The mediation body was established to bring justice closer to the people and provide solutions to disputes without the need to go to court. Each mediation committee consists of seven volunteers at the Cell and Sector levels, known for their integrity and skill in impartially resolving disputes.
A report on the utilization of the 2023/2024 fiscal year budget indicates that mediators in the justice sector received 8,762 cases and successfully resolved more than 97% of them.
"To continue bringing justice closer to the people and to strengthen their role in resolving disputes themselves, mediators received 8,762 cases, of which 8,577, or 97.8%, were resolved, while 185 cases, or 2.2%, are still under review," the report reads in part.
The mediation body was established in 2004 and has over the last two decades proved efficient in handling disputes in communities before they are escalated to the courts of law.
Justice Bureaus
A similar success rate was observed in the provision of legal aid services, where personnel in the Justice Bureaus acted on 4,922 out of 4,926 registered cases. This represents 99.9% of the cases received, with only four cases still pending.
The Justice Bureaus were established by the Ministry of Justice to assist citizens in accessing legal aid at no cost.
Found in every district, they are responsible for advising people on legal matters, advising Abunzi on legal procedures, monitoring and following up on their activities, coordinating the execution of court judgments, and providing legal assistance and representation in courts for poor and vulnerable people. They also handle issues related to Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
In March 2024, Rwanda won a Commonwealth Award for Justice due to successful programs such as the establishment of the mediation committees and the IECMS (Integrated Electronic Case Management System), which facilitates access to justice services for citizens.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
