Jasminka DŽUMHUR, PhD, is the Human Rights Ombudsperson of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a legal
expert with 33 year expirance in the field of justice, human rights and international relations. In the
period 2016-2019, Ms. Dzumhur was a member and vice president of the UN Committee of Migrant
Workers, and in the period 2010-2015. a member and vice-president of the UN Working Group on
Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. During 2018 and 2019, Ms. Dzumhur was a lecturer on
women's rights at the European Regional Master's Program in Democracy and Human Rights in
Southeast Europe (ERMA), and at the International University of Burch, Sarajevo on International Law
and Diplomacy.

Mediation constitutes a very important instrument that can be used in many processes within the
society. Its importance was primarily recognized during the conflict when the need has emerged to establish some form of communication between the conflicting parties, about the humanitarian and human rights issues, such as exchange of prisoners, bodies of the dead, information on missing persons, delivery of humanitarian aid, etc. which all took place during the conflict, in addition to attempts of finding solutions to end the conflict.
Mediation is also important in court disputes, although many believe that they are mutually
exclusive, i.e. the incompatible. However, this issue should always be viewed from the aspect of
the type of litigation, but also the fact that a large number of court cases reduce the effectiveness
of judicial protection, which is why it is necessary to seek alternative solutions. Human rights concerns require that citizens have the right to access to a legal remedy, but its availability is not the only requirement, but also its effectiveness. Human rights concerns are the ones that that
indicate to the option of using mediation as an alternative method of dispute resolution, but in this process, as well, the respect for human rights principles must be ensured. From the aspect of my experience as an Ombudsperson, the field of using mediation is the widest one in the area of labor disputes and elimination of discrimination, especially harassment, sexual harassment and mobbing, but also in disputes related to economy.

Therefore, it is very important that mediators have a broad understanding of human rights. One of the most important tools for mediators who are enmeshed in complex, highly sensitive and
often fractious negotiations is to employ human rights terms and concepts whose meaning and
contours have attained universal agreement