30 family mediators trained to specialize in international child-related disputes

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, as of June 2023, about 20% of Ukraine's population is abroad due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These are many families with children, separated by borders and kilometers.

The value of cross-border family mediation for resolving such disputes is undeniable, as it allows us to take care of the best interests of children, save time and resources, and reach an understanding.

In September-October 2023, a training on Cross-Border Family Mediation for family mediators was held under a program adapted to the Ukrainian context.

Thanks to the cooperation of the Ukrainian Academy of Mediation with the leading European organization - the International Center for Mediation of Family Conflicts and Child Abduction (MiKK), 30 family mediators were trained to specialize in international disputes concerning children (including the use of mechanisms under the Hague Convention on the Abduction of Children).

In addition, the Ukrainian Academy of Mediation has developed information booklets on mediation in international disputes concerning children.

The booklet for parents is available in Ukrainian here and in English here. The booklet for justice officials is available here.

You can find mediators trained in cross-border family mediation on the website: https://www.mediation-help.com/mediatory/.

At least 50 mediations from the training participants are now available free of charge to Ukrainian families on both sides of the border. The training was conducted with the financial support of the European Union, provided within the framework of the CONSENT and ACCORD Projects.