Enhancing capacity for village mediation in Bokeo Province: a successful and fruitful Training of Trainers

The Judicial Administration and System Promotion Department (JAPD) of the Ministry of Justice, in close cooperation with the Rule of law, access to justice, and good governance (ROLAG) programme, successfully conducted a highly productive Training of Trainers on village mediation for technical staff from the Provincial Department of Justice and District Offices of Justice in Bokeo Province. The four-day capacity-building initiative was co-chaired by Mr Sengphet LIEMPHACHAN, director general of JAPD at the Ministry of Justice, Mr Viphong BOUAGAMPHA, deputy head of the Provincial Department of Justice of Bokeo, and Dr Reginal PASTRANA, senior sectoral adviser to the ROLAG programme.

In his inspiring opening remarks, Mr Sengphet LIEMPHACHAN underscored the vital role of strengthening participants’ knowledge, practical skills and technical expertise in village mediation. He emphasised that this fruitful training would significantly enhance the capacity of justice officials to effectively guide, mentor and train the Village Mediation Units, thereby reinforcing community-level dispute resolution across Bokeo Province.

The Training of Trainers was carefully designed not only to deepen participants’ understanding of mediation principles, legal frameworks and practical techniques, but also to empower them with the confidence and competencies needed to cascade this knowledge to others. It further strengthened coordination between Village Mediation Units and the formal justice system, contributing to improved case management and referral pathways, and greater access to justice for local communities.

A key highlight of the training was the valuable contribution of Dr Reginal PASTRANA, who shared practical lessons learned and best practices from the Philippine mediation system. His insights provided meaningful comparative perspectives and potential strategies that could be adapted to further strengthen the village mediation framework in the Lao PDR.

Conducted in a dynamic, interactive and collaborative environment, the training featured active participation through engaging discussions, hands-on practical exercises and meaningful exchanges of experience among participants. This successful approach fostered enhanced professional capacity, mutual learning, and renewed commitment among justice personnel.

This fruitful initiative reflects the strong commitment of the Ministry of Justice and its development partners to advancing accessible, effective and community-based dispute resolution mechanisms across the Lao PDR, ultimately contributing to stronger justice services and more harmonious communities.

The ROLAG programme is financed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and jointly implemented by the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Justice, LuxDev, the Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency, ILSTA and the University of Luxembourg.