Developing a Sphere guide for urban response
Recognizing the need to respond to calls from within the humanitarian sector to review existing standards with regard to their relevance for urban response1, the Sphere Project office is seeking an external consultant to develop guidance on the application of the current Sphere Handbook for urban response.
Focus of the analysis
Urban situations are often complex in terms of population density, governance and diversity. Humanitarian response must match these factors appropriately, in particular in the areas of coordination; analysis, assessment, monitoring and evaluation; building on national and local capacity; protection; targeting (diversity, vulnerability); information and communication technology; logistics; cash and voucher approaches.
Most of these areas are already included in the Sphere Handbook’s Protection Principles and Core Standards/Core Humanitarian Standard, albeit without an explicit urban focus.
The Sphere Standards have been developed to reflect a universal minimum standard for life with dignity in humanitarian response, yet there are varied ways to contextualize these through adaptation of key actions, indicators, and guidance. The Sphere urban guidance will focus on this contextualization in two ways:
Urban situations are often complex in terms of population density, governance and diversity. Humanitarian response must match these factors appropriately, in particular in the areas of coordination; analysis, assessment, monitoring and evaluation; building on national and local capacity; protection; targeting (diversity, vulnerability); information and communication technology; logistics; cash and voucher approaches.
Most of these areas are already included in the Sphere Handbook’s Protection Principles and Core Standards/Core Humanitarian Standard, albeit without an explicit urban focus.
The Sphere Standards have been developed to reflect a universal minimum standard for life with dignity in humanitarian response, yet there are varied ways to contextualize these through adaptation of key actions, indicators, and guidance. The Sphere urban guidance will focus on this contextualization in two ways:
- Analysis and process: What are the specific cities in analysis, assessment, programming and monitoring across the programme cycle in urban contexts and how do these determine the use or adaptation of the current Sphere indicators? This may build on the Sphere for Assessments and Sphere for Monitoring and Evaluation guides released earlier this year.
- Technical recommendations: What indicators and key actions in the current handbook are most applicable, and what additional guidance may be required to adapt to an urban operation. All forthcoming guidance will be fed into the forthcoming Sphere Handbook revision process (2016-2018).
Process and timeline
In line with Sphere practice, the proposed drafting process will be consultative, consensus-driven and based on sector-wide practice. The consultant will be supported by a selected advisory group of agencies, platforms and academic institutions focusing and developing thinking on urban response. Group members will represent different geographic regions and response contexts, as well as various technical expertise covering the Sphere Handbook chapters and sectors covered by the Sphere Companion standards.
In line with Sphere practice, the proposed drafting process will be consultative, consensus-driven and based on sector-wide practice. The consultant will be supported by a selected advisory group of agencies, platforms and academic institutions focusing and developing thinking on urban response. Group members will represent different geographic regions and response contexts, as well as various technical expertise covering the Sphere Handbook chapters and sectors covered by the Sphere Companion standards.
The consultancy will be conducted from September-December, with approximately 25-30 working days in this period. Deliverables include:
- Literature review and inception report
- Field consultation and/or travel to field hub (to be proposed in submission)
- A minimum of two case studies to support the guidance, based on consultations and/or partner contributions
- Convening a minimum of 3 AG sessions during the period
- Draft guidance, shared with AG and Sphere Project for comment
- Final pilot version of guidance to be submitted by or before 20 December
This consultancy is expected to require 25-30 working days over a period of 10-12 weeks. The final submitted urban guide is expected to be approximately 10-15’000 words.
The consultant must have a strong background in humanitarian response, including in urban environments, and an excellent understanding of contextualizing standards in practice. Additionally she or he must have strong communication, coordination, analytical and writing skills.
HOW TO APPLY:
The expression of interest should include a CV and detailed proposal for developing the guide along with relevant experience of the consultant and budget.
Please submit your expression of interest to recruitment3@icvanetwork.org
Please submit your expression of interest to recruitment3@icvanetwork.org
Please note that if the consultant lives and works in Switzerland, she or he must already be duly registered to be considered.
Deadline for submission of expression of interest: 23 August.
Brief interviews with shortlisted candidates in the week of 24 August.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Brief interviews with shortlisted candidates in the week of 24 August.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
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