The Supporting Effective Dispute Resolution (SEDR) project, funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council in partnership with The Asia Foundation, has been steadfast in enhancing the capacities of the Mediation Boards Commission (MBC). Significant strides have been made to uplift the knowledge, skills, and access to information for the Mediation Training Officers and Development Officers in mediation.
Ongoing efforts include enhancing the MBC’s website and establishing a mediation database, which guarantees a holistic approach to mediation. SEDR is also committed to supporting the MBC's administrative functions by furnishing it with essential IT equipment. In fact, after an ICT Needs Assessment survey, 70 laptops were procured and handed over to the MBC in 2022 to meet immediate needs. And in recognition of further requirements, we have now provided an additional 97 laptops under Phase 2.
In the forthcoming weeks, SEDR, in collaboration with the British Council IT team, will conduct an online orientation training session designed to empower the 97 new users. This ensures that they maximise the utility of the new laptops and prepare for the MBC’s upcoming online mediation database/platform - guaranteeing sustainability across all result areas of the SEDR project.
The ceremonial handing over of the laptops took place on Friday 16 February 2024 at the Ministry of Justice, and was attended by the Minister of Justice, Hon. Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe of the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Carmen Moreno, The Ambassador, and Edoardo Spacca, Deputy Head of Cooperation from the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Justice Hector Yapa, the Chairman and Thilini Ratnasuriya, Secretary of the MBC, and Orlando Edwards, the Country Director of the British Council Sri Lanka.
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