Regional Component
In addition to projects within countries, CSSP aims at strengthening the rule of law and access to justice at regional level through enhancing the cooperation between mediation and the justice systems as well as the use of mediation as an extrajudicial dispute resolution tool.
Current situation
Mediation, as one of the alternative dispute resolution methods, can improve the access to justice and strengthen the rule of law. However, mediation is currently poorly institutionalized and rarly used and there are still very modest numbers of mediations conducted in most of the countries of the region. Mediation systems in the Western Balkans and in Southeast Europe are confronted with many similar challenges though there are significant regional differences between particular mediation systems. While some countries have already established a mediation system which operates smoothly and handles a substantial number of cases, other countries are still in the beginning of such processes. Therefore, there is potential for effective exchange. Additionally, people, goods, and services move across borders in the region and so cross-border disputes arise in often complex legal situations. Mediation has great potential that is largely untapped until now.
CSSP’s Approach
CSSP is - in cooperation with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) - strengthening mediation systems in the countries of SEE by supporting regional networks of mediators and experts and providing them space for learning and exchanging knowledge, good practices, and experiences.
To strengthen the links between mediation and justice systems CSSP together with RCC gathers and cooperates with crucial stakeholders such as Ministries of Justices, Judicial Training Institutes, Judges, Prosecutors, Lawyers, Mediation Centers, Human Right Ombudsman Institutions, and many others.
Goal and activities
CSSP conducts its activities in various formats:
Mediation Conferences
CSSP together with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and in cooperation with the International Association of Mediators from Southeast Europe organized the regional conference “Mediation and Justice in the Western Balkans - Strengthening the links” in 2020. The conference was originally scheduled to take place in Mostar, B&H, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic it was held online. The focus of this conference was set on the cooperation between justice and mediation systems in the Western Balkans.
Based on the success of the 2020 Regional Conference, CSSP together with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) organized in 2021 the Regional Conference “Promoting Cross Border Mediation in SEE”. This conference brought together renowned experts from WB, SEE region and EU with a professional background in mediation practice, representatives from the judiciary, the executive branch, civil society, and academia. With in-depth expertise, specialist knowledge and many years of experience the regional experts contributed to sustainable solutions for an increased use of mediation throughout the entire SEE region.
As side-events of the mediation conferences, RCC and CSSP established a series of meetings of mediators from the region, building on previous informal and formal networks (Southeastern European Mediation Forum (SEEMF) or EMNI). Furthermore, CSSP has supported the initiation of several mediation systems in the region as well as of the Southeastern European Mediation Forum in 2006, which was the first regional mediators’ network.
Mediation Roundtable Series
Besides the above-mentioned annual conferences, CSSP supports expert exchange events on specific topics.
Balkanmediation blog
The online exchange platform balkanmediation.org is a joint project of CSSP and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in cooperation with the International Association of Mediators from Southeast Europe (IAMSEE) with financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office and co-founded by the European Union. This platform is meant to provide information and space for discussion and exchange and so to strengthen the network among those active in the field of mediation.
See more: https://www.balkanmediation.org/
Our regional Partners
CSSP is cooperating with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) since 2019. Ever since, CSSP together with RCC organizes regional conferences, established the online exchange platform balkanmediation.org and continuously coordinates joint activities.
CSSP is cooperating with the International Association of Mediators from Southeast Europe (IAMSEE) since 2020. IAMSEE was also one of the partners in organizing the mediation conference 2020 and in establishing the online exchange platform balkanmediation.org
the associations of mediators from the region, lawyers, judicial training institutes and other relevant stakeholders and actors from the region.
The Team
For information on the project, please contact
Merjem Nurikić Haljeta
Merjem Nurikić Haljeta joined the CSSP team in June 2021 as a project coordinator for the Regional Mediation Project in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She holds a Master’s degree in law from the University of Sarajevo. During her two years at the municipal court, Merjem gained experience in various legal fields such as civil, criminal, and commercial law. Subsequently, she began working as a lawyer in a local non-governmental organization in the field of human rights, focusing especially on gender equality, non-discrimination, and prevention of human trafficking, domestic violence, and gender-based violence.
More about the project
CSSP office Mostar
c/o NDC Mostar office
Alekse Šantića / Tvrtka Miloša Str 19
88000 Mostar
Bosnia Herzegovina