Merging Ethiopian Wise-Counsel Mediation and Facilitative ...

II.3The Marriage of Wise-Counsel and Facilitative MediationIncorporating facilitative skills into Ethiopia’s existing wise-counsel mediation structures is an importantstep because it further enhances the country’s national mediation capacity. One could ask why it isnecessary to adjust the wise-counsel mediation system as it is applied in Ethiopia at this time. Althoughwise-counsel mediation has a long-lasting tradition and a general acceptance in Ethiopia, it is also facingchallenges and shortcomings. For example, wise-counsel mediation does not always observe humanrights, especially the rights of women. Furthermore, since the sustainability of its solution is largelyrooted in the authority of the mediators (the wise-counsels) the derogation of their powers and the generalbreak-up of traditional structures (as part of a clash of generations taking place in large parts of Ethiopia,mainly in urban settings) also negatively influences the sustainability of the solutions and the process.Here, the incorporation of facilitative elements like change of perspective can assist the development of asustainable solution and at the same time indirectly strengthens the authority of the wise-counsel mediator.The essence of this merger is thus a synthesis in which both the facilitative and wise-counsel mediationapproaches will enrich and enhance each other by incorporating essential steps, skills and knowledge.Through merging together, each shall perfect itself, thus exchanging practices and lessons learned iscrucial for the success of this undertaking. Since this manual focuses on Ethiopian practitioners who comefrom or practice in the Ethiopian context, we will concentrate on the facilitative elements and skills thatmight be usefully incorporated in wise-counsel mediation. This manual therefore is not the right place fora discussion as to what extent elements of wise-counsel mediation can be used in the facilitative mediationpractice. 15 Finally, all the cases and activities are carefully selected to reflect the Ethiopian situation wherewise-counsel mediation can be applied.15 Further information on the merger can be found in Chapter III.5.3 Stages of Mediation, on page 54.18 Mediation Trainer’s Manual