Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability

The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) sets out nine commitments to ensure that organisations support people and communities affected by crisis and vulnerability in ways that respect their rights and dignity and promote their primary role in finding solutions to the crises they face.

The CHS is a globally recognised, measurable standard. It promotes equitable and collaborative relations between people and communities and those working to support them. It aims to address power imbalances. It is relevant and applicable for all those who individually or collectively work to support people and communities. It can be used as a framework to:

• Enable people and communities to hold those who support them to account.

• Improve the quality and accountability of organisations and their work.

• Assess and verify organisations’ performance and demonstrate their learning journey towards meeting the CHS commitments.

• Promote collective efforts to ensure quality and accountability.

The CHS is founded on the internationally agreed humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality. It is built on the Sphere Humanitarian Charter, which describes people’s right to life with dignity, their right to receive support and assistance, and their right to protection and security. Organisations working in humanitarian crisis situations are encouraged to use the CHS in conjunction with the Sphere Minimum Standards and other standards that are part of the Humanitarian Standards Partnership.