Mennonite Central Committee says restorative justice initiative is crucial for promoting reconciliation and peaceful coexistence among communities.
The orgainisation’s Restorative Justice and Peace-building project assistant Wendyam Natacha Kyendrebeogo said this on Tuesday during a restorative justice and peace-building campaign at Bvumbwe Young Offenders Rehabilitation Centre in Thyolo.
She said the initiative has transformed the way communities handle disputes by encouraging offenders and victims to engage in dialogue to repair relationships rather than deepening conflict.
| Ted Likombola
“We are pleased that since the initiative started in 2021, at least 1 350 disputes were resolved. This demonstrates that restorative justice is helping to restore relationships, promote peace and provide communities with an alternative way of resolving conflicts,” said Kyendrebeogo.
She said the programme has also increased public awareness of peaceful conflict resolution, enabling communities to settle disputes amicably while reducing reliance on lengthy court processes.
Bvumbwe Young Offenders Rehabilitation Centre officer-in-charge Patuma Chalimba said restorative justice complements the country’s correctional reforms by focusing on rehabilitation instead of punishment alone.
She said encouraging dialogue, forgiveness and reconciliation between offenders and victims helps offenders to take responsibility for their actions while giving victims an opportunity to heal and participate in the justice process.
“When communities embrace this approach, it can reduce the number of people ending up in prison and lessen the financial burden on government while promoting lasting peace,” said Chalimba.
Group village head Bvumbwe said the campaign came at the right time when many communities continue to experience conflicts that could be resolved peacefully through dialogue and mutual understanding.
The initiative is running under the Malawi Prison Service in partnership with the Mennonite Central Committee
