive health experience

Han, Jung Jin

Oh, Seung Jin

Public Health Nursing, Vol. 38 (2021), Iss. 5 P.751

https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.12894 [Citations: 1]

Child handwashing in an internally displaced persons camp in Northern Iraq: A qualitative multi-method exploration of motivational drivers and other handwashing determinants

Watson, Julie

Cumming, Oliver

Aunger, Robert

Deola, Claudio

Chase, Rachel P.

Dreibelbis, Robert

Fischer, Florian

PLOS ONE, Vol. 15 (2020), Iss. 2 P.e0228482

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228482 [Citations: 6]

Ethics in a Crowded World: Globalisation, Human Movement and Professional Ethics

Ethics, Crowding and Globalisation

Harris, Vandra

2019

https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-209620190000022002 [Citations: 0]

Revisiting the Sphere standards: comparing the revised Sphere standards to living standards in three urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya

Patel, Ronak B.

Chadhuri, Jay

Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Vol. 4 (2019), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-019-0054-y [Citations: 2]

Beyond the boxes

SCOTT‐SMITH, TOM

American Ethnologist, Vol. 46 (2019), Iss. 4 P.509

https://doi.org/10.1111/amet.12833 [Citations: 7]

Predictors of inpatient mortality among children hospitalized for severe acute malnutrition: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Karunaratne, Radhini

Sturgeon, Jonathan P

Patel, Rajvi

Prendergast, Andrew J

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 112 (2020), Iss. 4 P.1069

https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqaa182 [Citations: 6]

LIVES for families psychological first aid training programme to address COVID-19 psychological distress: a mixed methods acceptability and feasibility protocol

Kimber, Melissa

Harms, Sheila

Soreni, Noam

Inrig, Maggie

Acai, Anita

Lipman, Ellen Louise

Sassi, Roberto

Streiner, David L

MacMillan, Harriet L

BMJ Open, Vol. 11 (2021), Iss. 5 P.e049995

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049995 [Citations: 0]

Delivery of sexual and reproductive health interventions in conflict settings: a systematic review

Munyuzangabo, Mariella

Khalifa, Dina Sami

Gaffey, Michelle F

Kamali, Mahdis

Siddiqui, Fahad J

Meteke, Sarah

Shah, Shailja

Jain, Reena P

Als, Daina

Radhakrishnan, Amruta

Ataullahjan, Anushka

Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

BMJ Global Health, Vol. 5 (2020), Iss. Suppl 1 P.e002206

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-002206 [Citations: 9]

Navigating the crisis landscape: engaging the ministry of health and United Nations agencies to make abortion care available to Rohingya refugees

Fetters, Tamara

Rubayet, Sayed

Sultana, Sharmin

Nahar, Shamila

Tofigh, Shadie

Jones, Lea

Samandari, Ghazaleh

Powell, Bill

Conflict and Health, Vol. 14 (2020), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-020-00298-6 [Citations: 4]

Challenges and Barriers of Humanitarian Hygiene Items Management in Recent Disasters in Iran

Adibi Larijani, Haleh

Moslehi, Shandiz

Barghi Shirazi, Fahimeh

Pashaee Asl, Yosef

Alikhani, Afshin

Fatemi, Farin

(2022) P.1

https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2022.62 [Citations: 0]

Predictors of time-to-recovery from severe acute malnutrition treated in an outpatient treatment program in health posts of Arba Minch Zuria Woreda, Gamo zone, Southern Ethiopia: A retrospective cohort study

Gebremedhin, Kidane

Ayele, Gistane

Boti, Negussie

Andarge, Eshetu

Fikadu, Teshale

Munderloh, Ulrike Gertrud

PLOS ONE, Vol. 15 (2020), Iss. 6 P.e0234793

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234793 [Citations: 0]

Assessment of monitoring systems in the management of severe acute malnutrition in northern Nigeria

Tuffrey, Veronica

Mezger, Cora

Nanama, Simeon

Bulti, Assaye

Olisenekwu, Gloria

Umar, Charles

Jones, Emma

Namukasa, Esther

BMC Nutrition, Vol. 7 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-020-00405-z [Citations: 0]

People First, Data Second: A Humanitarian Research Framework for Fieldwork with Refugees by War Zones

Fisher, Karen E.

