The Sphere Project – or ‘Sphere’- was initiated in 1997 by a group of humanitatarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The aim of the handbook is to improve the quality of humanitarian response in situations of disaster and conflict, and to enhance the accountability of the humanitarian system to disaster-affected people. Furthermore, it is useful for disaster preparedness activities and contingency planning, with donors increasingly including the standards in their reporting requirement.