Donation of Chinese version Sphere Standard Handbook to China CDC

China is one of the countries most affected by natural disasters, which caused an average of 2,000 deaths and affected more than 300 million people annually during the last two decades. To further facilitate trainings and knowledge transfer activities on disaster and emergency management for governmental and technical/professional institutions in China, CCOUC and Oxfam Hong Kong donated a total of 165 copies of Chinese version Sphere Handbook: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response to Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) and 32 provincial/municipal CDC offices across China in January 2014.

Sphere Handbook is a guideline that embodies knowledge and experience from experts and volunteers from more than 400 organisations around the world. It is composed of a set of minimum standards in key lifesaving sectors and humanitarian principles to ensure the quality and accountability of humanitarian response. It has been widely accepted and applied globally in response to emergency and crisis settings.

CCOUC has committed to strengthen the capacity of national and regional stakeholders in disaster preparedness and response since its establishment in April 2011. CCOUC and Oxfam Hong Kong believe that this joint donation is a meaningful furtherance to encourage managerial and frontline disaster response professionals to better understand and adhere to the basic health needs standards for disaster-affected population, to better protect disaster victims from indignity and further suffering, and to deliver more effective, efficient and appropriate humanitarian actions in the future.