Sphere Project Phase III: NARRATIVE REPORT # 5
Period: 1 November 2002 – 30 April 2003
Overall, the Project is running on course as we began the third year of Phase III. All the objectives are being met and the project continues to generate a robust interest from many sectors of the humanitarian system.
The handbook revision process is coming to a close, and plans are now being made for the design, promotion and dissemination of the second edition.
Field-level institutionalisation efforts in the 5 selected countries are yielding encouraging results. Although the work is slow, we believe that the pay-off will be significant as agencies come together, sometimes for the first time, to promote the use of the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in humanitarian work. We hope that this programme of institutionalisation at country level will provide leadership and documentation that will encourage learning in other countries.
Report against proposal objectives:
1. Training programme
Develop a training module placing Sphere within the
context of the Code of Conduct. This module would draw on the knowledge and
experience of the Red Cross /Red Crescent movement and the NGOs who developed
the code. While hundreds of agencies subscribe to the code, many staff are
not aware of the extent to which it provides an ethical framework for the
Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards.
This module would contribute to increased understanding of the context
provided by some of these core principles that guide humanitarian work. It
would also provide case studies that highlight and describe these principles
as well as illuminate the dilemmas that may accompany them as they relate
to t
1.1 Based on experience and feedback, continue to update and refine the current training modules.
As mentioned in the previous report, the four Sphere training modules and the Learning Guide are complete and available on the Sphere website in English, French and Spanish. Once the revised edition of the handbook is finalised, the training modules will be upgraded to reflect the changes. A “training pack” is expected to be available for sale through Oxfam Publishing by September 2003. This pack will consist of the four Sphere modules, the Learning Guide, and a new module on Training of Trainers. It will also include a CD ROM, containing both editions of the handbook, all the training modules, lessons learned and possibly some video clips. All materials will continue to be available for free on the Sphere website.
During the reporting period, the Sphere Training Manager reviewed two sets of independent training modules based on the Sphere handbook: a five-day technical course (primarily logistics) designed by Jim Good (independent consultant) and a set of health and nutrition modules developed by a committee of health and nutrition specialists in a number of UK and Irish NGOs. The modules were found to be of good quality and highly complementary to the Sphere Project’s own training modules. These materials will be available on the Sphere website in May 2003.
1.2 Conduct a Training of Trainers
An English-language Training of Trainers (ToT) was held in Geneva in January and, according to feedback by participants, was a huge success. 21 people from 16 different agencies (plus four independent consultants) participated, from 12 countries. The course differed from previous ToTs in that participants themselves taught each other on the content of the Sphere training modules. This innovation proved to be extremely effective, as it allowed for more effective retention of the content of the modules by participants. It also enabled individual and specific feedback to be given, and gave participants a greater feeling of “ownership” of the Sphere concept. A quarter of the course focused on the theory and practice of the principles of adult learning, and the final quarter was devoted to understanding organisational learning issues. This training methodology seems to have been the most successful to date. A large number of participants have already implemented Sphere training events since the ToT. The project’s eighth ToT, planned for June 2003, was widely advertised through the mailing list and website, and the selection process for participants was completed in April.
1.3 Facilitate 15 inter-agency workshops worldwide.
As noted in previous reports, the project has fulfilled this commitment and no interagency workshops took place in the reporting period. However, a long-promised Sphere workshop with VOICE will be held in Brussels in May 2003, to be co-facilited by the Sphere Training Manager and a trainer from the Spanish Red Cross.
2. Outreach
2.1 Pro-actively engage with the humanitarian community with a particular emphasis on Southern/Eastern situations and voices.
Southern/Eastern-based agency engagement continues to take place through the handbook revision consultations and piloting work (see point 4.1 below).
Sphere staff continue to regularly attend and present at a variety of forums within the humanitarian community. The Sphere Project Officer and Senior Assistant recently presented Sphere to 60 students at the IDHA course in Geneva, and in March the Sphere Project Officer presented Sphere at the “Quality Symposium” in Spain. The Sphere Training Manager recently attended the ICVA General Assembly and acted as a facilitator.
During the reporting period, the Sphere Project Manager visited Brussels to meet with World Vision International, Caritas Europe, Care International, ECHO and VOICE for briefings on the revision and piloting processes. In April, the Sphere Training Manager gave a Sphere presentation to the Human Resources department at Save the Children in London and subsequently developed a new presentation geared towards the institutionalisation of Sphere at headquarter level. Also in April, the Sphere Project Manager attended a conference at Wilton Park and gave a presentation on Sphere to a group of disaster response staff from governments, NGOs and UN agencies.
2.2 Facilitate incorporation and ratification by UN operational agencies with a focus on co-ordination with implementing partners.
Sphere staff met with UNICEF to discuss issues relating to the handbook revision (see point 4.1 below) and with the UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention & Recovery to promote the use of Sphere. Discussions continue with UNHCR regarding their use of Standards and Indicators, and there is increasing use of the Sphere handbook within the organisation.
