In order to maximise the coping strategies of those affected by disasters, it is important to acknowledge the differing vulnerabilities, needs and capacities of affected groups. Specific factors, such as gender, age, disability and HIV/AIDS status, affect vulnerability and shape people’s ability to cope and survive in a disaster context. In particular, women, children, older people and people living with HIV/ AIDS (PLWH/A) may suffer specific disadvantages in coping with a disaster and may face physical, cultural and social barriers in accessing the services and support to which they are entitled. Frequently ethnic origin, religious or political affiliation, or displacement may put certain people at risk who otherwise would not be  considered vulnerable. 

Written by: Samuel Tadesse, CARE Ethiopia, Emergency Operations Officer, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Those video clips were recorded during a Sphere Learning event that was held in Singapore on the 23-24 October 2006. They contain field stories told by practitioners about examples on how some of the Sphere Standards were implemented in practice and why they were important.

We wish to express our views on the Sphere Project and its benefits for the IDPs throughout the past decade. We know that these sphere standards have enable to fulfill the minimum requirements of the affected people by conflict and disaster with right to life with dignity, right assistance to right people at right time with transparency.

Caritas Australia has be a strong advocate and supporter of Sphere since it’s inception and, like many international NGOs, has made efforts to institutionalise the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards into our policies, procedures and programs over the past 7 years.  While it is clear that Sphere has successfully influenced our policies and procedures in relation to disaster response, it is much harder to say that we have been able to effectively implement Sphere in our disaster response programs.  A key reason for this is that we work mostly through local partners and the ability for Sphere to be implemented in the field is very much dependent on our partner’s own understanding and capacity.

Ces vidéos ont été enregistrées lors d’une activité de partage d'expériences et de connaissance Sphère qui a eu lieu à Dakar, Sénégal le 20-21 novembre 2006 racontant des histoires du terrain. Ces histories racontent des exemples comment mettre en pratique certaines normes Sphère et pourquoi ces normes sont-elles importantes.

In Ethiopia, there was an emergency capacity building workshop during January 24 - 27, 2007 in Southern part of the country organized by NCA (Norwegian Church Aid in collaboration with ACT). There were about 43 participants represented from local government organizations and NGO's. Sphere was part of the capacity building component.