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    ABA ROLI Legal Interns in Goma Office Reflect on Supporting an Alternative Dispute Resolution Training Mission in the DRC

    Sep 15, 2023

    4 min read

    Access to Justice Gender & Social Inclusion Human Rights Africa Democratic Republic of Congo
    ABA ROLI Legal Interns in Goma Office Reflect on Supporting an Alternative Dispute Resolution Training Mission in the DRC

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    As part of the Supporting Civil Society and Community Structures to Prevent Atrocities Against Civilians in the DRC program, ABA ROLI hosts legal interns in its Goma office. Since April 2023, Alice Renzaho Neema and Christian Fazili Mulinga have supported the project. Both Alice and Christian have recently graduated with law degrees and are passionate about humanitarian protection.

    As part of their internship, Alice and Christian participated in their first mission to Bukavu, DRC from June 21-23, 2023. The purpose of the Bukavu mission was to organize a training session on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for civil society partners and a local organization of community leaders known as the Baraza la Wazee. Their participation in this training course enabled them to enrich our knowledge of ADR, particularly mediation, and to build relationships with ABA ROLI partners from other provinces. The knowledge acquired through this training will enable Alice and Christian to play an important role in societal change through the prevention and management of community conflicts, while simultaneously becoming key actors in the promotion of peace and sustainable development in their communities. Following the training, Alice and Christian shared that “whenever we are called upon for advice and guidance in a dispute or conflict that does not directly affect public order, we will guide the parties to always opt for mediation.”

    Following the training, Alice and Christian shared the following reflections from the experience:

    Allow us to have ample knowledge of the essential arrangements to be made during a mission

    From this mission in Bukavu, which is the first that we participated in, we were able to learn of certain measures that are taken before, during and after a mission. First, it is a question of setting up the preparations for the mission by making available the various work tools including the attendance list, Terms of Reference, the agenda, the training modules, taxi log sheet, the pre- and post-training questionnaire, as well as the M&IE sheet. During the outward and return journey, there is an obligation to have the mission order sealed by the State services. During the mission, it is necessary to take note with attention the progress of the activities and especially to keep record of all the invoices and documents that will be used to support the financial report for the activity. After the mission, comes the stage of writing the activity reports.

    Help us deepen our understanding of Alternative Dispute Resolution

    The purpose of the Bukavu mission was to organize training on ADR for CSOs and the Baraza la Wazee. Our participation in this training allowed us to enrich our knowledge on ADR, particularly on mediation. Therefore, the knowledge acquired through this training calls us to play an important role in societal changes through the prevention and management of community conflicts while becoming an actor in the promotion of peace and sustainable development. Thus, whenever we are called upon for advice and guidance in a dispute or conflict that does not directly affect public order, we will guide the parties to always opt for mediation.

    Equipping us with practical reporting capabilities

    Beyond actively participating in ADR training, we were given the responsibility and this, under the guidance of the Technical Supervisor, to contribute and participate in the drafting of both narrative and financial reports successively related to the conduct of activities and the execution of expenditures in accordance with the budget. This allowed us to acquire strong report writing skills that will be useful throughout our internship and throughout our professional life.

    Nous permettre d’avoir amples connaissances des dispositions indispensables à prendre lors d’un voyage de mission

    A partir de cette mission de Bukavu qui est pour nous la première à laquelle nous participons, nous avons pu découvrir l’existence de certaines dispositions à prendre en amont de la mission, pendant et après celle-ci. En amont, il est question de mettre en place les préparatifs de la mission en rendant disponible les différents outils de travail parmi lesquels la liste de présences, TDR, l’agenda, les modules, fiche taxi log, le questionnaire pré et post training ainsi que la fiche M&EI. Lors du voyage aller comme retour, la disposition à prendre consiste en l’obligation de faire sceller l’ordre de mission par les services Etatiques. Pendant la mission, il faut prendre note avec attention et vigilance du déroulement des activités et surtout garder jalousement toutes les factures et pièces qui seront mises en appui du rapport financier. Après la mission, vient l’étape de la rédaction des rapports.

    Nous aider à approfondir les notions sur les Modes Alternatifs de Résolution des Conflits (MARCs)

    La mission de Bukavu avait pour finalité l’organisation d’une formation sur les MARCs en faveur des OSC et du Baraza la Wazee. Notre participation à cette formation nous a ainsi permis d’enrichir nos connaissances sur les MARCs notamment sur la médiation. Par conséquent, les connaissances acquises via cette formation nous appellent à jouer un rôle important dans les changements sociétaux à travers la prévention et la gestion des conflits communautaires tout en devenant acteur de la promotion de paix et du développement durable. C’est ainsi que toutes les fois que l’on fera recours à nous pour besoin de conseils et d’orientations dans un litige ou un conflit qui ne touche pas directement l’ordre public, nous orienterons les parties à toujours opter pour la mediation.

    Nous doter des capacités pratiques de rapportage

    Au-delà de participer activement à la formation sur les MARCs, il nous a été confié la responsabilité et ce, sous orientations de la Superviseure technique, de contribuer et participer à la rédaction des rapports tant narratif que financier liés successivement au déroulement des activités et à l’exécution des dépenses conformément au budget. Cela nous a alors permis d’acquérir de solides compétences en rédaction des rapports qui nous seront utiles tout au long de notre stage et durant toute notre vie professionnelle.