The Legal Clinic at the Faculty of Law and Political Science of An-Najah National University, in cooperation with ACT for Conflict Resolution, organized an intensive three-day training (9–11 August 2025) focused on mediation and its various types, with special emphasis on mediation in family disputes. The training was held at the Legal Clinic’s premises.

The sessions were delivered by Mr. Mohammad Hadiya, Executive Director of ACT, and Ms. Heba Zouqan, Chair of the Legal Committee. The program offered a comprehensive overview of mediation concepts and their importance as an alternative dispute resolution tool, particularly in family cases. It also included practical examples and interactive exercises for participants from the Legal Clinic team and volunteer network.

Ms. Safaa Balawi, Director of the Legal Clinic, welcomed the trainers and participants, emphasizing the significance of such capacity-building initiatives in enhancing the skills of the clinic’s team and law students, and strengthening their preparedness to address real-life community cases while advancing the clinic’s work. Dr. Noor Adas, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science, also welcomed the event, underscoring the importance of future cooperation with ACT to better serve the community, promote access to justice, and develop students’ competencies in alternative dispute resolution methods.

This activity aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by promoting a culture of dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution; Goal 5 (Gender Equality) by ensuring that family-related issues are addressed fairly and equitably; and Goal 4 (Quality Education) by strengthening the legal and practical skills of the trainees.

The training reflects the Legal Clinic’s commitment to consolidating its role as both an academic and community-based center, integrating experiential legal education with community service, and contributing to the preparation of a new generation of legal professionals capable of engaging with pressing socio-legal issues with high professional and social responsibility standards.

The training is part of the ongoing cooperation between the Legal Clinic and ACT under the Sawasya 3 Programme, the joint programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which aims to promote equitable access to justice in Palestine, and this training marked an important step toward achieving that vision.