Who We Are

The Mediators Network for Sustainable Peace, Inc. (MedNet) is a network of individuals and professionals from non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs), Church and government that uphold and promote the principle of Empowering Dispute Resolution/Dispute Management Processes or EDRMP in conflicts on land tenure, natural resource and inter and intra-organizational disputes involving or affecting marginalized sectors and other key stakeholders.

MedNet envisions itself as a resource center of consensus builders who are committed to community empowerment, gender equity, justice, democracy and ecological balance towards the attainment of a peaceful nation.

50+

MedNet recorded 50+ successfully accomplished projects in the span of 24 years for both domestic and international funding.

VISION

Empowered communities for a just and peaceful resolution of conflicts.

MISSION

A leading network of EDRMP practitioners working with conflict prone communities.

GOALS

EDR/MP is being integrated and practiced in governance
Create a core of Mediators recognized by Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
Functioning local EDRMP mechanisms are used/accessed by people in provinces/areas with IP Moro, Informal settler populations where MedNet operates.
MedNet is one of the leading practitioners of EDR/MP in the Philippines

MEDNET'S NICHE: COMMUNITY MEDIATION

The formal approach of resolving conflicts, meaning through the judiciary and quasi-courts, is often viewed as constricting and elitist due to the great imbalance of power and resources that favor the few. Community mediation presents an alternative to this traditional approach because it is transformative and empowering as both parties determine the outcome and gain mutually from the process.

HISTORY OF MEDNET

MedNet was born out of two initiatives that were supported by the Asia Foundation. The first engagement was in 1995-1996 when the community organizers multiversity (formerly known as Co-Train) coordinated with the department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and successfully implemented a training project on mediation as an alternative means of resolving agrarian disputes. The second initiative was a partnership engagement in 1997-1998 between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Tanggol Kalikasan (Save the Natural Resources) to explore the application of appropriate dispute resolution processes in conflicts related to environmental and natural resource use. Keyplayers of both initiative have since then worked together in providing training and mediation services to a variety of clients, mostly belonging to sectoral groups. In May 1999, they consolidated their experiences and learning in dispute resolution and this led to the founding of MedNet in November 26 of the same year.

MedNet’s members are based in different parts of the country and are actively involved in mediation of community disputes, often involving multi-parties aside from actual mediation.

MedNet also offers the following services to members, non-members, individuals, groups, institutions and organizations:

SERVICES

RECOGNITION

MedNet earned its accreditation from the Office for Alternative Dispute Resolution, an agency attached to the Department of Justice, last 8th of September 2023. This gives MedNet the opportunity to provide its mediation and negotiation programs and services to government offices and agencies in need of training and capacity building related to conflict resolution and peacebuilding.