Communication and Democratic Consultative Decision Making (DCDM)in Dispute and Conflict Management - An African Alternative

Abstract

Democratic Consultative Decision Making (DCDM)is a process or technique that seeks to strengthen the capacity of rural and urban communities, institutioris and organisations to manage conflict and effect a change through peaceful democratic consu tiatioiis and negotiations. It is an innovation on the existing Consultative Decision Making (CDM)process practised in traditional African communities. The consu Itations are carried out in five stages: with the disputants for fact finding and situational analusie, the socio-ecoloqical channels for opinions and clarification of Issues, authorities for legality arid support, disputants for mediation, arbitration and agreement. and with disputant s, socio-ecoloqical channels and authorities for fined decision and resolution.