Community Mediation Programme

A project to establish local mediation committees which reduce the use of violence in resolving conflicts in Nepal.

Description

The initiative has been developed to raise peoples’ awareness of nonviolent means of conflict resolution and to encourage them to practice them when necessary. It has been designed to solve differences, disputes and conflicts through facilitation and mediation that involves the conflicting parties.

The initiative aims to prevent local conflicts or disputes escalating into violence, damaging relationships or leaving negative psychological and economic effects. In addition, the initiative aims to establish a culture in which nonviolent means of conflict resolution are used. It is hoped this will become an example and contribute to the resolution of the Maoist conflict.

Aims / Objectives

HURF has the following aims and objectives in association with the initiative:

• to develop a culture of facilitation, mediation and negotiation to resolve disputes and conflicts;
• to minimise the impact of local differences, disputes and conflict;
• to promote and encourage people to practice nonviolent means of conflict resolution when necessary;
• to develop a culture of human rights and peace;
• pressure the conflicting parties to resolve conflict through peaceful means by putting forward examples established by the organization;
• to ensure justice for women, poor and marginalised people and Dalits.
  
  

How it is Articulated

2165 people including women, Dalits, marginalised people and ethnic minorities have been involved in the Community Mediation Programme. They have all been provided training in facilitation, mediation, negotiation, human rights and humanitarian laws.

Local level committees have been formed by the participants, and they have been working on the following activities:

• selection of VDCs;
• documentation of disputes and conflicts;
• facilitation, mediation and negotiation to solve the disputes and conflicts;
• training in facilitation, mediation and negotiation;
• training in human rights, conflict transformation and peacebuilding;
• legal assistance.
  
  

Achievements / Learning Points

The organisation has been implementing the Community Mediation Programme in association with the Centre for Victims of Torture (CVICT). It has formed the “Human Rights Mediation Committee” to solve disputes and differences in communities using peaceful means such as facilitation, mediation and negotiation that includes direct involvement of the conflicting actors.

The initiative has achieved the following:

• poor and marginalised people, Dalits and women have been able to ensure justice;
• disputes and differences have started being registered with the Human Rights Mediation Committee;
• disputes and differences have also started being recorded by the Village Development Committee (VDCs);
• local people, the Human Rights Mediation Committee, women’s groups, and secretaries of the VDCs are all highly motivated to continue the programme;
• VDCs have provided some financial assistance to continue the Community Mediation Programme following demands by the local people and the members of the Community Mediation Programme;

The Human Rights Forum has learned that the Community Mediation Programme has had an effective impact on resolving disputes and conflicts through peaceful means at the local level. It believes that the lessons learned from the programme could be applied to national problems such as the peaceful resolution of the Maoist conflict.

Geographical Area of Operation

Ilam district in the Eastern Region.

Funding Resources

Centre for Victims of Torture (CVICT).

Associated Organisations

Centre for Victims of Torture (CVICT).