(2022)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10606-022-09425-8 [Citations: 0]

The implications of international rescue and relief operations for domestic regulatory regimes—lessons from the 2011 East Japan Earthquake

Kodama, Yoshi

Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Vol. 6 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-020-00085-1 [Citations: 0]

Breastfeeding Protection, Promotion, and Support in Humanitarian Emergencies: A Systematic Review of Literature

Dall’Oglio, Immacolata

Marchetti, Francesca

Mascolo, Rachele

Amadio, Patrizia

Gawronski, Orsola

Clemente, Maria

Dotta, Andrea

Ferro, Federico

Garofalo, Antonio

Salvatori, Guglielmo

Tarantino, Antonella

Tiozzo, Emanuela

Giusti, Angela

Journal of Human Lactation, Vol. 36 (2020), Iss. 4 P.687

https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334419900151 [Citations: 6]

Household Emergency Preparedness Instrument Development: A Delphi Study

Heagele, Tara N.

McNeill, Charleen C.

Adams, Lavonne M.

Alfred, Danita M.

(2020) P.1

https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2020.292 [Citations: 4]

Effectiveness of screening and treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition by community health workers in Simiyu region, Tanzania: a quasi-experimental pilot study

Wilunda, Calistus

Mumba, Fortihappiness Gabinus

Putoto, Giovanni

Maya, Gloria

Musa, Elias

Lorusso, Vincenza

Magige, Chacha

Leyna, Germana

Manenti, Fabio

Dalla Riva, Donata

Ntoga, Bupe Abel

Segafredo, Giulia

Scientific Reports, Vol. 11 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81811-6 [Citations: 2]

Ethical considerations for closing humanitarian projects: a scoping review

Pal, Nicole E.

Eckenwiler, Lisa

Hyppolite, Shelley-Rose

Pringle, John

Chung, Ryoa

Hunt, Matthew

Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Vol. 4 (2019), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-019-0064-9 [Citations: 3]

Forensic Science and Humanitarian Action

Posthumous dignity and the importance in returning remains of the deceased

Cook, Sian

2020

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119482062.ch5 [Citations: 1]

Innovative strategies for providing menstruation-supportive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities: learning from refugee camps in Cox’s bazar, Bangladesh

Schmitt, Margaret L.

Wood, Olivia R.

Clatworthy, David

Rashid, Sabina Faiz

Sommer, Marni

Conflict and Health, Vol. 15 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-021-00346-9 [Citations: 2]

Delivering Drinking Water by Truck in Humanitarian Contexts: Results from Mixed-Methods Evaluations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Bangladesh

Sikder, Mustafa

Mirindi, Patrick

String, Gabrielle

Lantagne, Daniele

Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 54 (2020), Iss. 8 P.5041

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b07375 [Citations: 8]

Cyclones in Southern Africa

Natural Disasters and the Role of Pharmacists: A Focus on Policy and Protocols in South Africa

Vhiriri, Eunice P.

Msimang, Asante

Laubscher, Richard K.

Irwin, Yoland

Chiwanza, Farisai

Tandlich, Roman

2021

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74262-1_10 [Citations: 0]

A case analysis of partnered research on palliative care for refugees in Jordan and Rwanda

de Laat, Sonya

Wahoush, Olive

Jaber, Rania

Khater, Wejdan

Musoni, Emmanuel

Abu Siam, Ibraheem

Schwartz, Lisa

Conflict and Health, Vol. 15 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-020-00333-6 [Citations: 1]

A simplified, combined protocol versus standard treatment for acute malnutrition in children 6–59 months (ComPAS trial): A cluster-randomized controlled non-inferiority trial in Kenya and South Sudan

Bailey, Jeanette

Opondo, Charles

Lelijveld, Natasha

Marron, Bethany

Onyo, Pamela

Musyoki, Eunice N.

Adongo, Susan W.

Manary, Mark

Briend, André

Kerac, Marko

Tumwine, James K.

PLOS Medicine, Vol. 17 (2020), Iss. 7 P.e1003192

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003192 [Citations: 12]

Palliative care in universal health coverage: What about humanitarian emergency assistance?

