▁work ▁of ▁the ▁management ▁committee . ▁ ▁Sp ons ors : ▁S CH R ▁( C are ▁International , ▁Car itas ▁International is , ▁the ▁International ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Cross , ▁the ▁International ▁Federation ▁of ▁Red ▁Cross ▁and ▁Red ▁C res cent ▁Soci eties , ▁International ▁Save ▁the ▁Children ▁Alliance , ▁Luther an ▁World ▁Federation , ▁Ox f am , ▁World ▁Council ▁of ▁Church es , ▁and ▁Mé dec ins ▁Sans ▁Front ières ) ▁Inter Action ▁( 1 6 5 ▁US - based ▁members ; ▁ 6 2 ▁in ▁its ▁Dis aster ▁Response ▁Committee ) ▁ ▁Ob ser vers : ▁ ▁Vo ice ▁IC RC ▁I CV A ▁ ▁Project ▁The ▁original ▁objective ▁of ▁the ▁S phere ▁Project ▁was ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁human itar ian ▁char ter ▁and ▁associated ▁set ▁of ▁minimum ▁standards ▁in ▁collaboration ▁with ▁leading ▁N GO s , ▁interested ▁don or ▁govern ments ▁and ▁UN ▁ag encies , ▁to ▁both ▁dis sem inate ▁the ▁result ant ▁products ▁widely ▁within ▁the ▁international ▁human itar ian ▁system ▁and ▁to ▁encou rage ▁their ▁formal ▁ad option ▁and ▁practice ▁by ▁relief ▁ag encies ▁and ▁their ▁don ors . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁first ▁phase ▁of ▁one ▁year ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁began . ▁ ▁Five ▁se ctors ▁were ▁chosen ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁basic ▁se ctors ▁in ▁human itar ian ▁response : ▁water ▁supply ▁and ▁san itation ▁nut r ition ▁food ▁aid ▁shelter ▁and ▁site ▁planning ▁health ▁services ▁ ▁Ph ase ▁ 1 ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 7