Background

The Victim-Offender Mediation (V-OM) Project is an initiative led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to strengthen access to justice across the Caribbean. 

In close collaboration with the European Union-funded PACE Justice programme, this project will design, implement and assess a pilot of victim-offender mediation as an innovative response for specific cases in the criminal justice system.

The project introduces mediation as an alternative, people-centred approach within the criminal justice system, placing individuals - particularly victims and offenders - at the heart of the justice process. By piloting mediation practices for selected cases, the project aims to complement traditional legal processes, helping to deliver more timely, inclusive, and restorative justice outcomes.

The project builds on strong regional partnerships, including collaboration with judicial institutions, prosecutors, mediation bodies, civil society organizations, and academia. It is grounded in human rights principles, ensuring that the mediation process protects the dignity and rights of all participants; promotes fairness, equality, and non-discrimination; and enhances transparency and accountability within justice systems.

The project is implemented through a three-pronged approach:

1. Developing a regional toolkit: A comprehensive toolkit is being designed to guide the implementation of V-OM programmes across the region. 
2. Building capacity: Justice sector stakeholders – including mediators and practitioners – are being trained to deliver effective, rights-based and inclusive mediation services. 
3. Piloting mediation: The project is piloting V-OM in selected countries to test its feasibility and effectiveness. Lessons learned will inform future scale-up across the Caribbean region.
    

Participating Countries:

Belize, Saint Lucia

Expected Results:

• Improve processes and procedures within the criminal justice system by integrating mediation approaches
• Strengthen institutional capacity to deliver restorative justice practices
• Increase access to justice for victims and offenders through more timely and responsive mechanisms.

Ultimately, the project aims to determine whether V-OM can be adopted more broadly as a dispute resolution mechanism in the Caribbean.