6.2 Sphere Common Standard 1: Participation

CARE subscribes to the Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response. Common Standard 1 directly addresses participation:
The disaster-affected population actively participates in the assessment, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the assistance programme.
Key indicators

• Women and men of all ages from the disaster-affected and wider local populations, including vulnerable groups, receive information about the assistance programme, and are given the opportunity to comment to the assistance agency during all stages of the project cycle (see guidance note 1 in Sphere handbook)
• Written assistance programme objectives and plans should reflect the needs, concerns and values of disaster-affected people, particularly those belonging to vulnerable groups, and contribute to their protection (see guidance notes 1 and 2 in handbook)
• Programming is designed to maximise the use of local skills and capacities (see guidance notes 3 and 4 in handbook)
  Source: Adapted from The Sphere Project, 2004.