“It’s not so much what you give but how you give it”

Interview with Ton van Zutphen, former Sphere Board Chair

How long have you been involved with the Sphere Project?

I have been a member of the Board for seven years, including the last three as its Chair. But my involvement with the Sphere Project dates back to its very beginning. In 1997, I was working in Bangladesh and reviewed the first proposals of the Project with the organization for which I was working at that time. Then I was involved in the group of agencies that piloted Sphere during the late nineties and early years of this millennium.

What do you think is the main contribution of the Sphere Project to humanitarian response?

I would say it is the rights-based approach. That is, the concept that people have a right to assistance, and that assistance should be given taking into consideration the dignity of those affected by disaster. The right to life with dignity is, for me, the fundamental principle, while the need to provide assistance in an effective and accountable way is a consequence of that.

It is a bit unfortunate that sometimes the second element, that is, the how, the minimum standards, take precedence over the fundamental principle. All of us who use the Sphere Handbook should give priority consideration to the right to assistance, the dignity of those who receive assistance, as well as to the protection principles – which we have included in the Handbook’s 2011 edition.

Upholding the right to assistance and protection and the dignity of those who are affected by disasters are the leitmotifs of the Sphere Project.

What main concrete difference do you think the Sphere Project makes for people affected by disasters or armed conflicts?

Well, again, it has to do with the dignity principle. Studies show that it’s not so much ‘what’ you give but ‘how’ you give it that makes a difference. So the environment in which those who give and those who receive work together and the way they do that are crucial. If we can get that essential element of the Sphere approach right, I think it has a real impact on the relationship between those affected by disaster and those providing aid or otherwise addressing the situation.

Then of course, there are obviously certain guarantees – related to the minimum standards set out in the Sphere Handbook – that if one works with organizations which promote Sphere, one can expect the services provided, whether these be shelter or water and sanitation, to be of a certain quality.,

So, activities implemented professionally should lead to outcomes of better quality. However, impact studies around Sphere have been minimal and more work therefore needs to be done in this respect in the coming years.

Do you recall an experience that made a special impression on you during the years of your involvement with the Sphere Project?

I remember in particular an exposure session on Sphere standards for academics and government officials in Mumbai, about five years ago. There was a tough, albeit very constructive debate about the role of NGOs, government agencies and the academic community. Seeing minimum standards in humanitarian response taken so seriously in a country like India was an eye-opener for me. Of course, this did not happen by chance. During the launch of the Handbook 2011 edition, Sphere India, which is a member of the Sphere Board, has recently shown again that the interest, the take-up, is there.

Another moving event happened in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. I was participating at a meeting in a fairly large camp, when suddenly a young aid worker who was holding the French version of the Sphere Handbook stood up and said: “Look, there are a number of guidelines that are available. They exist and many organizations should use them so we could do better here. “This is applicable,” she continued, “to the shelter situation here, to the water and sanitation and hygiene situation…” I was very touched by her passionate plea for the utilization of the Sphere Handbook in the very place where it belongs.

How do you see the future of the Sphere project in five, ten years?

I think there are good prospects for the Sphere Project and its Handbook. However, when it comes to humanitarian standards, I hope we will work towards something more comprehensive over the next five, ten years. It would perhaps be useful to move towards a quality and accountability handbook that includes most if not all of the standards applicable in humanitarian response. That is, the Sphere standards as well as others coming from initiatives like the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership, People in Aid and others. This could motivate the initiatives concerned with quality and accountability issues to work together. Change will take time of course, but it definitely should happen in the next, say, three to seven years.

Do you see convergence between the existing quality and accountability initiatives as a possibility?

I think there is a lot of room for enhanced collaboration between quality and accountability initiatives at the level of field operations during emergency responses. Then, I believe there is a need to look at how the different strategic visions of these initiatives can be brought together and what – if any -elements in those strategies are non-negotiable.

And finally, the whole issue of structure and governance needs to be addressed. I would see the latter as the last phase in a movement towards harmonization and convergence – a movement that should aim at strengthening the quality and accountability initiatives as one strong voice in the humanitarian sector.

Where does your passion for humanitarian work come from?

In the seventies as a young student of geography and economics, I travelled through India and saw the incredible poverty there. When I came back to my rich country [the Netherlands], I thought: this is what I want to do. I want to try to assist those who not only have less, but often are considered not even to be part of society and are completely on their own.

So, I started to work in development, and later moved into emergency preparedness and humanitarian response. I find it rewarding that in this field one can make a real contribution. I should say, however, that after 35 years, I would have hoped to see more structural changes in the world. Nevertheless, I think that what matters is to work with passion and commitment towards a better world.

That is what has always driven me. Whether I work for World Vision – as I do today – or serve on the Sphere Board, I hope to be helping make this world a better and more secure place for all.