Schneider, Martin

International Journal of Public Health, Vol. 64 (2019), Iss. 4 P.475

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1184-5 [Citations: 0]

The Handbook of Displacement

Conceptualising Postcolonial Displacement Beyond Aid and Protection

Canuday, Jose Jowel

2020

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47178-1_12 [Citations: 0]

Internationale Herausforderungen humanitärer NGOs

Migration und Flucht als humanitäre Herausforderungen

Müller, Oliver

2021

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-62494-4_10 [Citations: 0]

Impact of reduced dose of ready-to-use therapeutic foods in children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition: A randomised non-inferiority trial in Burkina Faso

Kangas, Suvi T.

Salpéteur, Cécile

Nikièma, Victor

Talley, Leisel

Ritz, Christian

Friis, Henrik

Briend, André

Kaestel, Pernille

Persson, Lars Åke

PLOS Medicine, Vol. 16 (2019), Iss. 8 P.e1002887

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002887 [Citations: 29]

Disaster Situation and Humanitarian Emergency – In‐Between Responses to the Refugee Crisis in Germany

Dittmer, Cordula

Lorenz, Daniel F.

International Migration, Vol. 59 (2021), Iss. 3 P.96

https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12679 [Citations: 3]

Ethical considerations for remote sensing and open data in relation to the endangered archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa project

Fisher, Michael

Fradley, Michael

Flohr, Pascal

Rouhani, Bijan

Simi, Francesca

Archaeological Prospection, Vol. 28 (2021), Iss. 3 P.279

https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.1816 [Citations: 2]

Ethics in a Crowded World: Globalisation, Human Movement and Professional Ethics

Humanitarian Localisation: Can We Put Values into Practice?

Harris, Vandra

Tuladhar, Swornima

2019

https://doi.org/10.1108/S1529-209620190000022004 [Citations: 2]

Integrating palliative care and symptom relief into responses to humanitarian crises

Krakauer, Eric L

Daubman, Bethany‐Rose

Aloudat, Tammam

Medical Journal of Australia, Vol. 211 (2019), Iss. 5 P.201

https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.50295 [Citations: 6]

Emergency water treatment with combined ferrate(vi) and ferric salts for disasters and disease outbreaks

Zheng, Lei

Cui, Junkui

Deng, Yang

Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, Vol. 6 (2020), Iss. 10 P.2816

https://doi.org/10.1039/D0EW00483A [Citations: 10]

Understanding disasters: managing and accommodating different worldviews in humanitarian response

Clarke, Matthew

Parris, Brett W.

Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Vol. 4 (2019), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-019-0066-7 [Citations: 3]

Treatment outcomes of severe acute malnutrition and predictors of recovery in under-five children treated within outpatient therapeutic programs in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Bitew, Zebenay Workneh

Alemu, Ayinalem

Worku, Teshager

BMC Pediatrics, Vol. 20 (2020), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-02188-5 [Citations: 1]

‘We make a mistake with shoes [that's no problem] but… not with baby milk’: Facilitators of good and poor practice in distribution of infant formula in the 2014–2016 refugee crisis in Europe

Gribble, Karleen D.

Palmquist, Aunchalee E. L.

Maternal & Child Nutrition, Vol. 18 (2022), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13282 [Citations: 0]

Enhancing Access to Safe Drinking Water in Remote Fijian Communities: Modeling and Implementing a Pilot Rain-Rank Disinfection Program

Byrne, Harry

Cassar, Sophie

Humphrey, John

Lowe, Nicholas

Currell, Matthew

Brown, Nick John

Environmental Engineering Science, Vol. 38 (2021), Iss. 5 P.430

https://doi.org/10.1089/ees.2020.0270 [Citations: 3]

Universal WASH coverage; what it takes for fragile states. Case of Jariban district in Somalia

Mafuta, Wonder

Zuwarimwe, Jethro

Mwale, Marizvikuru

Zúniga-González, Carlos Alberto

PLOS ONE, Vol. 16 (2021), Iss. 2 P.e0247417

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247417 [Citations: 0]

Temporal analysis of water, sanitation, and hygiene data from knowledge, attitudes, and practices surveys in the protracted humanitarian crisis in Myanmar

Domini, Marta

Guidotti, Sunny

Lantagne, Daniele

Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, Vol. 10 (2020), Iss. 4 P.806

https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2020.025 [Citations: 2]

What Matters? Palliative Care, Ethics, and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sheahan, Linda

Brennan, Frank

Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, Vol. 17 (2020), Iss. 4 P.793

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-020-10046-3 [Citations: 6]

Public health without water? Emergency water supply and minimum supply standards of hospitals in high-income countries using the example of Germany and Austria

Bross, L.

