▁to ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁ ▁Setting ▁minimum ▁standards ▁Five ▁sector ▁comm itte es ▁were ▁formed , ▁each ▁with ▁a ▁manager ▁second ed ▁by ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁spons oring ▁ag encies . ▁The ▁sector ▁comm itte es ▁were ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁exper ts ▁drawn ▁not ▁only ▁from ▁N GO s , ▁but ▁also ▁from ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross ▁and ▁Inter - g overn ment al ▁ag encies ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁UN H CR , ▁W HO , ▁and ▁W FP . ▁The ▁sector ▁comm itte es ▁form ulated ▁minimum ▁standards ▁of ▁assistance ▁for ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁se ctors . ▁The ▁intention ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁was ▁that ▁the ▁setting ▁up ▁of ▁minimum ▁standards ▁would ▁help ▁to ▁improve ▁account ability ▁and ▁the ▁overall ▁quality ▁of ▁human itar ian ▁response ▁to ▁those ▁affected ▁by ▁dis aster s . ▁ ▁Human itar ian ▁char ter ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁a ▁working ▁group ▁was ▁established ▁to ▁draft ▁the ▁Human itar ian ▁Char ter . ▁Its ▁final ▁draft ▁highlight ed ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁three ▁principles ▁in ▁particular : ▁ ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁life ▁with ▁dign ity , ▁ ▁the ▁distinction ▁between ▁combat ants ▁and ▁non - com bat ants , ▁and ▁ ▁the ▁principle ▁of ▁non - ref ou lement . ▁ ▁By ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁a ▁draft ▁edition ▁of ▁the ▁hand book ▁was ▁posted ▁on ▁the ▁Internet ▁for ▁comments . ▁ ▁Ph ase ▁ 1 ▁was ▁extended ▁by ▁four ▁months ▁to ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