Summary

The publication of the Sphere Annual Report 2025 was a key quarter achievement, providing an opportunity to reflect on a year of transition, resilience and progress across the global Sphere community.  

Sphere members came together at the 2026 Annual General Assembly to reflect on achievements, approve the Annual Report and endorse the Sphere Strategy 2026–2028, setting out the organisation’s priorities for the years ahead. 

The Sphere Handbook Revision progressed, with the core revision team and Steering Committee established during the quarter.  

Sphere welcomed new colleagues based in Burkina Faso, Pakistan, Spain and the United Kingdom, expanding capacity across the Sphere Handbook revision, Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP), communications, training, and event management. 

Sphere launched a of a call for professional translators to support a return to systematic dissemination of multilingual resources – for which more than 450 applications were received, demonstrating strong interest from across the humanitarian community. 

The University of Rwanda‘s East African Community Regional Centre of Excellence for Vaccines, Immunization and Health Supply Chain Management (EAC RCE-VIHSCM), in collaboration with humanitarian and academic experts, developed an eight-module Humanitarian and Public Health Emergency Supply Chain (HPHESC) curriculum, with technical support and review from the Sphere Secretariat, for potential delivery through universities and other training institutions. 

A significant milestone was the delivery of Gaza’s first locally led Sphere training, facilitated by Dr. Mahmoud Abudraz, a humanitarian worker and Sphere trainer based in Gaza, organised in partnership with the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, Save the Children International, the Centre for Humanitarian Impact (CHI) and IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation. 

A year of progress: Sphere Annual Report 2025  

The Sphere Annual Report 2025 reflects on a year of transition, resilience and progress for Sphere and its global community.

Against an increasingly complex humanitarian landscape, it demonstrates how Sphere continued to advance quality, accountability and principled humanitarian action through the collective efforts of its partners, focal points, trainers and supporters. 

The report highlights key achievements across Sphere’s strategic priorities, including strengthened partnerships, expanded learning opportunities, progress in environmental accountability, and preparations for the next revision of the Sphere Handbook. It also showcases the impact of the global Sphere network in supporting humanitarian responders to deliver more effective and accountable assistance. 

Sphere’s annual report is published alongside its audited financial statements for 2025. Sphere is committed to transparency and accountability, and invites anyone who is interested to view all available annual reports and financial statements here: https://spherestandards.org/financials/ 

Sphere Handbook Revision

Following the official launch in March, the Sphere Handbook Revision has entered its planning phase. This quarter, Sphere established the revision governance structure, including the appointment of a Revision Project Manager, Global Content Lead, and the 13-member Revision Steering Committee, selected from nearly 300 nominations. Meet the Steering Committee here.

The selection process for Content Leads and Working Group members is also underway, with more than 350 nominations received from across the humanitarian community. Applications have now closed, and appointments will be announced in Q4.

Sphere also invited input on potential cross-cutting themes for the fifth edition. The feedback is currently being reviewed, with the selected themes to be announced in Q4.

To support clear and consistent communication throughout the process, Sphere launched a Revision Communications Toolkit, providing key messages, visual assets, templates and practical guidance for everyone involved in the revision. Explore the toolkit here.

A dedicated Revision page and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page have also been launched, providing updates, resources and opportunities to get involved throughout the revision process.

The Sphere Handbook

 – Humanitarian responders make informed decisions that reduce morbidity and mortality by applying its principles and minimum standards. The Sphere Handbook continues to serve as a shared reference that enhances accountability, efficiency, and coordination in humanitarian action.

Sphere published two technical blogs by WASH experts James Brown and Sera Young, demonstrating practical applications of the Sphere WASH Minimum Standards. Measuring Water Sufficiency through People’s Experiences explores how the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) Scales can support WASH Standard 2.1, while Using the Safe Water Optimization Tool (SWOT) highlights an innovative approach to supporting WASH Standard 2.2. These contributions showcase how evidence-based tools can strengthen the application of the Sphere Handbook in humanitarian response.

If you have a tool that can help contextualise a Sphere standard, please write to us at communications@spherestandards.org.

Sphere launched a limited-time initiative to distribute free copies of the Sphere Handbook 2018 in Arabic and Spanish while stocks last, with recipients covering only handling and postage costs. The initiative aims to increase access to the Handbook and support humanitarian organisations and practitioners in applying the Sphere Standards in their work. Free copies are still available while stocks last. To request copies, contact handbooks@spherestandards.org

Strategic Partnerships

 – People responding to crises have streamlined access to humanitarian standards relevant to their context and stage of response. The Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP) is a leading authority on quality in humanitarian assistance.

