Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee Mohamed has stated that the availability of mediators who can resolve marriage disputes before they are undone will have many benefits, and advised those who will be taking on the role of mediators.
The Health Ministry and Judicial Academy inaugurated the "Mediation Training of Trainers" held yesterday, meant to train people as professional mediators due to a lack of such professionals at island magistrate courts. Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Justice Ghanee said that it is not easy to speak on the rising divorce rate in Maldives and even so, it is "not something that can just be put aside without talking about."
The Chief Justice spoke on news headlines talking about marriage and divorce statistics and the statistics themselves.
"It is known that many social issues arise due to every marriage that falls apart. It also affects the family's mental health on a deep level. The marriage of a couple that once could not live without one another ends with them unwilling to walk the same path," said the Chief Justice after speaking on the headlines and statistics.
He stated that the anger and the agony caused by hate will spread to all corners of the marriage. According to him, those who have to bear most of the pain are the innocent children who were born through marriage.
Reason being that most of the time, divorce ends up being a strong and painful weapon that shatters all hope throughout life. What burns away from it is the love, protection and kindness children need to receive.Chief Justice Abdul Ghanee Mohamed
He went on to say that this can be seen throughout society and the training program that has begun is meant to face that bitter truth, and to make it right.
Three reasons why mediation is important
The Chief Justice said that fostering peace instead of getting a divorce or proceeding in a peaceful manner through mediation if there is no other option is a very complete system that exists in the Quran. He detailed the three reasons why it is important:
- As the past is what will always be what is spoken of during the trial and as fingers will be pointed at one another, the purpose of mediation is not to stay in the past. It is meant to discuss the future of their children.
- Even though one wishes to succeed and wants the other to fail during the trial, the aim of mediation is to come to a solution both parties agree on.
- A decision during mediation will be reached by those who share in the issue.
As per the Chief Justice, if mediation is carried out as such, two main things will be achieved.
"The first will be finding a reasonable solution to the disagreements between husband and wife, to revive the strong connection between the two and to start fresh," said the Chief Justice.
The second, the Chief Justice said, is even though the marriage may become undone, to go through it with friendliness and respect. He said that if the marriage is undone in such a way, there will be no changes between the parents and the children.
While stating that there are many other benefits to mediation, the Chief Justice said that the real wage mediators will get is the satisfaction of having achieved good results from their work.
"This will bring mediators well wishes, and good fortunes and blessings from the Almighty. And so I say to you that you will be loved by people in the community and it will also include the Almighty's compassion because of your work," said the Chief Justice.
The Chief Justice described the work through mediation as "the satisfaction of rebuilding a family by watering it with love when the relationship has been weakened." And so, he urged them to do their work sincerely.
