Turkey is a rapidly-developing country seeking to build its economic base and improve quality and access to justice.  The adoption of the Law on Mediation (No. 6325, enacted in 2013) was a milestone not only in terms of improving the Turkish legal system but also in terms of the overall development of Turkish society.

Mediation relieves overburdened courts and enhances citizens’ access to justice by helping them resolve disputes without the high costs of prolonged trials. Despite the strong resistance of bar associations and labor unions, todays’ high settlement rates demonstrate that the public are very interested in resolving disputes amicably, creatively, and economically in a timely manner.

Turkey’s unique access to the global north and south makes mediation development in the country particularly significant. In accordance with Atatürk’s well-known motto “Peace at home, peace in the world,” dispute resolution processes that help decrease disputes within Turkish society suggest the possibility that the development of mediation in Turkey could have a broader application in conflict management throughout the region.