Mediation training for judges
- Details
- Published: November 19, 2020
From 2 to 12 November 2020, IRZ organised an online mediation training course for Jordanian judges, in partnership with the Judicial Institute of Jordan. During a total of six online sessions, the participants were informed about the basics of mediation and non-violent communication as instruments for resolving conflicts.
The training course was led by IRZ expert, mediator and lawyer Martin Michaelis. He has spent many years working as a trainer and mediator for many international organisations. Martin Michaelis also acts as a mediator in political armed conflicts. During this training course, he drew on a number of exercises, practical examples and discussions to work on the following topics with the participants:
- What does mediation mean and what are the stages of mediation?
- The principles and basics of mediation
- The difference between interests, needs, motives and feelings and their role in disputes and conflicts
- The role and attitude of the mediator
- Non-violent communication
- Conflict resolution
Whilst judicial mediation is practised in Jordan, judges are not required to provide evidence of any mediation training, unlike in Germany. A basic understanding of mediation in Jordan is therefore of social and cultural importance, whereas a structural approach with consideration for specific skills is rare. This means that many civil disputes must continue to be resolved before the courts, which leads to an additional burden for judges.
The online training session provided the basis for a structured mediation process, which will need to be further developed in future. The active participation of the judges in the practical exercises and the open discussion of their views on the content of the training session reflected the importance of this subject for practising judges in Jordan and shows that it should be developed further.
The event was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV).