Brazil: Policemen trained on conflict resolution

Last May 24th and 25th, the Ministry of Public Safety for Maranhão and Terre des hommes organized a training course on mediation and conflict resolution for about 40 safety officers: civilian and military policemen and guards working in São Luis and Sao José de Ribamar. The course was about “peaceful conflict resolution by dialogue”. It was led by a member of the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration, an expert in legal procedure from São Luis and a lawyer specialized in conflict mediation.

Policemen worked on differences between conciliation, negotiation, arbitration and restorative justice. The mediation aimed at resolve conflicts on a peaceful way by promoting dialogue between parties, and thanks to a mediatory who encourages this dialogue and bring out the real interests of those concerned.

This training matches with the national programme of public safety and citizen security, a Justice Ministry project to join safety policies to social welfare. This project, developed in collaboration with professionals working in public safety, aims at prevent and find causes of violence, with regard to policies of social order and public safety.

This training is part of Terre des hommes objectives for the implementation of restorative juvenile justice find effective alternatives to prevent and resolve conflicts, especially for adolescents in conflict with the law.

Further information on Terre des hommes intervention in Brazil