Following the additions of Connectivity as Aid (CAA) Standards and Universal Logistics Standards (ULS) to the Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP), Sphere published two feature articles exploring how these new standards contribute to more effective and accountable humanitarian action. The articles highlight the growing importance of connectivity in humanitarian response through Bringing Connectivity Standards into the Humanitarian Standards Partnership, and explore the role of logistics in humanitarian systems through Strengthening humanitarian logistics through partnership: Sphere and IECAH. Together, the articles show how the HSP continues to expand its collective expertise and support practitioners with relevant, practical guidance for evolving humanitarian challenges.
The CAA Standards were published on spherehandbook.io – at https://spherehandbook.io/en/caa – presented in a new one-standard-per-page format.
Building on the shared services agreement established with Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards (LEGS) and SEADS Standards, Sphere began providing communications and digital support to strengthen the visibility and accessibility of these initiatives. This includes support for website management, content development and digital engagement, helping ensure that humanitarian standards and resources reach wider audiences. This approach reflects the growing collaboration across the Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP) and enables partners to strengthen their impact through coordinated support.
Sphere worked with Another Narrative Studio, led by Lara Twerenbold, to undertake a narrative audit exploring opportunities to strengthen youth engagement in the Sphere Handbook revision. Building on the report’s recommendations, Sphere convened an initial discussion with colleagues from Plan International and Save the Children to share insights and explore good practices for engaging young people throughout the revision process. The session also included perspectives from Sphere colleagues, including Patricia Visda and Raquel Weintraub, helping to inform the next steps in developing a youth engagement approach.

Policy & Advocacy

 – Sphere principles and standards are embedded into policies and operational frameworks at all levels, from local organisations to international institutions.

Paula Reed Lynch reflected on the evolution of the Sphere Standards in an external article, highlighting their continued relevance in improving the quality and accountability of humanitarian action. Drawing on the history of the Standards and their evolution over time, the article explores how the humanitarian sector has adapted to changing contexts, including an increasing emphasis on localisation, while reinforcing the enduring importance of minimum standards in humanitarian response. Read the full article on Substack.
William Anderson served on the CHS Alliance Humanitarian Accountability Report Advisory Committee, contributing to the development of the Humanitarian Accountability Report, which has now been published.
Sphere representatives attended events to strengthen partnerships, share learning, and stay engaged with key humanitarian discussions.

William Anderson represented Sphere at online and in-person events during the quarter, including:

The launch of the Global Humanitarian Assistance (GHA) Report by ALNAP.
The 30th Global WASH Cluster (GWC) Annual Meeting.
The Annual Meeting for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (online).
The Food Security Cluster Global Partners Meeting (online).
The launch of The Sudans: Africa’s Search for Peace, Democracy, and Two Viable States at the Geneva Graduate Institute, which explored the historical and political drivers of conflict in Sudan and South Sudan, the role of international actors, and the ongoing challenges of achieving lasting peace and humanitarian recovery.

Felicity Fallon led an interactive Sphere workshop for master’s students on the Health Emergencies in Large Populations Executive Short Course at the University of Geneva and took part in a multidisciplinary event on Financing Sustainable Innovation hosted by the World Health Organisation and Geneva Macro Labs.

Champions Network

 – Sphere’s minimum standards are locally driven, strengthening national and community-based actors in their leadership and application of globally recognised humanitarian standards. This approach reinforces sustainability and enhances the effectiveness of humanitarian response.

In April, Sphere partnered with the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, Save the Children International, Centre for Humanitarian Impact (CHI) and the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation to deliver a locally led Sphere training in Gaza. Facilitated by Mahmoud Abudraz, a humanitarian worker and Sphere trainer based in Gaza, the first cohort brought together 37 humanitarian professionals from 27 local and international organisations. The training strengthened participants’ understanding and practical application of the Humanitarian Charter, Protection Principles, Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and the Sphere Minimum Standards across key sectors, including water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter, health and food security. Building on the success of the first cohort, a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme is planned to further strengthen local capacity by enabling participants to share their knowledge within their organisations and communities.
Sphere Trainer and Focal Point representative Jonas Habimana, Executive Director of BIFERD, published a new report on localisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The report explores the realities faced by local humanitarian organisations and identifies practical changes needed to strengthen equitable partnerships, increase access to direct funding and support greater local leadership in humanitarian response. Read the full report, available in English and French, to explore the findings and recommendations.
The DRC Digital Humanitarian Academy is a collaborative initiative between CONAFOHD, Sphere, Data Friendly Space and RedR UK, with the support of H2H Network, that aims to strengthen locally led humanitarian response through an offline digital learning platform for local and national organisations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This quarter, the platform entered the testing phase while significant progress was made in contextualising learning materials and translating content into Lingala and Congolese Swahili. These developments will help ensure the platform is accessible, relevant and responsive to the needs of humanitarian actors across the country ahead of its planned launch.
Sphere organised an interactive fundraising workshop for participants from across the Sphere network, facilitated by Tim Fieldsend, Founder and CEO of On Purpose Sarl. The 90-minute session explored the fundamentals of fundraising and donor engagement, helping participants identify funding opportunities and co-create practical ideas to support Sphere projects at the country level.
Sphere organised an interactive workshop, Sphere escape challenge: A virtual facilitation workshop, facilitated by Raquel Weintraub, Sphere Network Manager, to strengthen participants’ virtual facilitation skills through an engaging escape room experience. Delivered in both English and Spanish, the session introduced innovative and practical facilitation techniques that participants could apply in their own trainings.
Sphere delivered a learning session for the Sphere network on applying an accountability lens to communications, bringing together 25 participants from different regions. Facilitated by Communications Manager Zunaira Shams, the session explored how communication practices can better reflect the principles of dignity, inclusion, safety and accountability by encouraging participants to consider how information, images and stories are shared. The session strengthened participants’ capacity to embed accountable communication practices across their organisations and humanitarian work.
Sphere welcomed a new partnership with the Canton of Geneva to support the participation of local communities and humanitarian organisations in the revision of the Sphere Handbook. Consultations and trainings will take place in Bangkok, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Panama and the Philippines. Look out for the first event in this series – a People-First Impact Method (P-FIM) exercise in the Philippines – next quarter.
Sphere continued to strengthen collaboration across its global Focal Point Network through regional quarterly meetings. Highlights included:

