To improve the quality of emergency programming in the DRC.
Specific Objectives:
1. Humanitarian agencies based in the DRC implement the Sphere standards and norms in their emergency programs.
2. The DRC member agencies make a contribution to the evoluation of the Sphere project through evaluating its applicability in the context of the DRC and chronic conflict and humanitarian need.
Main Activities :
• Organisational Assessment of the level of “Institutionalisation of Sphere” with 24 individuals working in 14 different organisations.
• Training of Trainers on Sphere (4 days)
| Location | Date | No. Participants |
| | | Men | Women | TOTAL |
| Kinshasa | November 2003 | 12 | 9 | 21 |
| Goma | February 2004 | (don’t have yet) |
| Bukavu | February 2004 | 15 | 5 | 20 |
• Numerous follow-on trainings, restitutions, and incorporation of Sphere into other trainings – several hundred people trained or exposed to Sphere (will be bringing more exact figures)
Key Messages to Share:
Messages reinforced:
Accountability is to the people we serve
Applicability for Development programming too
Challenges:
- Differential commitment of agencies and individuals within agencies
- Irregular Donor knowledge/commitment
- How to reconcile the fact that the majority of the local population lives in sub-Sphere standard conditions?
- Adjusting to local context – confrontations between local custom and Sphere
Perspective and Questions for the Future:
- Government and local NGO implication/awareness essential
- How to bring it beyond the book and the basic awareness of the standards/norms?
- Beyond NGOs – United Nations, World Bank, Bilateral donors
Host Agency: Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Steering Committee members (West):
• Caritas (National Office)
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
• International Rescue Committee (IRC)
• Oxfam- Quebec
• Concern
• Croix Rouge
• United Nations Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA)
Steering Committee members (East) :
• World Vision
• International Rescue Committee (IRC)
• Concern
• Oxfam GB
• Save the Children
• Caritas Bukavu
• Caritas Goma
• United Nations Office of Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA)
Other participating agencies:
• Christian Aid
• Food for the Hungry International
• International Medical Corps
• Other Diocesan Caritas agencies
