On February 28, 2019, law students at Ala-Too International University received some firsthand knowledge about mediation from Stacey Hsu, a Canadian lawyer interning at IDLO in Kyrgyzstan.

“Mediation, a procedure for settling a dispute with the assistance of an impartial facilitator, is widely practiced in Canada, where over 90 per cent of lawsuits settle before trial,” says Stacey Hsu. “Kyrgyzstan can learn from this country’s experience in practicing mediation.”

Ms. Hsu’s presentation at the Kyrgyz University was about how mediation works and what it is like in Canada aroused great interest from law students. Students were curious about its impact, asked for advice on ways to become a good mediator, on how long it took for mediation to become popular in Canada, and how much mediators are paid.

“The key to becoming an effective mediator is to practice. You must go out and conduct mediations. It is not enough to read about it,” Ms. Hsu responded. “The best experience you will gain is from participating in or conducting mediations.”

Back in Canada, Ms. Hsu participated in hundreds of mediations, where she worked as an attorney. In a few weeks, she will be returning to the class to facilitate a mediation exercise. Ms. Hsu is working in Kyrgyzstan with support from the Canadian Bar Association and Global Affairs Canada.

“We’re glad to see our students get inspired by mediation, which was legally introduced to Kyrgyzstan in 2018. Mediation is less expensive than the court, confidential for both parties, and tailored to needs of parties,” said Aijarkyn Shyngys kyzy, IDLO’s Program Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan.

The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) partners with both EBRD and USAID to facilitate the introduction of mediation in Kyrgyzstan. Its programs helped to establish the Republican Mediators Community, increase mediators’ capacity, and raise public awareness about mediation in the country.