EU Project Pravo-Justice Completed a Training Course on the Principles of Mediation for MoJ

In November-December 2022, the EU Project Pravo-Justice conducted training on the principles of mediation for the Secretariat of the European Court of Human Rights Commissioner at the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

The training started on November 3 and ended on December 9; it consisted of a theoretical (four sessions) and a two-day practical part.

During the theoretical part, the participants learned:

• What is the place of mediation in the ADR system methods, its features and types.
• What the principles of mediation mean, such as voluntariness; confidentiality; neutrality; independence and impartiality of a mediator; self-determination and equal rights of the parties to the mediation.
• What are the stages of the mediation procedure?
• How to check whether a dispute fits for mediation, that is, whether mediation is suitable for its resolution.

Within the framework of the practical part, the participants got familiar with some basic techniques of mediation and took part in a role play. They also discussed the use of mediation in the context of the Convention on the Civil Legal Aspects of International Child Abduction dated October 25, 1980, and amicable settlement procedures at the ECtHR.

The training was attended by the representatives of the Division for Informing the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe; the Division of Coordination of the ECtHR Judgments Implementation; the Division of Expertise, Department of Legal Cooperation with International Organizations; and the Division of International Legal Assistance in Civil Cases, Office of International Legal Assistance, Department of International Law, Ministry of Justice of Ukraine.

As a follow-up to the training, the Project is planning to produce materials on the potential implementation of mediation in the operation of the Ministry in the context of the Convention on Civil Legal Aspects of International Child Abduction and amicable settlement procedures at the ECHR.

The training was delivered at the request of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and was aimed at forming a general understanding of the essence of mediation, the advantages of the procedure, and the peculiarities of its application – in order to support the Ministry in the implementation of a number of issues relating to the representation of Ukraine at the European Court of Human Rights.