2.3 Develop generic work plans and support packages adaptable to country-based consortia wishing to create Sphere focal points.
See point 3 below.
2.4 Review, update and maintain website.
The 3-language website was redesigned to be more user-friendly and easier to navigate. It continues to be regularly reviewed and updated.
2.5 Produce a 50-60-minute video based in real-time disaster situations that will graphically illustrate the practical application of the Sphere handbook in field use.
The production of the new induction video is underway and the English version is expected to be available in July 2003. It will be produced in VHS and DVD, and will also be available in French and Spanish. A short Discussion Guide will also be developed to serve as a memory aid and to assist practitioners to reflect upon the fundamental aspects of humantiarian work and the role of the Sphere handbook.
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.
A listing of academic institutions using Sphere will be included in the next interim report.
Oxford University in the UK and Columbia University in the US are working together to develop an interactive computer simulation exercise called “Relief Sim” (based on Sim City). While many aspects of the simulation are yet to be determined, it has been agreed that the Sphere indicators will form the basis of the decision-making process in the user’s building of a refugee camp.
2.7 Continue distribution of the newsletter and other informational material.
Quarterly newsletters and announcements continue to be sent out on three separate distribution lists (English, French and Spanish). The total number of subscribers to all three distribution lists is now nearing 4,000.
3. Agency incorporation (the Pilot programme)
Field-level institutionalisation efforts are developing in each of the three focus areas (India, Central America and Democratic Republic of Congo).
In India, following a visit from the Sphere Training Manager in November, a core group of emergency co-ordinators has been formed among the pilot agencies, committed to furthering the institutionalisation of Sphere in India. In February, the Sphere Project Manager visited India to participate in the launch of Sphere in India. At this meeting, agencies agreed on goals, objectives, a wider membership steering committee, a core group of agencies and focal points. It was also decided that two full-time staff (a coordinator and an assistant) would be hired to facilitate communication and maintain momentum, the cost of which would be shared between the agencies and potential donors. A national government agency, the National Centre for Disaster Management, is a core agency involved in the initiative. One of the pilot agencies, Disaster Mitigation India, has created a Sphere in India website.
In the DRC, a core group of 7 agencies are in the first stages of a combined evaluation-training programme. They have so far pledged $30,000 of their own funding. This core group is aware of the need for improved data collection and monitoring methods in the DRC. Their programme goals will include capacity building in monitoring combined with training on how to use the Sphere handbook in monitoring. This innovative idea has the potential to help agencies in the DRC become more effective. Yet the context of DRC, including its vast geographic area, shortage of funding for capacity building and cyclical insecurity, makes progress slow. Howver, the core group is committed to this initiative and will most likely offer a few modest training workshops in the coming six months.
The Sphere working group in El Salvador has been particularly active, raising $30,000 USD of their own funds, and designing a programme which includes an 18-month work plan. The group plans to hire one person, based at Lutheran World Federation, to serve as a resource for their institutionalisation work. An MOU was sent by the Sphere office for their comments and signature, and a signing ceremony was held in El Salvador in March.
In Honduras the Sphere working group has been focusing on creating a wide and inclusive process encompassing as many actors as possible (NGOs, UN, government agencies, etc.) They are working closely with COPECO, a government agency interested in including Sphere in offical training and working documents, and hope to organise a Training of Trainers so that Sphere workshops can then be implemented for local government institutions. The working group has put together a draft proposal, which, following input from the Sphere secretariat, now seeks to incorporate the lessons learned from the 2000-2002 pilot process.
In Nicaragua, the Sphere working group have agreed that ADRA will be the focal point and coordinator of the institutionalisation process. A draft proposal has been drawn up, outlining specific objectives and a timeline for activities.
A consultant coach has been hired to support the working groups and Sphere resource person in each of the three focus countries in Central America through training and advice. The Sphere Project Officer and the consultant coach made a follow-up visit to El Salvador and Honduras in April, to understand how the process of institutionalisation had developed since the assessment visit in October 2002. The visit in both countries included bilateral meetings with the interested organisations in order to capture their individual needs and expectations. The interviews were followed up by an inter-agency meeting in Honduras and a one-day Sphere workshop in El Salvador.
The Sphere project office submitted a funding proposal to the American Red Cross for partial support of the various country-oriented institutionalisation efforts.
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.
Focal Point consultations continued around the world, including in India with great support from the World Food Programme and Disaster Mitigation Institute and in Afghanistan with significant attendance by NGOs, UN and government officials. This phase of the consultation process came to a close at the end of April, when Focal Points submitted the final drafts of the revised chapters to the Sphere office. The final draft of the revised edition will be posted on the Sphere website during May 2003 for public comment.
In April, a UNICEF-funded meeting was held in Geneva between sector-specific human rights specialists and the technical focal points responsible for the handbook revision. The discussions increased clarity on the link between human rights and the Minimum Standards, and an outline for the introduction to each chapter was developed.
