Beijing Women's Federation

Family is the basic unit of society. The work of mediating marriage and family disputes directly impacts the happiness and well-being of countless households. Following the directives of the All-China Women’s Federation and the Ministry of Justice, the Beijing Women’s Federation and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Justice have jointly launched the 2025 Beijing Marriage and Family Dispute Mediation Training Program in June. Under the theme “Learn, Practice, Train, and Compete to Strengthen Skills; Promote Harmony at Home and Stability in Society,” this program seeks to comprehensively enhance the professional standards of marriage and family dispute mediation. By integrating learning, practice, training, and competition, it aims to better serve women, families, and social governance. Since its inception, the program has attracted more than 23,000 participants, including grassroots mediators and lawyers. District-level Women’s Federations, working in collaboration with local bureaus of justice, have conducted a series of diverse and engaging training and competition activities. These activities have laid a solid foundation for the upcoming city-level “Grand Competition.”

Answering to Build a Solid Foundation

Enhancing Knowledge for the Upcoming “Grand Competition”

To support the upcoming city-level “Grand Competition” and enhance participants’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills, the All-China Women’s Federation has launched an online learning platform for marriage and family dispute mediation. This platform integrates specialized lectures, daily timed quizzes, and monthly point rankings to stimulate participants’ enthusiasm for learning. Its learning content covers relevant legal provisions and theoretical knowledge, including the Marriage, Family, and Inheritance Sections of the Civil Code and their judicial interpretations, the People’s Mediation Law of the People’s Republic of China and its judicial interpretations, and the Specification for People’s Mediation Work. This content helps mediators comprehensively enhance both their professional competence and mediation skills. Districts across the city have actively participated. Shunyi District, for instance, opened a dedicated learning channel and organized 25 town- and street-level mediators for concentrated training using the national mediation question bank. This approach achieved full coverage of legal knowledge learning. Pinggu District broadened participation by involving women’s federation cadres, executive committee members, Golden Rose volunteers, and members of the Women’s Family Service Teams. To date, the program has recorded more than 58,000 quiz participations citywide.

Training to Empower

Forging Strong Mediation Skills

Districts across Beijing have designed training programs to tackle local challenges in marriage and family dispute mediation. These programs invite judges, psychology experts, and experienced mediators to conduct specialized sessions. By combining case-based teaching, simulated mediations, and interactive Q&A, these programs aim to enhance mediators’ practical skills. Xicheng District launched a series of mediation skills trainings, including four offline specialized courses. It also established a dedicated WeChat learning column for the “Marriage Mediation Grand Training,” enabling participants to expand their knowledge at their fingertips. Changping District organized a promotion meeting to convey the spirit of national and city-level competitions. Mediators and lawyer representatives expressed their commitment, fostering a shared consensus of “learning, competing, and striving for excellence.” Haidian District hosted a rights-protection training program themed “Marriage and Family Dispute Mediation,” with about 700 mediators participating. Judges from the Haidian Court Family Division and nationally recognized mediators provided instruction on practical mediation, the legal application of the Marriage and Family Sections of the Civil Code, and case analysis. They also guided participants to systematically master mediation thinking, legal application, and comprehensive service methods. The program aimed to enhance professional skills in legal rights protection, empathetic mediation, and public service. Chaoyang District emphasized integrating reason, law, and empathy in mediation. It invited national mediation experts to explain fundamental mediation principles, strategies, and techniques in a practical and accessible manner. Yanqing District conducted a series of training programs under the “Women Legal Literacy and Rights Protection Talent” initiative, integrating online and offline sessions with special lectures and on-site assessments. This initiative drew more than 2,000 participants.

Competition to Select the Best

Building a Reserve of Professional Talent

The Beijing Lawyers Association organized a grand training program for marriage and family lawyers. The program established a comprehensive assessment system with three core components: written tests on foundational knowledge, rapid-fire quizzes, and practical mediation exercises. Outstanding lawyers were then selected to advance to the city-level competition. Shijingshan District Women’s Federation, in partnership with the local Bureau of Justice, launched a district-wide Marriage Mediation Grand Training and Selection program. Using a “street-level recommendation + district-level selection” approach, mediators were evaluated through both theoretical and practical assessments. This process ensured a thorough test of their professional skills. Tongzhou District introduced an innovative “test + demonstration + sharing” model for its mediation competition. While participants completed written tests, exemplary mediation case files were displayed on-site for learning. Mediators also shared their experiences through “Mediation Story” sessions to exchange best practices. Yanqing District conducted case-based practical exercises, with experts providing guidance and feedback to rapidly enhance participants’ hands-on mediation skills. Shunyi District assessed 100 marriage and family mediators nominated by local women’s federations and judicial offices. The assessment comprehensively tested both their knowledge and their ability to apply it in practice.

Bringing Activities to Life

Mediation Serving Women and Families

The Fangshan District Women’s Federation launched a Marriage and Family Dispute Mediation and Counseling Project. The project offers personalized case guidance and conflict resolution services. Psychologists were invited to provide targeted counseling and family consultations. The district also organized “Happiness Set Sail” group workshops, using interactive games and scenario-based activities to help family members express love. These initiatives enable couples and parents to experience firsthand the significance of communication, empowering families and enriching lives through mediation work.

As district-level training and selection activities continue, the Beijing City-Level Marriage Mediation “Grand Competition” will take place on September 9–10. This upcoming event serves as a comprehensive assessment of mediators’ overall competencies. It also provides a valuable platform for enhancing service capabilities and fostering innovation in work methods. By leveraging the “Grand Competition” as an opportunity, we aim to integrate training with competition and learning with practice. We also strive to exchange experiences and refine skills through active participation. Together, we will build the “Protecting Families in Beijing” brand of marriage and family dispute mediation. We aim to nurture a team of mediators who are professional, methodical, empathetic, and trustworthy. Their dedication will contribute wisdom and strength to safeguarding marital and family happiness. It will also promote social harmony and stability, helping to build a safer and more secure Beijing.