Training session: Making jirgas more gender responsive

Benefits of record-keeping also stressed on in four-day session.

PESHAWAR: A four-day training session on alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the province concluded on Wednesday. The training was led by the Home and Tribal Affairs department in collaboration with Aitebaar.

According to a handout issued by the home department on Wednesday, the training focused on practical and professional skills of local mediators and jirga members. A segment of the training focused on sensitisation to certain issues so ADR forums are more gender responsive and human rights compliant.

The training emphasised the role of maintaining records of disputes brought to jirgas to promote transparency.

“There is a considerable population of tribal people in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa who do not access the formal justice system,” said Muntazir Khan, the chair of ADR working group. “They want swift settlements in accordance with their local customs and norms.”

Khan added the training session conducted under the tribal affairs department is an effective way to strengthen the jirgas and lessen the burden of civil courts by more than 50%”.

Aitebaar is a four-year initiative funded by Department for International Development (DFID) to provide peace building support to K-P and bridge the trust gap between the government and the citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2014.