EU funded SEDR project supports access to mediation services for over 500,000 people

The Supporting Effective Dispute Resolution (SEDR) project, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the British Council in partnership with The Asia Foundation, concluded its five-year journey with the SEDR End-of-Project Symposium on 29-30 April at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo.

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The event brought together key stakeholders from the justice sector, civil society, academia, and development partners to reflect on the project's impact, share lessons of good practice and strengthen alternative dispute resolution (ADR) networks in Sri Lanka.

Over the past five years, SEDR has supported and strengthened the work of more than 8,500 volunteer mediators, who together have helped to resolve over a quarter of a million disputes annually across Sri Lanka.

Through collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, local government authorities, and civil society organisations, SEDR has trained mediators, introduced innovative arts-based approaches to dispute resolution, and provided communities with practical tools to resolve conflicts amicably.