CoDRRAThe Sphere Person illustration shows how the Humanitarian Charter, Protection Principles and technical chapters relate to each other.
The Sphere Handbook combines foundations that apply across humanitarian work with technical chapters on particular areas of assistance. The Sphere Person illustrates how they fit together by representing the parts of the Handbook as parts of a human body.
The Humanitarian Charter underpins the Handbook. It sets out rights to life with dignity, humanitarian assistance, and protection and security. The Protection Principles apply those rights in practice: help people stay safe, make assistance accessible without discrimination, support recovery from violence or deprivation, and help people claim their rights.
The Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) describes what people should be able to expect from organisations providing assistance. The Code of Conduct addresses how those organisations act: base priorities on need, respect local culture and capacities, involve affected people and portray them with dignity.
The four technical chapters are water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion; food security and nutrition; shelter and settlement; and health. The same foundations apply across all four. For example, planning a water supply involves deciding how much water is needed and making sure the people who need it can actually reach it.
It is easier to learn how the Handbook is organised during preparedness than in the middle of an emergency. Read the foundational chapters alongside the technical chapter you expect to use.