New Directions of Mediation Development in Ukraine

The rapid development of public relations in view of the spread of the new disease and acute crisis has an impact on all social institutions without exception. Mediation is no exception, so the current subject of the research is the analysis of new areas of the development of the social and legal institution of mediation in Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to identify new areas of mediation development in Ukraine, taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the most important areas of public life. In accordance with the purpose, the following tasks are formulated: to research the features of mediation in the field of health care; to study the development of online mediation; to study the features of school mediation as a mean of combating bullying. The research was based on a forecasting method to determine the perspectives for the use of mediation to resolve acute social conflicts. New directions of mediation development in Ukraine have been studied in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the caused social, political and economic crisis. New challenges of today are considered, where mediation should become an effective tool: a growing number of medical and family disputes, combating domestic violence, combating bullying (school mediation). The slow process of institutionalization of mediation hinders its accessibility, so online mediation may be a new direction of its development in Ukraine. The need to create legislation on mediation remains relevant, which should provide regulations on mediation on the Internet. Modern mediators must adapt new requirements of their activities: to acquire new knowledge (in particular, in the field of medicine as the most perspective area) and use the Internet space for mediation. School mediation should be further promoted and understanding services should be encouraged to prevent violence among children.