Summary
Overall, the Project is running on course at the end of Year one of Phase III. All the objectives are being met and the project continues to generate a robust interest from all sectors of the humanitarian system. For example, the Sphere Training of Trainers courses are very popular with applications running at five times the available space. An increasing number of NGOs are running Sphere workshops with consequent demand for experienced trainers. Requests for presentations from UN agencies and academic institutions are rising. Subsequently, the big issue facing the project is how to manage this increased demand from NGOs, UN agencies, academic institutions, governments and individual practitioners for trainings, piloting, presentations, handbook feedback, translations, etc., with the resources available.

The Sphere Management Committee is exploring how to best address this issue - both short and long-term. The Management Committee recognises that there is no "right" way to tackle the issue of improving quality and accountability, and many alternative paths may lead to the same goal, but believe that the Sphere Project has achieved a level of consensus within the diverse community of NGOs, the Red Cross movement, donors, UN and academic institutions, which has never before been witnessed. Other initiatives will continue to exist and struggle with similar issues. Nonetheless, the success of The Sphere Project and the breadth of adherence to it and support for it has far exceeded initial expectations, representing, for once, a real triumph of hope over experience.

The Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards has established a common language, which weaves together the interests of multiple players in the sector, and thereby, has established a coherence and commonality of purpose, which transcends individual institutional, organisational, or national interests. There is a broad and deep level of popular demand within the NGO community (international and national), and other sections of the humanitarian community, for continued development of the initiative. This ranges from a demand for more training and piloting support, and continued resources for this, to more complex calls for extension of the sectors, or chapters, of the Handbook, and revisions and adjustments.

The Management Committee (MC) of the Sphere Project has therefore resolved that an effective means of continuing the mission in a coherent way must be found. The MC wishes to assure the future of collective commitment to the promotion, and continual enhancement, of quality and accountability within the humanitarian sector. To this end, the Management Committee will discuss these issues at the forthcoming meeting in late January 2002.

Report against Phase III proposal objectives:

1. Training programme

1.1 Based on experience and feedback, continue to update and refine the current training modules.
The four training modules continue to be tested and subsequently undergo modification.
All the Modules were revised and used in the April 2001 Training of Trainers (ToT) course.
With feedback from the ToT, another round of drafts is planned and completion anticipated by December 2001. Independent experts are contracted for much this work, with close collaboration with the Sphere training manager. The 500 pages of material will be translated into French and Spanish and made available on the project's website, and possibly into a bound training book.

1.2 Conduct a Training of Trainers
In light of the high demand, the project is conducting four additional ToT courses instead of the planned two. A second English language TOT will take place in November 2001, followed by French (Morocco) in December and Spanish (Peru) and Australia in January and April 2002 respectively. The ToTs are producing individuals who are available for interagency as well as
intra-agency work and the language capacity is broadening (e.g. Swahili, Norwegian and German).

1.3 Facilitate 15 interagency workshops world-wide.
In the reporting period, the project conducted five interagency workshops (bringing total completed to 12) in the following countries: Colombia, Georgia, Honduras, Jordan and Peshawar/Afghanistan. A common observation made by participants is the neutrality and safety
of the workshop space - which allows for a greatly enhanced and effective learning environment.

In addition to the demand for official Sphere workshops, the project is increasingly providing training consulting - helping agencies design and manage appropriate workshops including identifying goals and objectives, articulating main messages and refining participant selection. This support also includes networking available Sphere-trained trainers to conduct workshops as independent consultants; helping agencies identify learning opportunities; advice on how to incorporate Sphere training materials into organisational context; and the ongoing mentoring of trainers.

In May 2002, the Training Manager attended the two-week UNDAC course and gave a presentation on using the handbook in rapid assessments. Sphere handbooks were distributed to all participants.

2. Outreach

2.1 Proactively engage with the humanitarian community with a particular emphasis on
southern/eastern situations and voices.
Various engagements are taking place around the world. One recent example:
The Government of Angola, with the support of OCHA, passed legislation (January 2000) on the resettlement of the displaced population (more than one third of the national population), drawing on the Guiding Principles for Internally Displaced and the Sphere handbook. As part of a national planning process for humanitarian assistance and resettlement, OCHA asked the Sphere Project to collaborate in holding a training of trainers workshop for Angolans covering the legal instruments and principles (national legislation, Guiding Principles, Humanitarian Charter) and application of the Minimum Standards and national standards around the project cycle. This workshop took place in August 2001 and the project will maintain contact with OCHA and the government regarding the follow-up process.

