This case study is aimed at sharing the experience of the Sphere focal point in Pakistan. It could be useful for organisations who would wish to replicate practically this process in another emergency.

 

The Sphere Project  was launched in 1997 by a group of humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement. Sphere is based on two core beliefs: first, that all possible steps should be taken to alleviate human suffering arising out of calamity and conflict, and second, that those affected by disaster have a right to life with dignity and therefore a right to assistance.

The Sphere handbook – Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response – includes a Humanitarian Charter which describes the rights of people affected by a disaster, and minimum standards, indicators and guidance notes for use in humanitarian emergencies. There are minimum standards common to all sectors, as well as for the core areas of disaster response: Water, sanitation & hygiene promotion; Food security, nutrition & food aid; Shelter, settlement and non-food items; and Health services.

The purpose of the standards is to improve the quality of assistance provided to people affected by disasters, and to enhance the accountability of the humanitarian system in disaster response. For the Sphere handbook to achieve this, it has to be used effectively in emergency situations. Support to people to do this has been identified as an important need.

The Sphere Focal Point in Pakistan

In response to this, and for the first time in response to a new emergency, the Sphere Board agreed to field a Sphere Focal Point for four weeks during the first three months of the response to the South Asia earthquake. Two Sphere specialist trainers shared this consultancy, and were hosted during November and December 2005 by Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS-P/A)[1] based in Islamabad, Pakistan. Funding was covered by 12 contributing agencies[2], both Sphere Board members[3] and others committed to the effective implementation of Sphere.

The aim of the Sphere focal point position was to ensure that all relevant agencies are given the opportunity to build their awareness and practice in relation to Sphere standards, so that their work is representative of recognised “best practice” in humanitarian work. It was also a learning experience for the Sphere Board and office, and it has informed the possible establishment of a protocol for supporting 'new emergencies' in future.

Based on the positive response to the work of the initial Sphere focal points, and continuing demand for training and support on the use of Sphere in the response to the earthquake, CWS-P/A has decided to employ a Sphere focal point for 6 months in 2007. During this time, the post holder has been supported by three periods of up to 4 weeks each by an International Training and Sphere Specialist (ITSS). Decision was made to extend the Sphere focal point initiative in Pakistan in 2007 for a duration of 1 year, relying on needs expressed by agencies and requests made by counterparts to follow up the activities initiated.

The link with the earlier work carried out by the Sphere focal point position fielded by the Sphere Board is important, and care is taken to maintain contact with representatives in Pakistan of the initial contributing agencies. Their ongoing commitment to supporting more effective implementation of Sphere in the earthquake response provides a sound basis for the project period, as for example through the organisation of an Inter-Agency Sphere Review.

Aim, Objectives and Activities of the Sphere Focal Point

Aim of the support

To improve the quality and accountability of the work of agencies responding to the South Asia earthquake in Pakistan, and in collaboration with the Sphere office to use this experience to develop learning about the use of Sphere.

Objectives

1. To improve the quality and accountability of the response to those affected by the South Asia earthquake, by ensuring that all relevant agencies are given the opportunity to build their awareness and practice in relation to Sphere standards.

2. To demonstrate the close connections between Sphere and other relevant initiatives, particularly Humanitarian Accountability Partnership-International (HAP-I)[4] and RedR-IHE[5], and the value of working together for improved quality and accountability.

3. To crystallise the learning from the work to implement Sphere standards in this context, with a view to informing similar work in future emergencies.

Activities 
Representation of Sphere^[6] in coordination meetings (such as UN, Government, local and international NGOs, etc.) and selected cluster meetings (such as ‘camp management’, ‘early recovery’ and ‘information management’), with a view to implementing the Sphere standards.

Training: briefings (from 1 hour up to 3 days) on Sphere to a wide range of actors – including government, army, local and international NGOs, UN agencies, media – to encourage understanding and acceptance of its use. A 5-day Training of Trainers course focusing on disaster preparedness, to be designed and carried out with the support of the ITSS.

Advocacy: raising awareness and advocacy on a continuous basis with all actors – including government, army, local and international NGOs, UN agencies, media. Collaborating to the design of the national disaster preparedness plan prepared by the Pakistani Government and UNDP.

Technical support: delivering practical ways of supporting relevant agencies to meet Sphere standards, such as: advising, training and coaching individuals who have been identified as focal points or resource persons on Sphere; assisting managers (including those responsible for Sphere focal points or resource persons) in their work to meet Sphere standards; conducting specific coaching interventions for some organisations, technical sectors or locations, i.e. camps, to meet locally-felt needs; coaching the design and the follow up of monitoring and evaluation systems using Sphere standards and indicators, at a specific organisational level and at a global level through coordination bodies.