1. Europe: Fifteen participants from European focal point organisations and the Sphere Secretariat met to discuss the Sphere Handbook Revision 2026–2028, share country updates, and explore opportunities for regional collaboration, youth engagement, government advocacy, and joint funding initiatives. The meeting was co-hosted by Fraternity – International Humanitarian Missions (FIHM) with thanks to Ricardo Treno, Brother Noe and Aajhmaná Cardoso Almeida for their support.

2. Asia: Nineteen participants from focal point organisations across Asia and the Sphere Secretariat came together to exchange updates, share good practices, and strengthen regional collaboration. A key highlight was a presentation by MPBI (Indonesia Society for Disaster Management), delivered by Avianto Amri, on its inclusive Sphere training, which brought together persons with and without disabilities through accessible training methods and materials developed in collaboration with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities. Participants also shared updates on Sphere-related initiatives across the region, including humanitarian training, localisation, research, and emergency response.

3. Africa: Participants from focal point organisations across Africa exchanged updates on ongoing crises, including the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, preparedness efforts in Southern Africa, and displacement pressures linked to xenophobic violence in South Africa. They also highlighted growing engagement with government institutions, universities, and local organisations in countries such as DRC, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, and across West Africa to promote the use of Sphere standards in training, policy, and humanitarian coordination.

Communications

Blogs

Using the Safe Water Optimization Tool (SWOT) to support WASH Standard 2.2
Measuring water sufficiency through people’s experiences: using the WISE Scales to support WASH Standard 2.1
Data Friendly Space, RedR UK, and Sphere Launch Project to Create DRC Digital Humanitarian Academy for CONAFOHD
From Kinshasa to Geneva: Building the DRC Digital Humanitarian Academy Together
Bringing connectivity standards into the Humanitarian Standards Partnership
Strengthening humanitarian logistics through partnership: Sphere and IECAH
Sphere Handbook revision starts in earnest, and that’s not all: Sphere’s Q1 2026 roundup

Operations, management and governance

This quarter…

Sphere launched a call for professional translators working from English into Arabic, French and Spanish to support the organisation’s multilingual communications and publications, including the Sphere Handbook revision. The call sought experienced translators with expertise in humanitarian or development contexts and encouraged applications from professionals with lived experience of humanitarian crises. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with more than 450 applications received from around the world. The selected pool of translators will be welcomed into the team next quarter.
Ayesha Hassan stepped down from the Sphere Governing Board after more than four years of dedicated service, during which she provided valuable leadership, insight and support in helping shape Sphere’s work. Community World Service Asia (CWSA) appointed Tooba Siddiqi, Associate Regional Director at CWSA, as her successor. A long-standing champion of Sphere and Regional Focal Point, Tooba brings extensive experience and a strong commitment to advancing quality and accountable humanitarian action.
Sphere’s 2026 Annual General Assembly brought together members from across the global network to reflect on achievements and discuss emerging priorities. Members approved the 2025 Annual Report and endorsed the Sphere Strategy 2026–2028, which sets out priorities including the revision of the Sphere Handbook. Sphere is grateful to its members for their critical role in the governance of the association as well as their invaluable financial contribution
Internal learning and knowledge sharing became a stronger focus across the growing Secretariat this quarter. Highlights included:

1. An interactive session on responsible AI use and the EU AI Act, covering Sphere’s AI usage policy and AI literacy.

2. A presentation by Cathy Ward, LEGS Coordinator, introducing the work of LEGS and SEADS.

3. Ongoing onboarding and knowledge-sharing sessions to support new team members and strengthen cross-team collaboration as the Secretariat continues to grow.

Reflecting Sphere’s growing global presence, the organisation welcomed several new team members this quarter: Andrea Espinosa (Spain) as Revision Project Manager, Sarah Ward (US) as Global Content Lead for the Sphere Handbook Revision, Hassane Koubere (Burkina Faso) as Training and Events Coordinator, Dur e Nayab (Pakistan) as Communications Associate, and Susanna Davies (United Kingdom) as Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP) Coordinator. Together, these appointments strengthen Sphere’s capacity to deliver the Sphere Handbook revision, support the HSP, expand learning opportunities, and enhance communications and engagement across the global humanitarian community.