2.2 Facilitate incorporation and ratification by UN operational agencies with a focus on
co-ordination with implementing partners.
Outreach continues with most of the operational agencies and there is a growing engagement with
WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO as they begin to use the manual as a coordination tool with their NGO partners. OCHA continues to focus on using Sphere in the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) and to instruct its Humanitarian Coordinators in the use and merit of the handbook.

2.3 Develop generic work plans and support packages adaptable to country-based consortia
wishing to create Sphere focal points.
In addition to training support, the staff is supporting focal points through the pilot work. A good
example of this is the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) - an umbrella organisation
supporting international and national NGO member agencies in implementing Sphere in Sri Lanka.
CHA is using the Sphere video and brochures as templates for their own dissemination efforts.

2.4 Review, update and maintain website.
The website continues to be an important vehicle for dissemination and we are committed to
making the entire site available in three languages (English, French, Spanish). Additionally, Russian, and Portuguese texts of the handbook are posted and Arabic will be available soon. The project office conducted an analysis of the site that revealed 50 external websites that link to Sphere. We have included a "Links of Interest" section that we plan to improve by adding a description of each link.
Hits are steady at 125,000 per month with the water and sanitation pages the most visited (other than the home page).

2.5 Produce a 60-minute video based in real-time disaster situations that will graphically illustrate
the practical application of the Sphere handbook in field use.
The script is complete and filming will commence in Sierra Leone in January 2002 and in India in February. The finished product (English with French and Spanish subtitles) will be available in June 2002.

2.6 Prepare, in consultation with the academic community, suggested scenarios for use of
handbook in academic curricula, with particular emphasis on universities based in the
Southern Hemisphere.
Using the Internet, a Sphere project intern collected information about conferences and university
courses world-wide related to disasters, humanitarian issues and human rights. Over 100 academic institutions and training organisations were identified with over 40% from developing countries. The new brochure was sent to all, a copy of the handbook and an outline of the training material to some, and, in a few cases, we proposed that Sphere representatives attend or present at specific courses.

2.7 Continue distribution of the newsletter and other informational material.
The e-mail newsletter has fallen behind its ambitious 60-day schedule and we will revert to a
quarterly plan.
A new 25-page brochure with lessons learned, reports from the field and frequently asked questions is available in English, French and Spanish (copy included with this report).

3. Agency incorporation (the Pilot programme)

A brief summary of activities of each pilot agency is included in Annex 1 of this report.
There is a great deal of progress happening - slowly but surely!

3.1 Achievable systems of monitoring and evaluation
This objective concerns learning (and disseminating lessons) from successful methodologies for
collecting and collating data in disaster response. A current series of field visits to pilot agencies is generating a clearer picture of the limited use of effective monitoring systems and the Team plans to research this further in the next reporting period through agencies that have specialised in this area.

3.2 Document experience of Sphere implementation in disaster response
The Implementation Team is in the process of field visits to Central America, South Asia and East
Africa, where 102 interviews are being held with programme managers of pilot agencies. The purpose is to gather information on how Sphere is being applied in disaster response programmes. Data is being compiled and a report will be published in early 2002. This will cover how Sphere is being used around the project cycle, in interagency co-ordination and in advocacy.

In addition, the visits are generating many more case studies that will be distributed amongst pilot
agencies and published on the website.

3.3 Document experience of Sphere implementation in disaster preparedness
Information gathered to date shows that Sphere is being incorporated into disaster preparedness
planning at two levels: community and district/regional. There is a growing focus amongst pilot
agencies on community based risk management and some agencies are beginning to incorporate
Sphere training into long term work with community leaders. The aim is to ensure that all actors in a community are clear of their role if a calamity occurs and that they have established defined targets in the fundamental sectors based on Sphere. Sphere has also been used by two pilot agencies in district level disaster preparedness planning.

A further aspect of disaster preparedness is institutionalising Sphere within a critical mass of agencies in country before a calamity or population movement occurs. Pilot agencies in a number of countries have set up working groups around Sphere and the Implementation Team will document their capacity and approach to disaster response in the event of further calamity, population movement or conflict in those countries.

3.4 Participation of southern agencies
i) Relationships with northern partners and how effective these could be in extending the
knowledge and understanding of Sphere
Of the 20 pilot agencies, half work with local partners. Many are gradually disseminating Sphere to direct partners but this is a long slow process. There are some exceptional experiences. One pilot
agency has contracted local consulting companies to follow up partner agencies in-country. In Central America, these companies are working to ensure that all partners have a copy of the Sphere handbook and access to training if possible.

