Over the course of the past year, Sphere continued to promote quality and accountability across the humanitarian sector. Our newly released annual review presents a summary of Sphere’s many activities and achievements throughout 2019. The brochure includes a financial overview as well as a poster to print out.

Download Sphere’s 2019 annual review (English only)
Download Sphere’s 2019 financial statements in full (English only)

The Sphere community in 2019

We made humanitarian standards accessible worldwide

Our partners completed the Japanese and Chinese translations of the 2018 Sphere Handbook; work began on 10 more translations. The Interactive Handbook, available in five languages, is now ready for live user comments.

We trained new groups of quality and accountability champions

Sphere and its partners organised 51 workshops, including 12 Training of Trainers events that strengthened the pool of Sphere trainers. Sphere launched a revised training pack, a new e-learning course and a series of guides on the 2018 Handbook.

We provided technical and policy guidance on humanitarian standards

Among the guidance provided, we released a thematic sheet on reducing the environmental impact of humanitarian operations. Sphere provided technical support related to standards on various thematic areas and actively participated in international policy platforms:

We expanded and strengthened our global community of purpose and practice

The Sphere community welcomed one new focal point, 30 individual members and 10 member organisations. Half of the latter are based in crisis- affected countries or key humanitarian hubs.

We promoted collaboration across humanitarian standards initiatives

Sphere promoted the launch of the Child Protection Minimum Standards’ second edition, which
is available online as part of the Interactive Handbook together with other standards handbooks of the Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP). The HSP was represented at major international events and released an animated video.