The Minimum Economic Recovery Standards are the internationally recognized consensus on best practices for building economic resilience for crisis-affected communities.

The MERS handbook offers tools and guidance that support practitioners, multi-lateral stakeholders, local market actors, governments and donors to design, implement and evaluate economic recovery activities that build resiliency for vulnerable populations in the wake of crisis. The standards draw from the accumulated experience of the world’s leading humanitarian agencies and economic development practitioners. The third and most current edition of the MERS represents the expertise of over 90 organizations and 175 technical professionals.

Mainstreaming the Minimum Economic Recovery Standards (MERS)

Launched in 2017, SEEP’s Mainstreaming MERS initiative is designed to increase awareness, sustained learning, and wide scale uptake of the Minimum Economic Recovery Standards by organizations working in disaster response and economic recovery.  Sponsored by USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, the program is comprised of the following components:

• Mainstreaming MERS Partnerships: We are providing direct support to humanitarian and development organizations to build internal awareness and application of MERS at the institutional level.
• Technical Tools and Resources: We are developing new, easily-accessible MERS resources including translations, case studies, webinars and other learning products.
• Collaboration and Learning: We offer practitioners, researchers, policy makers and donors opportunities to build knowledge around the use and application of MERS through MERS Training of Trainers workshops, peer learning groups and facilitated convenings. 

For more information about Mainstreaming MERS, contact us below.

MERS and the Humanitarian Standards Partnership

The MERS are a member of the Humanitarian Standards Partnership (HSP) which aims to improve the quality and accountability of humanitarian action through an increased application of humanitarian standards. The partnership is comprised of six standards initiatives, which in addition to the MERs include: Sphere, the Child Protection Minimum Standards, the Livestock Emergency Guidelines and Standards, the INEE Minimum Standards for Education, the Minimum Standards for Market Analysis, and the Humanitarian Inclusion Standards for Older People and People With Disabilities.

Explore the MERS

The MERS are available to download online in English, Arabic, French and Spanish, or for purchase as a hardcopy handbook in English. You can also use the HSPapp to download MERS, and the partner Standards, on your mobile device.