To reach beyond the immediate partners of pilot agencies will be a more extensive process still
and it may be necessary to think of another strategy for dissemination.

ii) Analyse experience of working with the Sphere in India Committee and other
umbrella and networking bodies in helping to broaden awareness of Sphere
Two of the pilot agencies are umbrella bodies: Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies and Australian Council for Overseas Aid. Both are working with Sphere in two aspects: training and dissemination on Sphere and debate/analysis on the role of Sphere in the national and international context. ACFOA has introduced Sphere into national debates on links between rights and humanitarian assistance, it is organizing a Sphere training of trainers workshop and continuously encourages members to experiment with Sphere implementation. CHA is developing a 'Sri Lankanised' kit to disseminate Sphere including poster, brochure and video. In addition, they are promoting debate on how Sphere can be used strategically to increase access to populations affected by the conflict using the argument of the universal right to life with dignity.

The Sphere in India Committee is no longer a pilot agency; the Disaster Mitigation
Institute in Gujarat has overtaken this role.

4. Sphere Handbook Management

4.1 Identify, second, and support sector team-leaders for review and revision of handbook in the
third year of the project. A Terms of Reference regarding the selection and tasks of sector focal points is circulating throughout the Sphere Management Committee member NGOs and the January 2002 Management Committee meeting agenda will include discussion about potential secondees.

4.2 Support and facilitate efforts world-wide to produce local-language publications of the handbook following the successful initiatives of Phase II.
The spontaneous translation of the Sphere handbook continues with the recent addition of Macedonian, Serbian, and Chinese versions. While these developments are very exciting and indicate the significant interest the project has inspired, it also raises some thorny issues related to quality control. The Sphere Management Committee is working on this issue and hopes to devise feasible means of bringing unauthorised versions into line with authorised editions.

4.3 Undertake specific language productions (if not produced during Phase II) of Arabic,
Chinese and/or KiSwahili.
The Arabic translation and printing is finished but it has been difficult to identify a middle-east
distributor. Recently, the Jordan Red Crescent has offered to help with this task and we hope the
edition will be available through a local distributor by early 2002. The Swahili translation was delayed but the ultimate process is encouraging as an interagency group convened a workshop in Tanzania (funded by UNHCR and UNICEF) and developed definitions for over 400
humanitarian/disaster-related words into Swahili. A distributor for the Swahili edition has been
identified and contract negotiations are underway.

4.4 Liaise with, and encourage other humanitarian consortia who are consolidating and producing Minimum Standards on other sectors and promote the Sphere process of broad-based collaboration and sector expertise and consensus.
No information at this time but the project plans to explore minimum standards in education with
experts from NGOs and the UN in early 2002.

4.5 Minimum Standards and key indicators regarding food security in disasters and calamity could be incorporated into future editions of the handbook if they have been developed through a broad, collaborative, evidence-based process.
Oxfam GB hosted an exploratory workshop at St. Hildas College in Oxford in early July
2001. Participants included representatives from NGOs, UN, donors, and academic and
independent institutions and organisations and all paid their own way. Workshop objectives included:
· To determine the need for minimum standards in food security
· To reach consensus on the nature of food security standards (concepts, assessment approaches, interventions).
· To determine whether a revision of food aid standards is needed
· To determine if food aid can be incorporated in the food security chapter
· To develop an action plan for the development of food security standards
All participants agreed that it is necessary to try and develop minimum standards in food security.
Some progress was made in formulating standards and indicators for food security assessments,
monitoring and evaluation, and food security support standards.

4.6 Handbook general sales
The handbook continues to sell well in English with increasing demand for the other languages that has led to second printings of French and Spanish (with index). Income from handbook sales is paying for indexing and re-prints. Total sales are over 20,000 handbooks. We will try to create a Palm Pilot version that can be downloaded from our website, once we have done the conversion and received distributor permission.

5. Evaluation
The Mellon Foundation is providing funds ($150,000) to support an evaluation of the Project. The Terms of Reference for the evaluation are posted on the Sphere website and widely circulated on Evaluation list serves and websites. The evaluation will begin in January 2002 and end approximately 20 months later.

6. Project management, staffing and funding
The Sphere Management Committee met for two days in September to oversee general policy and management functions. At this meeting, the management Committee voiced their interest in continuing the project past October 2003.

Staff are in place and working to plan.

Funding
The project has received income and pledges equal to the entirety of the original Phase III budget. The Management Committee approved approaching donors (especially those not yet funding Phase III) with a revised budget for funding of underestimated cost of the project, specifically:
- a 12-month extension of the training and piloting activities
- the handbook revision (field consultations, sector managers, working group meetings, etc.). (The MC agreed to provide $50,000 worth of staff time to the revision process and this process will be clarified at the January 2002 Management Committee meeting.)
- - translation cost for newsletters, reports and website postings.
- secretariat part-time assistant

The revised budget and budget narrative is submitted with this report.

The third financial and narrative reports, covering 1 November 2001 - April 30, 2002, will be available in June 2002.

END