and charitable approach to those in need, towards a rights-based approach based on solidarity and protection of human dignity even in the most challenging crisis environments. Sphere is therefore not just a manual of good practice and professional standards, but is a statement of rights and duties. It seeks to give concrete meaning to the concepts of the “right to life with dignity” and the “right to humanitarian assistance,” by defining a minimum content of these rights and spelling out their implications for humanitarian practice. Establishing the content of these rights through agreed standards allow a diverse community of practitioners to agree what quality humanitarian interventions look like. It allows us to be transparent and accountable. Standards help us build predictability and strengthen coordination across a broad range of actors in government, NGO, even military and non-state actors. They help us think about needs assessment, programme design and evaluation in a shared way and make sure we are being as effective and timely as possible. They help us professionalize our work, build capacity, advocate with others, and find common ground for action. Standards help us think about the gap between what assistance should be to promote life with dignity, compared to what it may be in practice. In short, standards help us translate principles and rights into practice and programmes. And while Sphere is widely known and recognized because of its technical standards, it is much more than a manual of good practice and professional standards. The Humanitarian Charter is the actual cornerstone of Sphere, firmly laying the foundations for humanitarian action within a wider framework of social, political, legal and moral relationships. Within the Charter, we take clear note of the formal relationship which exists between the state and its citizens. The state role is reaffirmed both in its sovereign responsibility and its obligation to provide assistance, or to allow assistance to be provided where it is unable or unwilling to do so. Sphere recognizes that NGOs have no formal responsibility within the international legal framework, other than the right to offer assistance. And we offer this assistance recognizing the rights of all people to life with dignity and to protection and assistance as reflected in the international legal framework. The role of civil society in responding to humanitarian crisis is undeniable. It is indeed the combination of formal and voluntary action at the local, national, regional and international levels as appropriate that provides the best chances that assistance is provided effectively, efficiently, and that it is timely and relevant to evolving needs on the ground. The Humanitarian Charter helps humanitarian practitioners make decisions in support of this approach, considering roles and responsibilities, and the principles which drive this work. So what does this mean in practice and what does it mean for minorities?