Benjamin Smith Óscar Escobar Felipe Botero Juan Camilo Cock Yvette Chesson-Wureh

Organized crime, mediation, and violence: Is mediation an avenue for tackling violence? Lessons learned and best practices

A Talk by Óscar Escobar , Yvette Chesson-Wureh , Juan Camilo Cock , Benjamin Smith and Felipe Botero

About this Talk

Mediation is an alternative mechanism for dispute settlement, commonly used when enforcement is ineffective. It has been increasingly seen as an effective means to prevent, manage and resolve disputes in both conflict and non-conflicted environments, including, for example, in the prevention of inter and intra-gang violence. However, with the growing complexity of contemporary conflicts, many questions arise regarding this method and the role of the mediator in conducting such processes. How to guarantee a comprehensive support to mediators and to their processes, making them the most effective one to prevent violence? How to ensure the role of women as leaders of the mediation? What way governments, civil society and international community can support these efforts? The session aims to present an overview about lessons learned on mediation processes and discuss those questions

01 December 2021, 04:00 PM

04:00 PM - 05:00 PM

About The Speakers

Óscar Escobar

Óscar Escobar

Municipality of Palmira, Municipality of Palmira,Colombia

Mayor of Palmira, Colombia. Economist with a Master's degree in Public Policy. Experience in the analysis, monitoring and evaluation of public policies. Programmatic advising to political campaigns, research and academic monitoring.


Yvette Chesson-Wureh

Yvette Chesson-Wureh

Establishment Coordinator, Angie Brooks International Centre (ABIC)

Juris Doctorate Counsellor at Law of the United States Supreme Court Executive Board Member of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia Initiator of The Women's Situation Room Establishment Coordinator of the Angie Brooks International Centre for Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace & Security Co-Chair of ECOWAS Femwise


Juan Camilo Cock

Juan Camilo Cock

Fundación Alvaralice


Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith

Head of Mediation Support and Learning, Centre for Humanitarian Diaolgue


Felipe Botero

Felipe Botero

Coordinator for Colombia, GI-TOC

He has extensive academic and professional experience in peace building, DDR, Human Rights, citizen security, and civic participation.