During this reporting period, the technical Focal Points met once in November and once in March. During the 3-day March retreat, the Focal Points met with the Cross-Cutters to formalise the integration of the cross-cutting issues (issues relating to children, women, the elderly, the disabled, HIV-AIDS, the environment and participation) into the sectoral text. Agreements were reached on formulation, wording and weighting of the cross-cutting issues within the chapters.
A planned meeting on the handbook revision between Focal Points and technical donor staff was cancelled due to scheduling conflicts and a lack of technical staff in many of the donor agencies. However, many donors are still keen to track the revision process, and a one-page update will be distributed in the near future.
The second edition of the handbook is on track for publication in October 2003, and a meeting with Oxfam Publishing in March set plans in motion for its design, dissemination and promotion. In January, Alertnet interviewed the Sphere Project Manager and posted an article on the handbook revision. The February edition of the Health Exchange announced the handbook revision and provided contact information for the technical Focal Points.
An ECHO-funded meeting in Brussels is planned for May 2003, at which ECHO’s regional technical experts will have the opportunity to meet with the Focal Points to discuss the revision process, learn about the changes to the chapters and provide feedback.
4.2 Support and facilitate efforts world-wide to produce local-language publications of the handbook following the successful initiatives of Phase II.
The Sphere project is suggesting that agencies wait for the revised edition of the handbook before undertaking translations. However, during the reporting period, the Iranian Red Crescent published a Farsi version of the handbook, and Oxfam partners in Cambodia produced a version in Khmer. Significant interest has been expressed in El Salvador and Honduras among agencies participating in the programme of country-level institutionalisation (see point 3 above) to produce a popular version of the handbook which can be shared with the communities. In Honduras, participating agencies have already met with an organisation specialised in this type of work.
4.3 Undertake specific language productions if not produced during Phase II of Arabic, Chinese and/or KiSwahili.
As mentioned in the previous report, the Arabic language version of the handbook is available and orders for copies are strong. Caritas Jordan used the handbook in a 4-day Sphere workshop for their volunteers programme in February.
Due to the long delay with the Swahili edition, this will now be postponed until the release of the second edition of the handbook.
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.
The project regularly responds to enquires from various agencies and groups of agencies working on developing standards or following a broadly consultative process. A new interagency initiative to produce a Code of Practice for HIV/AIDS work is underway, led by the IFRC. The Sphere Project Manager gave a presentation to launch this effort, which will model Sphere in some respects. The Sphere Project Officer gave a presentation on the Sphere “coalition of NGOs” to a group of NGOs interested in building a “clearing house” for the exchange of information and resources relating to malaria prevention. The talk focused on the advantages and challenges associated with initiatives of collaboration between agencies. Also in March, the Sphere Project Manager attended the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership conference in Copenhagen.
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.
As mentioned in the previous report, a Focal Point for Food Security is working with the Food Aid and Nutrition Focal Points. Their consultations and analysis have led them to develop an integrated chapter called Food Security, Nutrition and Food Aid for the second edition of the handbook.
4.6 Handbook general sale
Handbook sales continue strong, though we anticipate a slowing of orders as people wait for the publication of the second edition.
5. Evaluation
The Evaluation Advisory Group met in December to take stock of progress and discuss next steps. A questionnaire has been prepared by the evaluation team, intended for anyone who is working or has worked in humanitarian assistance, at any level and in any capacity. The questionnaire is available in hard copy, by email or on-line, and has been widely distributed. The link to the on-line version has been posted on the Sphere website, as are the evaluation interim reports. The first case study was carried out in Tanzania, and Angola was chosen as the location for the second case study. The final meeting of the Advisory Group is planned for September 2003 upon conclusion of the evaluation.
6. Project management, staffing and funding
Management Committee
The Sphere Management Committee met in January. The Management Committee have approved project activities proposed by Sphere staff for the extension period (November 2003 – December 2004), subject to funding. The next meeting of the Management Committee is planned for June 2003.
Staffing
After five years with the project, the Sphere Project Manager is not renewing her contract, which comes to an end on 31 October 2003. The post was advertised in April and interviews are expected to be conducted in June 2003. The Sphere Project Training Manager’s contract comes to an end on 31 July 2003. This post will be closed as part of the eventual closure of the project.
Funding
The project is basically on target with income and expenses (actual and committed). However, exchange rate differences (US dollar) are negatively affecting the remainder of the Phase III budget. The Project’s accounts are kept in Swiss Francs. The budget was developed in USD and calculated with an exchange rate of 1CHF=1.66USD, which was an average based on the previous year. Currently the exchange rate has fallen to 1CHF=1.35USD. Unfortunately, this means a loss of approximately $92000 against budget. To address this problem, the Sphere Management Committee members are planning to contribute funds that will partially cover the loss, and we hope that some donors will also be willing to contribute to address this shortfall.
A funding proposal for the extension period will be submitted in June.
The next narrative report will cover 1st May 2003 – 31st October 2003 and will be available in late November 2003.
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