Tbilisi Mediation Days for a Better Justice System
On November 21 - 22, a two-day international conference ‘Mediation Days 2018’ took place in Tbilisi focusing on alternative mechanisms of dispute resolution and ongoing reforms in the justice system of Georgia.
Over 100 experts and practitioners of mediation from countries around the world, including Denmark, Iceland, the UK, Austria, as well as Georgian mediators, lawyers, judges, prosecutors, social workers, and representatives from the government, civil society, and international organizations, attended the event.
Being the initial method of dispute in the field of justice, mediation plays an essential role in society. As Georgia faces challenges caused by massive urbanization and modernization, the likelihood of conflict and the number of disputes in the country is increasing.
The conference created an important platform for debate on civic meditation as well as cases deriving from criminal law. Gender in mediation, the specifics of collective lawsuits related to the labor code and the perspectives of bringing meditation into employment disputes in the public service were the focal point of the panel discussions and workshops.
Bringing together mediation experts is an important step to developing a strong mediation base in Georgia. “Georgia has made important steps forward in developing mediation and its legal framework,” said Mzia Todua, acting chairperson of the Supreme Court of Georgia, “To keep pace, we need to share the best international knowledge and practices.”
The introduction and popularization of mediation will ensure a faster resolution of disputes in the courts. Internal disputes can be settled and prevented if the civil service uses mediation to build a sustainable and diverse legal system. It could be expected to decrease the caseload of courts by at least 30%. Moreover, it improves communication between citizens and the increases the possibility of settling disputes outside court.
Alternative Dispute Resolution should, therefore, be a significant element of justice reforms and should be made easily accessible to all Georgians. “Everyone must be protected before the law and enjoy access to different mechanisms to exercise this right. Mediation and arbitration are a way to widen access to justice by making it more easily available to citizens,” said Louisa Vinton, UN Resident Coordinator / UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia.
The EU and Georgia hope to implement projects that support “developing fair, high-quality and efficient mediation, as a real alternative for citizens to solve their disputes in an amicable, swift and win-win way” said Peter Danis, Justice Program Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia.
Supported by the European Union (EU), UK Aid from the UK Government, and three agencies of the United Nations: the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), International Labour Organization (ILO) and UN Women, Tbilisi Mediation Days was the second international conference in Georgia to discuss the role of mediation in modern justice systems.
By Amy Jones