Mediation is a creative and peaceful method of resolving disputes that is impartial, non-judgemental and aims towards a fair and equitable solution where two parties resolve their differences and arrive at their solutions. They, therefore own the solution and there is no winner or a loser.
The National Conciliation and Arbitration Board for the United Kingdom aims to promote Unity and Harmony through mediating differences and disputes between individuals in matrimonial, family, commercial and intestacy. Unresolved disputes can lead to breakdown of relationships within families and partnerships in business, creating long term resentment. Members on the Conciliation and Arbitration Board are trained in family, civil and commercial mediation and undertake continuous professional development. They mediate within our ethics and values of harmony, integrity, dignity, collaboration and in the spirit of fair dialogue and reasonable compromise to arrive at an amicable solution.
Disputes are inevitable during our lives, however what is important is how we deal with disputes and most importantly what can we do to prevent disputes. The role of NCABs is not only in Dispute Resolution but also in Dispute Prevention. To this end the National Conciliation and Arbitration Boards globally since they were established by Mawlana Hazar in 1986 have collated and examined the root causes of disputes and work towards prevention.
As the proverb states, “Prevention is better than Cure” meaning: It is easier to stop something happening in the first place than to repair the damage after it has happened.
One of the most important principles in the prevention of disputes is through adopting ethics and values in our daily lives, be it within the family, workplace or business. Leading an ethical life is a means to prevention of disputes.
Therefore, we need to work on our relationships within our families, our business, workplace, neighbours and practice ethics and values of our faith that can assist us in preventing differences escalating into conflicts.
In addition, NCAB shares the root causes of disputes to the relevant institutions without divulging any information on the case work, so the sister institutions can provide their expertise in developing programmatic activities in Dispute Prevention. Mawlana Hazar Imam has encouraged the institutions to ‘Inculcate the notion of Dispute Prevention in their thinking and to optimise the institutional structures in prevention of disputes’. NCAB works in close collaboration with sister Institutions in the prevention of disputes and work towards improving the quality of lives of the Jamat.
“History shows many examples of how a community, working together, its members backing each other and operating as a community, can develop influence in excess of what would normally otherwise to have been possible”. Prince Amyn Muhammed’s speech, The Ismaili Forum, Dubai 26th April 2008.
The following are some examples on initiatives in prevention of disputes.
- Ethical Wealth Transfer and Inheritance Planning
For further information on the Root Causes of disputes or if you require any assistance in resolving a dispute please contact any member on the National Conciliation and Arbitration Board or write to [email protected]
