CHS Alliance

Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability

The logo of the CHS Alliance

The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) is a set of commitments that organizations involved in humanitarian response can use to improve the quality and effectiveness of the assistance they provide. The CHS was developed to ensure that humanitarian action is principled, accountable, and effective.

Overview

The CHS consists of nine commitments that organizations can use to guide their work. These commitments are designed to ensure that humanitarian responses are appropriate, timely, and effective, and that they respect the rights and dignity of the people affected by crises.

The Nine Commitments

1. Appropriate Assistance: Humanitarian response is appropriate and relevant. 2. Effective and Timely: Humanitarian response is effective and timely. 3. Strengthening Local Capacities: Humanitarian response strengthens local capacities and avoids negative effects. 4. Participation and Feedback: Communities and people affected by crisis know their rights and entitlements, have access to information, and participate in decisions that affect them. 5. Complaints Mechanisms: Communities and people affected by crisis have access to safe and responsive mechanisms to handle complaints. 6. Coordination and Complementarity: Humanitarian response is coordinated and complementary. 7. Learning and Improvement: Humanitarian actors continuously learn and improve. 8. Staff Competence: Staff are supported to do their job effectively and are treated fairly and equitably. 9. Resource Management: Resources are managed and used responsibly for their intended purpose.

Implementation

Organizations can implement the CHS by integrating its commitments into their policies, procedures, and practices. This involves training staff, engaging with communities, and establishing systems for monitoring and evaluation.

CHS Alliance

The CHS Alliance is a global network of humanitarian and development organizations committed to making aid work better for people. The Alliance supports organizations in implementing the CHS by providing resources, training, and opportunities for collaboration.

Related Pages

• Humanitarian principles
• Accountability in humanitarian work
• Humanitarian response
• International humanitarian law