Bäumer, J.

Voggenreiter, I.

Wienand, I.

Fekete, A.

Water Policy, Vol. 23 (2021), Iss. 2 P.205

https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2021.012 [Citations: 0]

Quality in crisis: a systematic review of the quality of health systems in humanitarian settings

Jordan, Keely

Lewis, Todd P.

Roberts, Bayard

Conflict and Health, Vol. 15 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-021-00342-z [Citations: 4]

Diabetes in a humanitarian crisis: Atypical clinical presentations and challenges to clinical- and community-based management among Somalis in Ethiopia

Carruth, Lauren

Ateye, Mohamed Jama

Nassir, Ahmed

Hosh, Farah Mussa

Mendenhall, Emily

Global Public Health, Vol. 15 (2020), Iss. 6 P.828

https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2020.1718735 [Citations: 3]

Aadel Brun Tschudi Annual Lecture 2017 – efficiency and equity in development geography, the SDGs and the Sendai Framework

Pelling, Mark

Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography, Vol. 74 (2020), Iss. 1 P.5

https://doi.org/10.1080/00291951.2020.1736144 [Citations: 2]

Prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition in humanitarian emergencies: a multi-organisation collaboration to increase access to synthesised evidence

Allen, Claire

Jansen, Jeroen

Naude, Celeste

Durao, Solange

Mehta, Monaz

von Elm, Erik

van der Kam, Saskia

Prudhon, Claudine

Mayberry, Amy

McGrath, Marie

Alae-Carew, Carmelia

Berkley, James A.

Fracassi, Patrizia

Aburto, Nancy

Jenkins, Mica

Bourdaire, Jessica

Lang, Shona

Nevitte, Alex

Kuhn, Isla

Lee, Shaun

Hafezi, Hannah

Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Vol. 4 (2019), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-019-0057-8 [Citations: 0]

Sexual and reproductive health self-care in humanitarian and fragile settings: where should we start?

Tran, Nguyen Toan

Tappis, Hannah

Moon, Pierre

Christofield, Megan

Dawson, Angela

Conflict and Health, Vol. 15 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-021-00358-5 [Citations: 2]

Refugee Camp: A Tool for Dignity and Security

Szilágyi, Béla

Belügyi Szemle , Vol. 69 (2021), Iss. 4. ksz. P.31

https://doi.org/10.38146/BSZ.SPEC.2021.4.3 [Citations: 0]

To greener pastures

Zarei, Mohammad Hossein

Carrasco-Gallego, Ruth

Ronchi, Stefano

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 39 (2019), Iss. 11 P.1193

https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-12-2018-0703 [Citations: 12]

Child, Adolescent and Family Refugee Mental Health

Substance Use Among Refugee and Conflict-Affected Children and Adolescents

Greene, M. Claire

Kane, Jeremy C.

2020

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45278-0_11 [Citations: 1]

Human Security and Migration in Europe's Southern Borders

Conclusions

Ferreira, Susana

2019

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77947-8_11 [Citations: 0]

Conflicts surrounding individual and collective aspects of ethics in health emergencies

Osorio-de-Castro, Claudia Garcia Serpa

O’Mathúna, Donal

Fernandes Esher Moritz, Angela

Silva Miranda, Elaine

(2021) P.1

https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2021.1929233 [Citations: 1]

Frictions of implementing EU humanitarian aid in Greece (2016–2019)—the Emergency Support Instrument and its practical ramifications

Dittmer, Cordula

Lorenz, Daniel F.

Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Vol. 6 (2021), Iss. 1

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-021-00095-7 [Citations: 0]