“Human security perspective and mine action.”
ITF Enhancing Human Security (ITF) (previously named International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance) is a humanitarian, non-profit organization established by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in March 1998 with the initial purpose to help Bosnia and Herzegovina in the implementation of the peace agreement and to provide assistance and support in post-conflict rehabilitation. Since its inception, ITF has been continuously developing and enhancing its mission, thus expanding its geographic area and scope of activities in order to address the problems of the ever changing human security environment, the needs of beneficiary countries and the priorities of donor community.
The human security approach is a centrepiece of ITF activities. This approach enables ITF to focus on efforts to not only save lives and limbs, but to build resilience and empower conflict affected communities. By applying a people-centred perspective as the central pillar of human security it becomes self-evident that humanitarian mine action and CWD (conventional weapons destruction) is not just about clearance of ERW (explosive remnants of war), risk awareness, or stockpile destruction. Rather, the impact of mines/ERW and deteriorating and illicit munitions touches upon all faces of human security ¬– health, personal security, livelihood, peace and the environment. Thus, ITF extends its scope of work beyond clearance and CWD, and addresses the development phase of communities that have emerged from war.