What is mediation?

Mediation is a means of resolving disputes. It involves an impartial third party – the mediator – who intervenes in a conflict with the consent of the disputing parties and assists them in finding a lasting solution. Mediation is a voluntary process and ensures that people make their own decisions.

What is community mediation?

Community mediation aims to resolve disputes that occur at the community level. In Nepal, the conflicts addressed by community mediation are commonly related to family, domestic and/or neighbourhood issues. It can be the case that the conflict that is visible at the surface is caused by a much deeper issue, for example, relating to caste, gender or access to resources. The community mediators live in the communities in which they work. They work on a voluntary basis and are representative of the diversity of their communities.

Community mediation does not deal with criminal cases such as violent assault.

Watch the video (in Nepali) on Community Mediation in Nepal made by the Mediation Council of Nepal, an apex body for Mediation in Nepal.

 

Nepal’s Mediation Act was passed in 2011 (2068). However it was not implemented until 2014 (2071). The Act provides a legal basis for all types of mediation in Nepal, including Community Mediation. The implementation of the Mediation Act also paved the way for the establishment of the Mediation Council. The Mediation Council will help to ensure that Mediation Service delivery in Nepal is of a high standard. This will be achieved through quality assurance of mediation training and service provision. To check the Mediation Act and Regulation, please click on the link.