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Why update the Standard?

A decade after its launch, the revision process was designed to ensure the commitments made to people affected by crisis were relevant and accessible to a diverse range of aid actors. The renewed CHS is now even more people-driven and people-centred, reinforcing the leading role of communities and local actors in shaping and influencing actions and decisions that affect them, helping address power imbalances in the aid system.

A truly global launch

Huge thanks to our membership and partners who hosted engaging discussions, webinars and events in Afghanistan, Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Niger, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Somalia/Somaliland, South Sudan, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Turkey and Yemen.

CHS Alliance members and allies worldwide are calling for greater uptake to increase the reach of the stronger Standard, and hundreds have renewed their statement of commitment to the CHS. Take a look here, and sign up: Statement of Commitment to the CHS

In Turkey, Nirengi Foundation teamed up with Mavi Kalem and HelpAge International to host an event in Istanbul. Experienced practitioners shared insights on how CHS can strengthen humanitarian interventions. The event, moderated by Zeynep M. Sanduvac from Nirengi, highlighted practical applications, global best practices, and ways to integrate CHS into field operations. 

In Niger, CHS Alliance member Concern Worldwide gathered more than 50 national and international NGOs together in Niamey.

Panellist, Dr. Idé Yacouba Abdoul Aziz, representing the national NGO Développement Harmonieux du Niger (EDHN), shared that the CHS self-assessment that his organisation carried out supported them to readjust their projects to better place affected communities at the centre of their activities. EDHN is in the process of joining CHS Alliance and aiming to become the first national organisation in Niger to achieve CHS Certification.

Country Director of Concern, Francesco Tropea reflected, “The launch of the CHS was a success in terms of the content of the exchanges and the interest of the participants. In a context like Niger, which is regularly affected by multidimensional crises, a response that respects the rights and dignity of people and communities in crisis situations is essential.”

Watch the highlights in Concern’s short video of the launch.

In Spain, the Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action (IECAH), with the Spanish Cooperation Agency and Caixa Bank Foundation held launches in Madrid and Barcelona with more than 50 participants drawn from NGOs, academia, and public officials.

Speaker at the Madrid CHS Credit: IECAH

Camille Nussbaum, Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action shared “The potential for applying the CHS now clearly extends well beyond emergency and humanitarian crises to development programmes, advocacy as well as broader social causes. We appreciate the quality translation into Spanish, with attention to cultural nuances that ensures it is both comprehensible and relevant across diverse contexts. We welcome the updated Standard’s adaptability for local organisations and that the crucial role of donor recognition is highlighted.”

In Pakistan, CHS Alliance’s member Community World Service Asia with UN OCHA, Tearfund, IFRC, REEDS and Acted hosted a series of launches in Islamabad, Dadu and Jacobabad and online.

Discussion at the Islamabad CHS launch. Credit: Community World Service Asia

Tooba Siddiqi, Community World Service Asia said “The updated CHS will drive institutional strengthening for local organisations beyond capacity building, enhancing policies and operations alike. Participants embraced the stronger emphasises on communities, inclusivity, and collective action for quality and accountability. Overall, it was felt that more organisations must endorse and implement the CHS, so we can extend its benefits to local communities faster than ever.”

In Yemen, CHS Alliance local member Building Foundation for Development curated two launches in Aden and Marib, attracting nearly 100 national and international NGOs. 

NGOs gather for a CHS launch in Yemen, organised by BFD. Credit: BFD

Abdullah Ahmed Al Asri of BFD said, “The launches highlighted the new CHS edition’s significance for our collective accountability work. Each event sparked active discussions, including the importance of INGOs and donors supporting local groups to access verification.” 

In Australia, Oxfam and the Humanitarian Advisory Group held a packed launch in Melbourne.

See a clip of CHS Alliance Board member & Accountability Adviser at Oxfam, Carly Sheehan explaining how the updated CHS is more accessible and adaptable:

In Sweden, CHS Alliance member Act Church of Sweden and Islamic Relief Sweden organised an event in Stockholm.  

Coleen Heemskerk, Act Church of Sweden Humanitarian Director and CHS Alliance Board Member, hosted the event, which included powerful endorsements of the updated CHS from GOPA-DERD’s Sara Savva and Act Alliance’s Niall O’Rouke. 

“We are in really challenging times right now.  Over 300 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance… and we’re just seeing the needs increase.  I believe that it’s more than ever now that the CHS is important because it’s really telling us what is at the core, what is essential for us in order to deliver effective, equitable, and appropriate aid to individuals.”  Coleen Heemskerk

Translations

The updated Core Humanitarian Standard is now available to download in Ethiopian languages, Farsi, Hindi, Icelandic, Indonesian, Japanese, Romanian, Turkish, Ukrainian, with the CHS website available in Arabic, French and Spanish.

Not in your local language? We encourage organisations to translate the CHS to increase its reach. Contact us for translation guidance at chs@chsalliance.org.

New tools, training and support

We are pleased to launch a suite of new tools to support organisations meet CHS commitments.

From April, the CHS Tracker self assessment tool will be upgraded to the renewed Standard. Watch this space.

Alongside this, the Alliance has produced the CHS Verification Guide – a practical resource to help organisations effectively verify against the updated Standard, providing additional insights into what to look for when assessing the application of the CHS commitments, including practical examples and possible sources of evidence.   This accompanies the CHS Verification Framework, updated last year.

E learning modules on the strengthened CHS are now available on the Kaya learning platform.  Developed by the Humanitarian Learning Academy, in partnership with CHS Alliance, Groupe URD and Sphere, the lessons use examples drawn from real world from aid workers globally to help participants make decisions which ensure a person-centred response. Available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

The CHS Training of Trainers course has also been updated to reflect the updates to the CHS, and three TOTs have already taken place. Check our training page for upcoming courses.

Thank you to everyone who has helped launch and promote the updated Standard across the world.

As ever, the CHS Alliance stands with you in this difficult time, so please reach out for any support you may need.