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Unhcr and Sphere Standards Compared

The document compares standards from the Sphere Project and UNHCR Emergency Handbook across several areas of humanitarian assistance including water quantity and quality, sanitation facilities, shelter space requirements, nutrition guidelines, and health indicators. Key areas of alignment include recommended water quantity of 15 liters per person per day. Differences include more precise standards for water points, latrine ratios, and shelter space in the Sphere Project. Health standards also vary in how mortality rates are classified in emergency situations.

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2K views5 pages

Unhcr and Sphere Standards Compared

The document compares standards from the Sphere Project and UNHCR Emergency Handbook across several areas of humanitarian assistance including water quantity and quality, sanitation facilities, shelter space requirements, nutrition guidelines, and health indicators. Key areas of alignment include recommended water quantity of 15 liters per person per day. Differences include more precise standards for water points, latrine ratios, and shelter space in the Sphere Project. Health standards also vary in how mortality rates are classified in emergency situations.

Uploaded by

api-3731030
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Comparison of

Humanitarian Assistance
standards

The Sphere Project

and

UNHCR Emergency
Handbook

Compiled by InterWorks
February 2001
International Humanitarian Assistance by the Numbers
(A Comparison, February, 2001)

TOPIC/AREA/ISSUE SPHERE PROJECT UNHCR


EMERGENCY HANDBOOK
WATER
QUANTITY 15 liters per person per day 15 liters per person per day,
collected absolute minimum for short
term survival is 7 liters per
person per day
SYSTEM/DELIVERY Taps provide flow rate of at
least 0.125 litters per second
At least one water point per "at least one tap per 80-100
250 people refugees and no more than
200 refugees per handpump or
per well with one rope and
bucket"
QUALITY No more than 10 faecal 1-10 faecal coliforms per
coliforms per 100ml at point 100ml is "reasonable quality"
of delivery
For piped systems - residual residual free chlorine at tap is
free chlorine at tap is 0.2- 0.2-0.5 mg per liter at
0.5 mg per liter and distribution point
turbidity is less than 5 NTU.
Dissolved solids no more
than 1,000 mg per liter
HYGIENE - SANITATION
Soap 250g soap per person per
month
Laundry 1 washing basin per 100
people
Toilets/latrines Maximum 20 people per 1 latrine per family or as
toilet second option, 1/20 persons,
or third option 1 per 100
persons or defecation field.
Refuse bins 100 l container per 10 100 l container per 10
families families or 50 persons
Refuse pits No shelter farther than 15m 1 pit 2m x 5m x 2m deep per
from container or 100m 500 persons
from communal refuse pit
CAMP SITE PLANNING
Gross area 45 m2 per person (inclusive 30 m2 per person (inclusive of
of all uses except all uses except agriculture or
agriculture or garden ) garden space)
Dimensions/distances Maximum distance between Maximum distance between
shelter and toilets is 50 shelter and toilets is 50 meters
meters
Firebreaks 2m between shelters, 6m 30m per every 300m of built-
between clusters of shelters, up area
15 m between blocks of
clusters
Distance between Latrines farther than 30m Latrines farther than 30m
wells/springs and latrines from ground water sources from ground water sources
and 1.5 m above water table and 1.5 m above water table
Maximum distance from "no dwelling should be
any shelter to water point is further than 100 meters or a
500 meters few minutes' walk from
distribution points"
Elevation/drainage 3 m above high water table
2-4% gradient (ideal) and
not more than 7% without
extensive site engineering
SHELTER
Shelter Area 3.5-4.5 m2 covered area per 3.5 m2 covered area per
person person in tropical climates

4.5 - 5.5 m2 covered area per


person in cold or urban
situations
Plastic sheeting for 4m x6m sheet per 4m X 5m reinforced plastic
temporary shelter household of 5 people. (to tarpaulins in sheets with
meet UNHCR material aluminum eyelets all four
spec.) sides (material specs follow)
FOOD / NUTRITION
Calories 2,100 kcals per day (initial 2,100 kcals per day (initial
planing figure to be planing figure
modified based on thorough
demographic analysis of
population
Makeup 10-12% total energy from 10-12% total energy from
protein protein

17% total energy from fat 17% total energy from fat
HEALTH
Excess Mortality 1 per 10,000 per day CMR, • Normal rate 0.3to 0.5/10,000/day
among a settled
population
• Emergency < 1/10,000/day
program under
control
• Emergency > 1/10,000/day
program in
CMR serious trouble
• Emergency: out > 2/10,000/day
of control
• Major
catastrophe > 5/10,000/day
________________
--------------------------------- ----------------------------- • Normal rate ---------------------
among a settled 1.0/10,000/day
population
• emergency
2 per 10,000 per day under program under < 2.0/10,000/day
control
5 CMR • Emergency
U5MR > 2.0/10,000/day
program in
serious trouble
• Emergency: out > 4.0/10,000/day
of control

Measles vaccination 95% of all children 6 UNHCR advocates the


coverage months - 12 years immunization of children
from 6 months up top 12 or
even 15 years (rather than the
more usual 5 years) because
of the increased risk from the
living conditions in refugee
emergencies

And

As an emergency indicator,
"Any reported cases. 10% or
more unimmunized in the 6
months to 5 years age group."
Measles vaccine needs
=140% of target group
(15% waste, 25% stockpile)
Medical Staff •1 home visitor for each Approximate staffing levels
500-1,000 population for Refugee Health and
• 1 TBA for each 2,000 Sanitation Services for a
• 1 supervisor for each 10 population of 10-20,000:
Ø Community health worker: 10-20
home visitors Ø Traditional Birth Attendant: 6-10
• I senior supervisor Ø Public Health Nurse: 1
• 1 peripheral health Ø Clinic Nurses Midwives: 3-4
Ø Doctors/Medical Assistants: 1-3
facility per 10,000 Ø Pharmacy Attendant: 1
population Ø Laboratory Technician: 1
• 1 central health facility Ø Dressers/ Assistants: 10
Ø Sanitarians: 2-4
for each 10,000 Ø Sanitation Assistants: 20
population
NON-FOOD ITEMS (DOMESTIC NEEDS)
Water containers 2 vessels 10-20 l for Ability to transport 10 l, and
collecting plus 1 20 l vessel ability to store 20 l per 5 -
for water storage, narrow person household
necks and covers
Eating Utensils • I cooking pot with lid
• 1 basin
• 1 kitchen knife
• 2 wooden spoons
• 1 plate per person
• 1 spoon per person,
• 1 mug per person
PROTECTION AND SECURITY
location 50 k from threat (border?) " a reasonable distance"

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