International Bridges to Justice

Mission

In recognition of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Bridges to Justice, as a non-government and non-profit organization, is dedicated to ensuring the basic legal rights of ordinary citizens in developing countries. Specifically, IBJ works to guarantee the rights of all citizens to competent legal representation, to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment, and to a fair trial.

Programs

Defense lawyer capacity-building (training, resources and international partnerships), support for criminal justice reform through judicial roundtable conferences, and public legal rights awareness campaigns.

Funded Projects on GlobalGiving

Chinese Defender Training for Trainers Program

Bridge to torture-free life for Rwanda’s children

Personnel Overview

Karen I.Tse - Founder and CEO
Rev Karen Tse, an acclaimed international human rights attorney and ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, is building coalitions to support public defenders in emerging democracies. Founder and CEO of International Bridges to Justice, Karen has successfully negotiated and implemented groundbreaking measures in judicial reform with the Chinese, Vietnamese and Cambodia governments.

Sanjeewa Liyanage - Program Director
Sanjeewa Liyanage brings to IBJ over 12 years of experience in human rights in Asia. Prior to this, he was the Asian Coordinator for International Young Christian Students (IYCS) from 1988 to 1991, then from 1994 he worked at the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), two Hong-Kong based NGOs, where he assisted with legal training programs.

Marlon Zakeyo - Africa Program Fellow
Marlon is a Zimbabwean human rights lawyer and former student leader who has received his legal education in Zimbabwe and Switzerland. He has worked for the World Council of Churches, and also worked extensively on human rights, and the rule of law in Zimbabwe and Africa with NGOs in his home country and abroad. He specializes in International Criminal Law, Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law.

Personnel Statistics

Karen Tse,
Founder and CEO
Founded in 2000
Employees: 2
Volunteers: 20

Financial Statistics

Budget (2007): $ 1,300,000
Budget (2006): $ 1,000,000
Maximum Budget: $ 1,000,000
Overhead: 20 %
Other funding sources: Open Society Institute; Echoing Green Foundation; Ashoka; US-China Legal Coop Fund; Skoll Foundation; MacArthur Foundation; Oak Foundation
Religious Affiliation: none