Compliance: in close collaboration with all concerned, developing ways to monitor and assess the use, and if possible the impact, of the effective use of Sphere.

Learning: in close collaboration with the Sphere Project Knowledge and Information Senior Officer[7], crystallise the learning from the work to implement Sphere standards in this context, providing to the Sphere office information and advice on the best way to manage such work in future.

The current phase of the Sphere focal point initiative includes those same activities as continuity, together with the design of new tools such as the Sphere handbook into Dari and Pashtu.

On top of this, two specific exercises have been planed in 2007 within the extension phase: an inter agency Sphere review designed and conducted by CWS P/A together with Care International and World Vision International; and a self-evaluation externally assisted in order to analyse whether the initial objectives of the Sphere focal point initiative have been met or not.

The Sphere Project

The Sphere Board has decided, following the success of the initial experimental consultancies, to make such support to the use of Sphere at field level a regular part of the work of the Sphere Board and office.

Agreement has been obtained from current donors to establish a revolving fund of USD 30,000 to support this. This budget is being held by the Project office, to be used to field a consultant for the next 'new emergency' for which it is decided that such a response would be appropriate. However, to preserve the positive effect of gaining small financial contributions from a range of organisations using Sphere, the project will recover this money as soon as possible from organisations that agree to support. In this way, the revolving fund will be replenished for use in the next emergency.

The Sphere Board has drafted a 'protocol' which sets out the process for deciding whether or not to field a Sphere focal point in a 'new emergency', and the steps that will be taken to do so if the decision is positive.

Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan and Action By Churches Together

Regional approach: CWS-P/A is now extending its efforts to promote the implementation of the Humanitarian Charter and Sphere Minimum Standards not only in Pakistan but in all Asia region with a special focus on Afghanistan, Members within the ACT Alliance and their implementing partners. 

The Indonesian Society for Disaster Management (MPBI) is undertaking a comprehensive advocacy to promote a shift from intuitive disaster response to a more coherent and ‘right-based’ disaster management paradigm. This encompasses three-pronged measures, i.e. legislative reforms, public awareness and education, and enhancing managerial and technical capabilities.

MPBI is engaged with the government to advocate for the adoption or consideration of the Sphere standards in the government norms.
Contacts have been made through the Sphere office and exchange of information took place with the Sphere focal point in Pakistan in order to use the lessons learned in Indonesia while initiating more work at the governmental level in Islamabad.

The Sphere handbook has been translated and printed into Urdu. It will be updated in the course of 2007.
The Sphere handbook in English has been printed in Pakistan at less than USD 3 per copy. This drastic reduction in cost made it possible to widely disseminate the book.

A proposal for the inclusion of the Sphere common standards, and specifically the common standard on participation, into the Integrated Monitoring Matrix (IMM) from HIC/OCHA has been drafted.

A proposal to integrate the Sphere Humanitarian Charter, Minimum Standards and adapted Key Indicators to the Pakistani context into the coming plans for disaster management and preparedness at the governmental level has been discussed and drafted together with UNDP and NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority).

The following reports and document are available and can be requested to Marvin Parvez, CWS Regional Director, and/or Alison Joyner, The Sphere Project Manager.
§         2 reports issued by the Sphere focal points in November and December 2005;
§         A financial report issued by the Sphere office in April 2006;
§         3 updates issued by the ITSS in February and June 2006, and by the Sphere focal point in August 2006;
§         A concept note for donors drafted by the ITSS in February 2006;
§         A concept note for the Pakistani Government drafted by the ITSS in July 2006;
§         Specific training reports, including several workshops and specific Training of Trainers courses’ reports in August and October 2006, and April 2007;
§         A project report for 2005/2006;
§         A report of an inter-agency Sphere review together with evaluation, lessons learned and guidance notes to replicate the exercise.

The Sphere Project
E-mail: < >
Project Manager, Knowledge and Information Management Senior Officer and Training and Materials Support Officer

Church World Service-Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS-P/A)
Elin Adelmar, Programme Officer:
Mansoor Raza, Coordinator:
Marvin Parvez, Regional Director:
The Sphere focal points
Shabana Bhatti, Sphere Focal Point in Pakistan,      
Azhar Saeed, Independent Consultant:
Rory Downham, Bioforce:  
Sylvie Robert, Independent Consultant:
The International Training and Sphere Specialists (ITSS)
Kelly Wooster, Independent Consultant: < >
Sylvie Robert, Independent Consultant:

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