Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms that have traditionally been used, and still are, to resolve conflicts and instances of human rights abuse. 180. A new law, the Charities and Societies Proclamation No.12/2009, which imposes restrictions on foreign-funded NGOs from disseminating victims’ rights and advocating on their behalf, has exacerbated the problem. This new law prohibits international NGOs from working in conflict resolution and peace building, democratisation, human rights-related advocacy, gender, and disabilities. Local NGOs and civic institutions are also required to raise 90 percent of their income from domestic sources, failing which they are denied citizens’ rights and thus, considered as international NGOs. In effect, this new law reduces opportunities for victims of human rights abuses to have recourse to justice. 181. With regard to efficiency of the courts, the CRM was informed during one of the interactive sessions at the federal level that a recent reform in judicial procedure had been so successful that the courts, presumably at the federal level, were currently “backlog-free”. While this is a laudable feat, some individuals with whom the CRM interacted suggested that there is a need to fully explore how such levels of efficiency were achieved and whether they are being sustained. III. Recommendations 182. The APR Panel recommends the following: • A review of media and other laws pertaining to the exercise of the freedoms of expression, assembly and association with a view to eliminating restrictions on the enjoyment of those freedoms.[Government and Legislature] • Encouragement of mutual respect among political parties and consensus building in matters pertaining to enactment of electoral laws and regulations as a means of nurturing the fledgling multi-party democracy, and pre-empting electoral conflict. [Government, Legislature and political parties] • Provision of adequate resources to human rights institutions to enhance their capacity to discharge their respective mandates. [Government, Legislature] • Courts to resolve elections disputes in a transparent, impartial and expeditious manner. [Government, Legislature] - 94 -