Revised standards for protection work

Available in English and French, the publication constitutes a set of minimum standards for humanitarian and human rights agencies carrying out protection work in armed conflicts and other situations of violence.

This second edition takes into account changes in the environment in which protection activities are implemented, providing standards and guidelines that meet the associated challenges.

These standards complement and do not intend to replace or substitute for any other sets of standards used by protection actors, such as the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (2012), among others.

The Professional Standards for Protection Work recognize the Sphere Handbook’s Protection Principles as “fundamental for every actor providing humanitarian responses, whether or not one regards oneself as a protection actor”.

In fact, the Professional Standards… acknowledge that since “not all humanitarian actors implement protection activities per se,” those “actors who limit themselves to the integration of protection concerns into their everyday activities […] are likely to find more practical guidance in the latest version of the Sphere standards”.

Adopted through an ICRC-led consultation process, the Professional Standards… reflect shared thinking and common agreement among humanitarian and human rights agencies.

The ICRC has made available a 90-minute e-learning course (in English) for those who wish to familiarize themselves with the standards.