Why focus on standards when grave issues, such as lack of access to affected populations or gross violations of protection persist?…
The Sphere project was initiated for the specific purpose of improving the quality and accountability of humanitarian response. (Contributors have never imagined that Sphere would address other problems in humanitarian response). Dedication to enhanced quality does not amount to a panacea and to attempt to protect people’s right to life with dignity through the use of standards alone is insufficient and erroneous. Sphere’s scope and limitations must be acknowledged and understood for it to be used to best effect. However, standards are a key component of an accountability framework. Although Sphere was never intended to address problems of access, for example to populations subject to political restrictions, it does provide a tool to raise awareness that all populations are entitled to the same services if they are affected by conflict or calamity.
The Sphere Project was initiated for the specific purpose of improving the quality and accountability of humanitarian response. Its scope and limitations must be acknowledged and clearly understood. However, standards are a key component of an accountability framework. Although Sphere was never intended to address problems of access, for example due to political or conflict-related restrictions, it does provide a tool to raise the awareness that all populations are entitled to the same services, whether they are affected by conflict or natural calamity.
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