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Operationalising Sphere: Contextualising humanitarian standards for real-world impact

By Nabil Al-Kumaim

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In the diverse and challenging world of humanitarian assistance, no two crises are alike. Recognising this, Aya Yagan and I worked together between July and October 2024 to create a comprehensive guide to help practitioners adapt the globally recognised Sphere Standards to their real-world situations. This effort is deeply personal for me, as it draws from years of field experience and collaboration with humanitarian actors worldwide.

[Download the guide here: Operationalising Sphere: A practical guide to contextualisation]

Why we developed this guide

As Sphere practitioners, Aya and I have witnessed firsthand how crucial contextualisation is to the success of assistance programmes. The Sphere Handbook provides invaluable benchmarks, but it’s the thoughtful adaptation of these standards to local realities that makes a lasting difference.

We developed this guide to offer a practical framework for contextualisation, helping practitioners navigate challenges and make the most of opportunities in their unique contexts.

What is Sphere?

Sphere is more than just a set of standards; it represents a commitment to dignity, rights, and accountability in humanitarian action. Since its inception in 1997, Sphere has helped aid workers to deliver principled, high-quality responses. The Sphere Handbook—its flagship resource—lays out Minimum Standards that are universally applicable, but their implementation requires careful consideration of local factors.

Our approach to operationalisation

Operationalising Sphere Standards means more than translating guidelines; it involves adapting actions and indicators to address specific cultural, environmental, and other contextual factors. Aya and I emphasise this throughout the guide, illustrating how to balance global principles with local realities. For us, contextualisation is about making the standards relevant and impactful, even in the most resource-limited settings.

Real-world examples: Learning from the field

This guide is enriched by real-world examples that we gathered during our work. These stories highlight how different communities have embraced Sphere Standards to meet their unique challenges. For example:

  • Ecuador: For over two decades, Ecuador has integrated Sphere Standards into its national disaster response framework, demonstrating how government commitment can institutionalise humanitarian best practices.
  • Gran Chaco, Argentina: Indigenous communities combine ancestral knowledge with modern humanitarian frameworks, tailoring disaster preparedness strategies to their needs.
  • Pakistan: In response to the 2022 floods, we saw how community participation was essential for adapting WASH standards to challenging conditions (see Adapting Sphere Standards in Pakistan’s 2022 Flood Response: Lessons from Sindh).
  • Syria: The example highlights how local front line responders build community capacity to sustain WASH standards in resource-constrained environments.
  • Haiti: Following the 2010 earthquake, Sphere Standards served as a common language for diverse actors, helping to harmonise their efforts.

Practical steps for contextualisation

Our guidance presents a structured approach to contextualising Sphere Standards, summarised as:

  • Understand the local context: Engage with communities to identify needs, capacities, and cultural practices.
  • Assess organisational capabilities: Align response efforts with available resources while identifying opportunities for partnerships.
  • Select relevant standards: Prioritize the most urgent needs without overloading the response.
  • Define practical actions and indicators: Set realistic short-term targets while keeping long-term goals in sight.
  • Document and share takeaways: Promote collective learning by sharing successes and challenges with the broader humanitarian community.

Personal Reflections

For me, creating this guide has been a journey of learning and growth. Aya and I drew on our shared experiences in the field, our conversations with practitioners worldwide, and our commitment to upholding Sphere’s core principles. It’s our hope that this guide nis not only a practical tool, but also inspires others to prioritise contextualisation in their work.

Looking Ahead

Humanitarian assistance is about people—their dignity, rights, and resilience. By contextualising Sphere Standards, we can ensure that our responses are not only effective but also respectful and inclusive.

Together, we can make humanitarian action more impactful, sustainable, and centered on those we serve.

Aya and I are proud to contribute to this ongoing effort and invite others to join us in sharing their experiences and insights. If you have contextualisation stories or questions about our guide, we’d love to hear from you. Let’s continue this important conversation alive and strengthen the humanitarian community together.


Nabil and Aya

Nabil and Aya

Nabil Al-Kumaim is a humanitarian and development practitioner who, for circa two decades, served in Albania, Jordan, Yemen and Iraq with UN agencies, NGOs, communities, and local frontline aid workers. He has been a Sphere practitioner and mentor since September 2018.

Aya Yagan is a listed Sphere trainer, a certified CHS trainer, and a humanitarian practitioner since 2012. She is a seasoned MEAL Advisor specialising in enhancing program quality, accountability, and inclusion; and an expert in devising strategic frameworks for organisations, leveraging monitoring and evaluation activities to drive learning and improvement.