Exchange of community-mediation experiences wraps up in El Salvador

Photos: the one on the left was taken from the Twitter account of the Public Defender's Office of the Republic of El Salvador.

The El Salvador Mediator Convention that took place on 25 and 26 September was organized by the Public Defender's Office of the Republic (PGR) of El Salvador, with the support of InfoSegura Regional Project implemented by the UNDP in partnership with USAID. The objective was to open a space for mediators from around the country to engage in discussion and experience sharing and continue to contribute to the construction of a culture of peace, based on dialogue, understanding and cooperation.

Participants in the inaugural event included Public Defender General of the Republic René Gustavo Escobar Álvarez, USAID Deputy Director in El Salvador Matt Rees, and UNDP Resident Representative in El Salvador Maribel Gutiérrez.

Several key issues for El Salvador were addressed, such as the current state of mediation in the country, opportunities, obstacles and challenges in community mediation. There was also the presentation of the report on Access, Justice and Non-Violent Conflict Resolution in El Salvador, produced with support of the InfoSegura Project.

Attendants included functionaries of the PGR of El Salvador, personnel from the National Directorate of Alternative Dispute Resolution (DINARAC) of the Ministry of Justice and Peace of Costa Rica, as well as an independent consultant from Colombia.

DatAction-Exchanges

In other activities, the fifth and last session between the National Directorate of Alternative Dispute Resolution (DINARAC) of the Ministry of Justice and Peace of Costa Rica and the Office of the Public Defender of the Republic of El Salvador took place in the framework of Datación-Intercambios, the meeting place designed to strengthen bilateral experience sharing and enhance the knowledge transfer between the countries of the Project. On this occasion, it focused on mediation services to promote the strengthening of technical capacities of PGR officials in building more peaceful and inclusive societies.

Over the course of nine years, the InfoSegura Regional Project, a strategic partnership of the UNDP and USAID, has worked with national institutions to improve the management and analysis cycle of information on issues of citizen security in Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras) and the Dominican Republic. The purpose is to reinforce State capacities for evidence-based and people-centered policy making in matters of citizen security.