Bosnia and Herzegovina National Platform
History
Delegates to the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the session dated 15 May 2008, passed the Framework Law on the Protection and Rescue of People and Property in the Event of Natural or Other Disasters in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This legal framework defines the protection and rescue of people and material goods in case of natural or other disasters in the county, the implementation of international obligations, and the cooperation in the implementation of protection and rescue (i.e. civil protection), as well as the responsibilities of institutions, the coordination of activities of institutions and bodies, Entity Civil Protection Administrations and the competent body for the civil protection of Brcko District Public Security Department. The law came into force on 1 July 2008.
Based on a proposal by the protection and rescue sector of the Ministry of Security, in May 2012, the Council of Ministers adopted the information about the establishment of the national platform for DRR in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The first conference on the national platform for DRR was held on 25 March 2013, in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo.
The conference gathered the representatives of the protection and rescue structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina, government bodies, scientific and academic institutions, private businesses, NGOs, local communities, international and regional organizations, as well as numerous representatives of the media.
Structure
The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina tasked the Ministry of Security to establish, in cooperation with relevant Entity and Brcko District Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Disaster Risk Reduction Platform as a permanent forum for the exchange and provision of opinions, proposals and achievements contributing to disaster risk reduction in all areas of human activities.
Mandate
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is need to build platforms for DRR at the national level in order to systematically decrease various risks, through all economic and social activities. Also, the risks arising from new developments should be clearly recognized and taken into account in advance.
DRR must be part of the strategy of community development, involve the knowledge and experience of individual sectors, and ensure a multisectoral approach. Further work should ensure that all people at all levels in the country take over their responsibilities, tasks and duties in the DRR system.