ADR in the context of development

ADR systems may be designed to meet a wide variety of different goals. Some of these goals are directly related to improving the administration of justice and the settlement of particular disputes. Some, however, are related to other development objectives, such as economic restructuring, or the management of tensions and conflicts in communities. For instance, developing an efficient way to resolve land disputes may be critical to ADR mission not because of its commitment to strengthening the rule of law, but because the reason that, land disputes threaten the social and economic stability of the country. Likewise, efficient dispute resolution procedures may be critical to economic development objectives where court delays or corruption inhibit foreign investment and economic restructuring.

So, within the context of rule of law initiatives, ADR programs can support and complement court reform. It increases popular satisfaction with dispute resolution, increase access to justice for

disadvantaged groups, the system also reduce delay in the resolution of disputes, reduces the cost of resolving disputes.

In the context of other development objectives, ADR programs can:

· Increase civic engagement and create public processes to facilitate economic restructuring and other social change

· Help reduce the level of tension and conflict in a community

· Manage disputes and conflicts that may directly affect development initiatives

Therefore we can say that, ADR programs can have a positive impact on each of these development objectives, although the extent of the impact is very much dependent on other conditions within the country and the fit of the design and implementation of the program with the development objectives.