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An orientation session on the Sphere Standard and Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) was conducted on March 19, 2024, in Biratnagar. The program was organized by DPNet Koshi Province in coordination with LCWS, LWF Nepal, CARITAS Nepal, SN-JD, and JIDS. The event brought together key stakeholders from government, civil society, and humanitarian organizations working in the field of disaster preparedness and response in Koshi Province.

The objective of the session was to enhance the understanding of Sphere Standards and the Core Humanitarian Standard among local actors and to promote the practical application of these global guidelines in humanitarian response settings. The orientation was designed to be interactive, informative, and rooted in real-world examples from Nepal’s disaster response experiences.

The session began by Dr. Raju Thapa assessing participants' prior knowledge of the Sphere Standards. It was found that a significant number of attendees had limited familiarity with the standards, indicating a strong need for such orientations at the provincial level. To address this, the facilitator engaged participants in a short quiz with practical multiple-choice questions. These included topics such as the recommended daily water intake per person during emergencies, minimum shelter space required per individual, and the standard calorie intake in humanitarian settings. The quiz helped spark curiosity and discussion among participants and set the tone for an engaging session.

Following this, the facilitator introduced the Sphere Standards in detail, explaining their origin and purpose. The Sphere Project was launched in 1997 by humanitarian NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to improve the quality and accountability of humanitarian assistance. The session covered the structure of the Sphere Handbook, which includes both foundational and technical chapters. The foundational chapters comprising the Humanitarian Charter, Protection Principles, and Core Humanitarian Standard provide the ethical and rights-based foundation for humanitarian action. The technical chapters offer minimum standards across key sectors such as Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH), Food Security and Nutrition, Shelter and Settlement, and Health.

Special attention was given to the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), which outlines nine commitments for quality and accountable humanitarian action. The facilitator informed participants that the CHS was recently revised in 2024 to reflect evolving challenges and strengthen its relevance. To help participants internalize these commitments, a fun and engaging teacher-student game was conducted. In this activity, participants competed to recall and explain all nine CHS commitments. Winners of the game were awarded copy of the Sphere Handbook, encouraging continued learning and application of the standards.

Dr. Raju Thapa facilitated the session, combining his technical expertise with interactive teaching methods. Through the use of real-life case studies, games, and group discussions, he was able to simplify complex standards and make them accessible and relevant to the participants’ local context. The session concluded with reflections from participants who expressed appreciation for the knowledge gained and a strong interest in applying the Sphere Standards and CHS in their respective roles to improve the quality and accountability of humanitarian response in Koshi Province.