Activating Settlement Procedures and Alternative Measures in Accordance with the Protection Against Domestic Violence Law

The law introduced settlement procedures and alternative measures as a means of resolving domestic violence cases outside of the traditional court system. The Arab Women's Legal Network (AWLN) implemented an activity to activate the implementation of these procedures, with the support of a grant from USAID Takamol. The activity involved developing detailed guidelines for implementing settlement procedures and alternative measures, which were then used to train 48 judges and 60 Family Protection Department (FPD) staff on the new guidelines. The training was conducted in seven three-day workshops between November 2020 and February 2021, with FPD staff and judges trained separately. Following the training, the FPD and Judicial Council began implementing settlement processes for domestic violence cases under the PADV Law in December 2020. The study aimed to assess the impact of the AWLN's training on the activation of settlement procedures and alternative measures. The study found that settlement procedures and alternative measures were being applied after the training, with FPD staff and judges reporting a high level of satisfaction with the new guidelines. The guidelines and training prompted the activation of settlement procedures, with FPD staff and judges citing the importance of the training in their ability to apply the procedures effectively. The study also examined the experiences of FPD staff and judges in applying settlement procedures. The results showed that FPD staff and judges faced challenges related to dispute parties, including difficulties in handling cases involving multiple defendants and military-affiliated parties. However, the study also found that the training had a positive impact on the ability of FPD staff and judges to handle settlement cases, with many reporting an increase in their confidence and skills in this area. The study made several recommendations for improving the implementation of settlement procedures and alternative measures. These included providing institutional support during the implementation of settlement procedures, adhering to the principle of confidentiality, and determining the criteria for applying the best interest in family disputes. The study also highlighted the need for capacity building and strengthening in areas such as handling protection orders and providing support to survivors of domestic violence. The study's findings and recommendations are intended to inform future efforts to expand upon the grant results and to build and strengthen a comprehensive national response to providing protection for survivors of domestic violence and cases of violence against women. The study's results demonstrate the importance of training and capacity building in improving the implementation of settlement procedures and alternative measures, and highlight the need for continued support and resources to ensure the effective implementation of the PADV Law.